A MUM has described the "terrifying" moment her six-year-old daughter was bitten by a dog in Mesnes Park.

Yesterday, Thursday, August 8, Emma Churton from Newton-le-Willows took her two children Lacey, six and Charlie, three for a ride on their bikes in Mesnes Park, but what was a lovely family trip turned sour when a dog jumped up and bit Lacey on her side.

The Staffordshire terrier type dog was on a lead, but leaped and bit six-year-old Lacey Cannon, with her mortified mum and little brother watching from just steps behind.

Emma, 32, is sharing the story to urge dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead. She said: "We were just going down from the big park on her bike and she was just a little in front on me and Charlie and this lad with a Staffy walked past.

"The next thing it jumped up and nipped her and she was hysterical, she was bleeding a bit and I just told Charlie to stay where he was and went to her.

"The lad did pull the dog away on the lead and said that he was sorry and that the dog had never done that before, but at the time I didn't think to get his details because I just wanted to get Lacey and Charlie out of there.

"It just goes to show you how dogs should be kept on leads, if it had happened to Charlie it would have got his face.

"She's really bruised and sore today and doesn't want to go anywhere where there might be dogs, it's so sad."