A mother has spoken of her anguish after a dog attacked her son on his way to school.

Penelopa Chelmus, of Rosedale Road, Dagenham, told how her son Andre, seven, was traumatised after the dog, which she believes to be a pit bull breed, bit the top of his right thigh.

She said that Andre was walking to school with his grandmother when the animal ran towards him, jumped on him and bit him on the upper half of his leg.

The mum-of-two said her son had suffered nightmares after the same dog jumped on him three weeks earlier.

‘Unbelievable’

Penelopa, 33, said: “The dog was not on a leash. It’s unbelievable. I don’t understand these people.

“My mum looks after my children because me and my husband work. She was pushing a pushchair with my three-year-old, Eric, in it.

“When she called me to tell me what had happened, I started crying. I did not give birth to this child for him to suffer. I don’t want him to suffer.

“The dog could have broken a muscle, it could have paralysed him. He is going to have that mark on his leg for the rest of his life.”

She said he had four to five bite marks which pierced his flesh following the attack on April 20.

He was taken to the school, and then to his GP where a nurse bandaged him up and injected him with antibiotics.

Penelopa added: “My son sometimes dreams about the dog attack. Every time a dog passes him he gets very scared.

“ It’s a very dangerous case – it’s as serious as somebody being stabbed. There’s a life at risk. I’m very angry.”

Penelopa said that this was not the first attack from the dog.

She added: “Three weeks before this incident, the same dog jumped on my son. He did not bite him that time.”

Seized

Barking and Dagenham Police said they are looking into the attack.

A police spokesman said: “I can confirm that this incident was reported to police and an investigation has been launched.

“Following the preliminary investigation, enquiries will be made concerning the dog and if appropriate a warrant will be sought and the dog seized.

“Actions are also dictated by whether or not this animal is a banned breed.

“No arrests have been made at this time.”