A mum has recalled the harrowing moment she saw a dog 'ripping apart' her son's face at a vintage steam rally.
Kirsty Taylor, 26, is traumatised by what happened to three-year-old Oscar who was left covered in blood at the Carrington Rally, a steam and heritage show near Boston, Lincolnshire on Monday.
The youngster was bitten by a dog, believed to be a black and white border collie, and rushed to hospital by ambulance where he needed specialist facial surgery.
The incident was reported to police and devastated Kirsty is now calling for special controls on dogs at public events where there are children.
The country park worker said: "Oscar was happily watching the stunt bikes display behind a fence with his brother Riley, five, and his step-sister Lacey, seven.
"Oscar ran back to me and fell over on the grass.
"The next thing this dog which was on the floor near us on a lead was ripping his face apart. It just went for him.
"There was a man and woman who looked to be in their late 30s with the dog, and another man.
"I said to them 'your dog has just had my son,' but they did not do anything.
"There was blood everywhere and I just wanted to help Oscar, so I picked him up and ran to find a paramedic.
"It was terrifying. I grabbed Oscar, he was covered in blood, all over his face, and all over me."
Oscar's stepdad Sean Mackmanamon, 32, said his step-son was watching some display bikes at the show when he was attacked by the dog.
Sean said: "The kids went to the fence to watch it, Oscar was watching the bikes.
"Oscar turned round to come back to his mum, he fell over and the dog pounced on him and started biting him."
Kirsty added: "The dog wouldn't get off my child, the owner did nothing, bearing in mind the dog was on a lead.
"I ran and grabbed him, he was covered in blood, all over his face, all over me.
"I just ran with my child and found a paramedic."
Oscar was bandaged by paramedics at the scene and then taken 20 miles by ambulance to Lincoln County Hospital.
Once at Lincoln it was decided Oscar needed specialist treatment and he was rushed a further 40 miles to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham.
Kirsty said: "They blue lighted us all the way to Nottingham in an ambulance, it was every parent's worst nightmare."
Oscar was kept in hospital overnight for facial surgery to mend the wounds. He required stitches in his cheek and chin but his now recovering at home in Tattershall, Lincolnshire.
Kirsty added: "There were four bites in total.
"If he hadn't been looking down when the dog went for him it could have been much, much worse. I dread to think.
"They have stitched his face up.
"He's had a stitch under his chin, he's had dog bites, there is a big stitch and another little one "
Kirsty said she had been hugely affected by the attack on her son.
"Wherever Oscar goes, I go. I won't let him go, I won't put him down if we go to a family event or anything," she admitted.
"He'll be in a pram or I'll be holding him – I am cautious of him being around a dog."
His parents have called for dogs to be banned at public events to stop similar attacks.
"It is terrible that this happened at a family event, it could have happened to any child," Kirsty said.
A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police confirmed they are investigating the attack.
Kirsty added: "One of the people who was with the dog said they would follow us to the paramedic but we never saw them again and we have no idea who they are.
"We were told that the police found them before they left the steam rally and have now been interviewed.
"The police said they would come back and see me next week.
"I just think it is awful, we haven't had an apology or anything."
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