A young girl has been left with facial scars after a dog savaged her in an unprovoked attack.

But mum Maria Hunt believes it could have been far worse if their neighbour - Mike - had not shielded the child from the "out-of-control" dog.

The attack unfolded last Wednesday in Triumph Court, Costessey. 

In an emotional Facebook post, Maria described how the attack left her daughter needing emergency surgery to repair her face and body.

She said: "Last week my beautiful darling little girl was attacked and mauled by a dangerously out-of-control dog.

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"Thankfully our hero, our wonderful neighbour Mike quite literally saved my little girl's life - fighting off the dog he clung to her trying to fight off the relentless attack by the dog.

"Mike was eventually knocked to the floor and he rolled on top of her and shielded her with his body.

"I know for certain had it not been for this wonderful man that dog would not have stopped, it would have killed my little girl."

But she fears the child will be left with both physical and emotional scars from the incident and is now calling for people to face tougher implications after a spike in dog attacks. 

"This attack could have been so easily prevented - now my beautiful little girl has been left with life-changing injuries. She will carry the scars emotionally and physically for the rest of her life," she added.

"Much more needs to be done to prevent things like this happening. I don’t have the answers but I want to do all I can to make sure her attack doesn’t go unnoticed."

A Norfolk police spokeswoman has confirmed officers were called at 6.45pm on Wednesday, July 17. 

The dog owner, a woman in her 40s, was arrested and taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

The woman was released on bail until October 17 and the dog, a new English bulldog, was destroyed.