A WOMAN was left with a bad bite to her leg after she was attacked by a vicious dog while walking through a park.

The victim, who asked not to be named, was strolling through Wat Tyler Country Park, in Pitsea, with her fiancé when the Pomeranian started “snapping aggressively on its lead”.

The woman’s grandfather, Mike Watson, 70, of Orchard Grove, Eastwood, said: “They weren’t doing anything to aggravate the dog.

“Unfortunately, it was on an extendable lead so however much the owner tried, she couldn’t pull it away, and for her just to walk away with a quick apology afterwards is awful.”

The dog set upon the woman and bit her on the right knee.

She was in a great deal of pain and he leg was bleeding severely following the attack.

Mr Watson added: “Even though she, luckily, was not too badly injured physically, it was quite a traumatic thing to happen – especially as they weren’t doing anything to anger the dog.”

The incident was reported to Essex Police, which has launched an appeal following the incident.

A spokesman said: “We received a report that a woman in her 20s had been bitten by a dog in the Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea at around 4pm on Thursday, May 31.

“The victim had been walking in the park when a small dog approached her and bit her on the leg.

“The dog’s owner managed to pull it away from the victim who went to hospital for treatment.”

Mr Watson said that he is not confident the family will be able to find the woman who owned the dog.

She was described as having blonde hair, wearing glasses and a pink dress.

Mr Watson said: “We’re not looking to sue or anything like that, but we just want to make the public aware of what has happened – both for dog owners to make sure that they’re taking the right precautions if their dog is nervous, and park-goers who might not be aware of the problems.

“Although it was a horrible thing to happen, it is very lucky that it wasn’t a young child that the dog decided to attack.

“What was a bite on the leg of my granddaughter could well have been the face of a very young child and that just doesn’t bear thinking about.”

If you were in Wat Tyler Country Park, saw anything or have any information about what happened in the incident on Thursday afternoon, you are encouraged to call Essex Police on 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/76220/18 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.