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Neighbours heard "terrible" screams as a mum was mauled to death by her dogs and threw bricks at the animals in a desperate bid to stop the attack.

Locals rushed to the aid of Elayne Stanley, 44, after they heard shouting and her daughter ran across the road and told a friend: "The dogs are attacking mum."

Mum-of-three Ms Stanley "didnt stand a chance" as she was mauled by her large powerful dogs - a female called Billy and a male named DJ - at her home in Widnes, Cheshire.

Neighbours hurled bricks through a side door and used tools to get the "massive" and "muscly" dogs off her and then screamed for towels as they tried to save her at the bloody scene.

DJ "had the taste of blood" and was shot dead by police and Billy was tranquilised and taken away from the scene, a longtime friend said.

Have you been affected by the incident? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk.

(Image: Facebook)

The pets have been described by neighbours as American bulldog or mastiff-type dogs.

They turned on Ms Stanley and attacked her after she rowed with her daughter just after 5pm on Tuesday, it was reported.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, told the Liverpool Echo: “I heard a girl shouting ‘DJ’, I know that was the dog’s name and she was calling ‘I can’t get in to her’.

“The screams were terrible and someone was kicking the door.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

“I heard ‘get towels, get an ambulance’ and screams, and the girls were crying.”

Neighbour Bev Hall said she ran into the bloody scene in her bare feet as Ms Stanley - who had three daughters, including twins - was attacked after an argument with one of her daughters.

Mum-of-three Ms Hall, who lives opposite Ms Stanley, told the Sun: “We were here putting the tea on and the next thing her daughter Louise came running in screaming for help saying ‘the dogs are attacking mum’."

She said Ms Stanley was behind the closed living room door and she could hear a dog "growling and scratching".

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

The neighbour said she and her partner threw items and banged on windows to try to distract the animals.

Ms Hall, who has known the victim for 22 years, told how her partner Jay and other neighbours hurled bricks at the dogs from a side door.

Neighbour Carl Rees, 28, said he heard screams and found a man in the kitchen trying to distract the dogs, which he described as "massive".

Mr Rees told the Echo he used tools and threw bricks in a desperate attempt to fight them off.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

The dogs were corralled into the back garden and Ms Hall's partner locked them out.

Ms Hall, 39, said: “By the time the paramedics came there was nothing they could do, she had bled out."

Police confirmed Ms Stanley died at the scene despite efforts to save her.

Ms Hall added: “The police tried to tranquillise DJ three or four times but he wouldn’t calm down, he had the taste of blood so he went for the police officers and they had to put him down."

She said DJ was shot twice and Billy was tranquilised and taken away.

A woman who lives nearby said the large dogs were "muscly".

Residents were left shaken following the attack.

Marie Airey said: “I never used to hear the dogs barking. It’s so sad. Elayne was only little and thin. She must have been eight stone. With two big dogs she didn’t stand a chance.”

Police did not reveal the breed of the dogs.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

Neighbour Dorothy Woodward described Ms Stanley as "lovely", adding: "She was a beautiful person and very friendly."

Ms Stanley had three daughters - Louise, 22, and twin aged around 13, according to neighbours.

Neighbours say they were not aware of any previous problems with the dogs

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "At around 5.15pm on Tuesday 24 September police received reports that a 44-year-old woman had been attacked by two dogs at an address on Graham Road in Widnes.

"Officers attended the property and discovered that the woman was in a serious condition.

"Sadly, despite the best efforts of all those involved, the woman died at the scene. Her next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

"Following the attack, repeated attempts were made by officers to safely secure the two dogs in order to remove them from the address.

"One was safely detained, however officers were unable to secure the second dog.

"Attempts were made to tranquilise the second dog but this was unsuccessful so, in the interests of public safety, the dog was destroyed.

"The other dog remains in a secure kennel."

Detective Inspector Ian Whiley said: “We understand that people in the local community will be concerned when they hear about what has happened.

“But I would like to reassure residents that we are doing all that we can to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

“However, at this stage, it is believed that the dogs were known to the woman and were living at the address.

“This has been an extremely distressing incident and our thoughts are with the woman’s family at this difficult time.”