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A mum-of-six almost died after a crazed dog tried to rip out her throat missing her jugular vein by a millimetre.

Suzanne Crofts, 41, was mauled by the animal outside her daughter's home after she started stroking it.

It jumped up and clamped its teeth around her neck as she screamed for help with the snarling mutt "hanging from her throat".

Miss Crofts said she thought she "was going to die" and believes the only reason she survived the horrific attack was because she remained calm and did not struggle with the animal.

Suzanne claims the dog is a cross between a pitbull and a Staffordshire bull terrier - an illegal breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act - and has since been seized by police and a 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault.

(Image: SWNS)

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Showing her awful injuries which required 13 stitches, brave Suzanne, who still has flashbacks, said: "The dog seemed lovely so I gave him a couple of strokes on the head.

"Then when I turned away he just launched at me.

"Without warning, he ripped my neck and the bite was one millimetre from my jugular vein.

"It was just trying to rip my throat out.

"I can picture these powerful jaws coming towards me and it will haunt me forever.

"I tried to stay calm so I was standing up with this powerful dog just dangling from my neck.

"It was hanging there from my throat and I was sure I was going to die. .

"If I had struggled I'm sure I wouldn't be alive today.

"It was snarling and you could see in its eyes it wanted to kill.

"Neighbours ran across and started trying to beat the dog off using bags of rice and things like. Eventually it let go after about two minutes.

"It was the longest two minutes of my life.

"My daughter found me dripping with blood. I was in agony but in complete shock at the same time. Part of my throat was just hanging out.

"I am lucky to still be here and if it had been one of my younger children instead of me they would have been mauled to death for sure.

(Image: SWNS) (Image: SWNS)

Neighbour Alison Key, 43, described how the incident unfolded: "I came out onto my doorstep after I heard all the shouting.

"The dog got hold of her by the side of her neck. Two guys who live on the road got spades to hit it with.

"But the dog went back at her again. My children saw the whole thing.

"My youngest was screaming at me: 'Mummy, that dog is going to kill that lady'."

(Image: SWNS)

Read more:Police seize 5,000 'dangerous dogs' in three years

Full-time mum Suzanne was found soaked in blood by daughter Jaimie-Lee, 24, who rushed her to hospital following the incident on May 14.

Suzanne, who lives in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts, added: "I was taken to hospital but there was no plastic surgeon so I had to go into City Hospital the day after for an operation.

"Since then I keep being sick and I've been in Royal Chesterfield Hospital for the last week.

"I've never been ill like this before and I don't think it's just a coincidence it has happened since the dog bit me."

A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Police said the man arrested has been bailed and enquiries are ongoing.