Carolyn Bairstow was walking towards the Town Square to meet her partner, Rick Henson, and eight-year-old son, when she heard her dog Scamp screaming in pain.

"A Staffordshire bull terrier had our dog by the throat," said Carolyn. "The owner tried to pull him off our dog, but the terrier didn't let go until one of the shopkeepers threw water over him.

"Scamp was left with three puncture wounds to his neck and in 30 years of having dogs I have never seen anything as cruel as this. We were all really upset, especially my eight-year-old son who witnessed Scamp being savaged."

She reported the incident to the police, who were told the bull terrier had been returned to the kennels from where it came, and was to be destroyed the following day.

But officers learned from Carolyn this week the dog had been returned to the owner on the following day and they have now re-opened their investigations into the incident.

"I am not asking for this dog to be destroyed, just placed somewhere that knows how to handle dogs liks this, because it could be a child that gets hurt next," she said.