Brooke needs 40 stitches after dog attack

Brooke Sayer, four, underwent four hours of plastic surgery to rebuild her face, after a German shepherd clamped its jaws around her nose and mouth, leaving her needing 40 stitches.

Brooke was at a Clacton caravan park with her parents, Jay and Claire, when the dog – described as “a German shepherd-type”

– went for her.

Claire, 25, said: “The dog ran out, knocked her over and grabbed her face.

“It completely tore one side of her face off. She didn't know what was goingon. All sheknew was the dog had got her face.

“My husband had the dog in one hand and lifted our daughter off the ground with the other. He was trying to stop the dog, which was still trying to attack her. Then it tried to attack him, as well.”

Jay, 23, managed to get his screaming daughter away from the dog. Police were called and the dog was taken away and later destroyed.

Brooke went to Colchester General Hospital and was transferred to Chelmsford's Broomfield Hospitalfor surgery.

Claire said: “I didn’t think they were going to be able to put her back together.

“She had to have plastic surgery and had her face stitched back up inside and outside.

“The right side of her nose was hanging off and her top lip was in four parts, where the dog’s teeth had ripped through.

"There was a big hole in her cheek, through which the surgeon could put his finger.”

Brooke spent five days in hospital and is now recovering at home, inRushGreenRoad,Clacton, where her mum says she is now suffering terrifying nightmares.

Claire said: “It’s been the worst couple of weeks of our lives. Brooke was really brave, but she's traumatised. She’s up screaming all nightand can’t get any sleep.

“During the day, she says, ‘it’s all right, mum–not all dogs are bad, but that one was really naughty’. But when she goes to bed, she has nightmares.

“A child psychiatrist saw her and couldn't believe how well she was getting on, but she’s scared to fall asleep and when she does, she starts screaming and it can go on for hours.”

The attack means Brooke won’t starting school, as planned, at Frobisher School, Clacton, until her injuries have healed.

She will get counselling and could need further treatment and laser surgery in to reduce the scarring.