A TEENAGER who was savaged by two Staffordshire bull terriers has thanked a mop-wielding neighbour for "saving her life".

Chloe Wooloughan, 17, of Riverdale Road, Erith, was walking her 13-month-old dog Sisi along Church Street at around 5.30pm on October 28 when two Staffies attacked.

Fortunately for her, 22-year-old Daniel Cavell was home from work due to train cancellations in the wake of the storm and rushed to her aid.

The North West Kent College student told News Shopper: "I was just walking my dog like I do every day.

"I saw one Staffie staring at my dog so I picked my dog up and it started charging towards me.

"They were trying to get my dog and because they couldn’t, they started attacking me."

She added: "I was screaming for help and no-one was coming.

"This cab driver saw and just drove off.

"The dog was hanging off my arm and some boy came out of nowhere and started hitting him with a mop."

Mr Cavell’s mother Tracy, who lives in Wheatstone Road, heard the commotion and called her son to help.

He said: "I heard my Mum shouting 'Dan', so I ran downstairs. Mum had a knife and a mop.

"I didn’t know what to expect when I left the house. It was only when I got a few houses down the road that I saw what was happening.

"I ran to the girl and just started hitting the dogs with the mop.

"I was just glad Chloe and her dog were OK and will make a full recovery."

He added he was hitting the dogs for around 15 to 20 minutes in total.

Chloe said: "I really want to thank him for saving for my life.

"If he wasn’t there, I think it would have been a different situation and my dog would be dead."

Chloe was taken to Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford with severe bite marks, scratches and a head injury while Sisi’s leg was "a bit mangled".

Chloe’s mother Sharon Reilly called Mr Cavell an "absolute hero" and said the owners of the Staffies had  taken full responsibility and put the dogs down.

She said: "Daniel saved my daughter’s life. I will be forever indebted to him and his Mum.

"There are not enough words to express my thanks and gratitude for their bravery." 

Mrs Reilly added: "The owners are still trying to come to terms with the fact the dogs attacked and are deeply upset that their family dogs have been put to sleep, but they also understand that was the right thing to do."

She added they had also offered to pay Sisi’s vet fees and explained the dogs escaped through their garden fence, which was damaged during the storm.   

A Freedom of Information request revealed 421 serious dog attacks were attended by the London Ambulance Service between August 2012 and July this year - nine of these occurred in Bexley.