A PET owner watched on in horror as her dog was savaged to death by a Staffordshire bull terrier.

Valerie Martin, aged 74, tied up her 11-year-old shiatsu and Yorkshire terrier cross, Scruffy, to a post while she went shopping at Village Stores in Freelands Road, Bromley, on October 13.

While inside her beloved dog was attacked and killed.

Mrs Martin, of Wanstead Road, Bromley, said: "It was horrible and left me with images in my mind of how my poor dog was killed.

"I was in the store picking up my shopping and Scruffy was watching me through the window.

"I mouthed to him that I would be out in a minute - he was sitting and looking me."

She said says she turned away to pay at the counter and heard a lot of noise from outside with someone shouting "pull him off".

She explained: "I looked to see my dog with his head in this great big staffy.

"It was pandemonium and I realised the staffy's jaws had locked around his head. I just screamed my head off.

"I remember looking at him and then I turned away because there was so much blood."

The owner of the Staffordshire bull terrier helped Mrs Martin take Scruffy to the Foxgrove Veterinary Centre, in Foxgrove Road, Beckenham, but the injury was too serious and the dog was put down to prevent further suffering.

Mrs Martin said: "We tried to hold on until my husband could get there but he passed away before he could see Scruffy. I was in such a state.

"He did not deserve to be attacked by a dangerous dog which should have been on his lead.

"Apparently the teenage boys who were looking after him dropped the lead by accident which is why he wasn’t on it.

"I hate to talk about putting the staffy down because I love all animals but he murdered my dog and nothing can bring him back."

She added: “I hope by talking about this, it will prevent it happening in the future and could save other dogs.”

The owner of the Staffordshire bull terrier has offered to cover all Mrs Martin’s vets bills and even buy her a new dog.

But Mrs Martin says this will not be enough to replace her treasured Scruffy, who was a rescue dog.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "People should have a responsibility to keep their dogs under control and if it is aggressive it should be kept on a lead and possibly a muzzle when it is in public."

A police spokesman said: “The investigation with the RSPCA is still very much ongoing.”