One neighbour said the family – who are said to have lived at the property for "less than a year" – had two older children and a dog, while another called the police after hearing "terrible screaming."

Police captured an American Bulldog at the incident and took it to the kennels following the attack at 5.40pm on Thursday.

A 29-year-old woman from Halstead was arrested at the scene for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control injuring a person, police said.

Some kinds of American Bulldog have been found to be Pit Bull-types, which are which are illegal under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

According to government guidance, if the dog "matches many of the characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier, it may be a banned type."