Jill Jones, 62, was attacked by two suspected pit bull cross breeds as she walked her dog in Ashton-on-Ribble near Preston, Lancashire

A grandmother has been left in 'constant pain' after two 'pit bull cross breeds' mauled her hand to the bone as she walked her dog.

Jill Jones, 62, was with her cockapoo Charlie when she spotted two unsupervised dogs on the pavement behind her on December 30.

She said the pair followed her for several yards before pouncing at Charlie and biting his ears, neck and legs.

Mrs Jones said her first instinct was to protect her beloved pet by attempting to lead the attackers away with her left hand.

But the ferocious dogs then launched an attack on the grandmother - and bit her hand to the bone.

Mrs Jones said: 'They were all over him and pulling him every which way like a rag doll. I didn't know what else to do, so I just gave them my hand and tried to cover him.

'Charlie is my world and I was trying to protect him any way I could. That's why my hand is ravaged and shredded. I wasn't bothered about myself, I just wanted to save Charlie.

'Terrifying is not the word. They were wild, their eyes were evil, it's like they were trying to kill us. I thought I was going to die.'

The grandmother said the dogs pounced at her cockapoo Charlie (pictured) and bit his ears, neck and legs

Her screams were heard by neighbours in Ashton-on-Ribble near Preston, Lancashire, who ran to her rescue.

David Lynch managed to grab one of the dogs by the scruff of its neck as its partner fled.

He held onto the enraged dog for more than an hour until police arrived. Officers later tracked the other dog down to its owners' home nearby.

Mrs Jones said: 'The gentlemen who helped me are my heroes I'll tell you. They probably saved our lives.

'One of them took us into his home where his wife cared for me. I can't thank them enough.

'Those dogs were killers and they didn't think twice about helping me.'

The grandmother-of-three was taken to hospital where she underwent surgery on her left hand.

The ferocious dogs then launched an attack on the grandmother - and bit her hand to the bone

'I had an operation and the doctors said my recovery is going to be a long process,' she said. 'I can't do a thing and my hand looks disfigured. I can't even hold a cigarette.

'It's made me a nervous wreck. When I came home from the hospital, I got out of the car and some dogs were barking down the street. It scared me to death.

'But me and Charlie are survivors. We're a tough old pair and you can't keep us down for long.'

Charlie was taken to a vet to be treated for multiple puncture wounds to his head and body.

The suspected pit bull cross breeds have since been seized by police and enquiries are ongoing to establish their breed.

Mrs Jones underwent surgery following the attack and Charlie was rushed to a vet to be treated for puncture wounds to his head and body

A police spokesman said: 'We were called by the Ambulance Service yesterday afternoon (Sunday, December 30) at around 2.45pm to the report that a woman had been attacked by two dogs on Stocks Road in Ashton, Preston.

'Both animals have been seized and enquiries are on-going to establish their breed.'

Police could not confirm whether the owner of the dogs has been arrested.

The ownership and breeding of pit bull-type dogs in the UK has been banned by the Dangerous Dogs Act since 1991.