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A frantic mother shoved a sandwich into the mouth of a mongrel in a desperate bid to save her screaming daughter, who was locked in its jaws.

But the huge dog refused to relax its grip for ten terrifying minutes and shook the sobbing schoolgirl like a rag doll. 

And by the time it was hauled off, the child was left with blood dripping from terrible bite wounds to her leg.  

Ten-year-old Shakeisha Vowell was on a family picnic with mother Jade Douglas at the Vallis Vale beauty spot in Frome, Somerset on Sunday when the vicious attack happened.

Ten-year-old Shakeisha Vowell was enjoying a day out with mother Jade Douglas, 32, at the Vallis Vale beauty spot in Frome, Somerset on Sunday when out of nowhere, a hound attacked her

The aftermath: Shakeisha is being treated in hospital and it's feared she will need a skin graft after she was bitten by a dog on a family picnic 

It is the latest horrifying incident in which children have been attacked by dogs in recent weeks. 

Just last week a toddler in Kent has been fighting for its life after being mauled in a playground and just days later, another young child suffered wounds to the face from a dog in the street.   

Shakeisha is being treated in hospital and it's feared she will need a skin graft. 

The family had been enjoying the first Sunday of the Easter Holidays when a monster dog, described as a mongrel, appeared out of nowhere with no sign of its owner.   

'We'd been having a lovely day - we usually go down Vallis Vale when it's sunny' Ms Douglas said.

'Shakeisha had been jumping in and out of the water enjoying herself. 

'When she finished playing she started putting on her shoes when suddenly this huge dog came up and grabbed her. 

'It was absolutely awful - she was screaming for her life. 

Mother Jade Douglas, 32, tried to distract the hound away using a sandwich from the family picnic (stock image) 

'I started hitting the dog, swearing and screaming at it, trying to rip it from my daughter,' the upset mother explained.

But when the beast refused to let go, she used a sandwich from the family picnic in a bid to divert its attention.  

Ms Douglas, 32, said: 'I tried shoving a sandwich in its mouth in an attempt to distract it but it was holding her leg too hard. 

'For 10 minutes I couldn't get it off. 

'Then we tried pouring water on it and in its mouth and got it to release its grip.' 

Shakeisha was taken by ambulance to the Royal United Hospital in Bath and was kept in for treatment. 

Her mother said Shakeisha could have died if the dog latched on to her neck.

She said: 'She may need a skin graft. Luckily the dog didn't grab her by the face or neck.

'She might not be with us today if it had done that. 

'Watching the dog with her leg in its mouth is the most horrible thing I've ever witnessed. 

'I can't get the images out of my head. I honestly thought the dog, which looked like some sort of beast, was going to take her leg off. 

'She'll certainly never be confident enough to go back down Vallis Vale or be around dogs again. She'll be traumatised for the rest of her life.' 

The mother is now urging owners to keep their dogs on a lead. 'I'm concerned that this sort of thing is becoming a regular occurrence,' she said.

Ms Douglas' sister Terrie Vowellzey was with them at the time and said: 'Shakeisha was just enjoying the sun with her mum when the dog came up to her and tried biting her shoe.

'Soon as she tried moving away the dog latched on to her leg and wouldn't let go. 

'She's just had the leg cleaned fully before they decide if she will need skin grafts or not. 

'We are all very angry and want others to know the dangers of dogs not being on leads and also want some justice for a poor little girl who was just enjoying her Easter holidays. 

'We tried everything to get the dog off but he wouldn't let go. 

'Jade managed to kick the dog and he let go but by then Shakeisha was in shock and covered in blood.'

Beauty spot: The family had been enjoying the sunshine at the Vallis Vale beauty spot in Frome, Somerset on Sunday when a dog came out of nowhere and set upon ten-year-old Shakeisha

This is the latest in a series of troubling dog attacks across the UK.   

Last week an 18-month-old baby was severely injured after being mauled by a banned pitbull-type breed in Chatham, Kent.  

The infant - named as Victoria Resetnjova - was left fighting for her life in hospital after she was savaged by the animal as she played with her teenage sister at a park.

The dog was shot dead following the vicious attack on Tuesday evening. 

And on Monday, April 3 a toddler in Derbyshire was left with horrific facial injuries when a dog she had been told was 'safe to pet' clamped its jaws on her face when she tried to kiss it.

Ophelia Rozic, aged 18 months, was rushed to hospital in Derbyshire after the animal sank its teeth into her face when she went to give it a kiss.

Her heavily pregnant mother, Nicol, 31, watched on in horror as the animal clamped its jaws around her daughter's head during the terrifying attack.

In March a tragedy hit the headlines when a man, 41, was mauled to death by his own dog while being filmed for a BBC documentary. 

He was taken to hospital but couldn’t be saved after suffering catastrophic blood loss and damage to the airways consistent with a dog bite.

The dog, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier according to police, is believed to have attacked its owner in the street outside his home in Wood Green, north London.