A TINY dog was nearly mauled to death by a rottweiler following a vicious attack in Southend.

Shih-tzu Boycie has left badly scarred after being trapped in the Rottweiler’s mouth following the attack in Prittlewell Square.

Boycie’s owner, Christina Brown, believes he is only alive thanks to a passerby who distracted the “pony sized dog”, allowing Boycie to break free.

Mrs Brown, from Westcliff, said the attack has left her and her dog fearful to go out.

She said: “My dogwas just sitting there and the other dog came up and attacked him. It was horrendous. He had my dog’s head in his mouth. My ex-husband was knocked down by the huge dog trying to save my dog.”

The retired owner said the Rottweiler’s owner just stood and watched throughout the attack and afterwards refused to give any details and just ran off.

Boycie, aged 11, escaped serious injury, but was left with a puncture behind his ear.

Mrs Brown added: “We thought he was gone. He is still very shaken up and so am I. The dog was huge, it was the size of a pony”.

Maureen Permaul, 72, was among those who saw the attack on Saturday afternoon. She was horrified by what she saw and can’t get it out of her mind.

Mrs Permaul, retired, of Southchurch Road, said: “I have never witnessed anything like that before.

“As soon as the bigger dog saw the little one all hell broke loose. There was screaming from the man and woman and from the dog. All of them ended up on the floor, the woman and dog had blood all over them.

“The lady was holding the dog for dear life. The big dog was tugging away at the small one, his ear seemed to be hanging off at the end. It was absolute mayhem."

Police were contacted on Thursday, August 27 with reports a dog was dangerously out of control in Clifftown Parade, Southend, at 2.50pm on Saturday, August 22.

A man and a woman were seated on a bench with a shih tzu on a lead when a Rottweiler was reported to have attacked the smaller dog.

The couple attempted to separate them, during which the woman’s finger was bitten by the Rottweiler and the man fell to the floor, suffering bruising.

A man believed to be the dog’s owner put it on a lead and walked off towards Prittlewell Square.

Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call police at Southend on 101.