A couple have said they are struggling to cope after witnessing one of their dog’s being mauled to death.

Michael Hearn was walking his four Yorkshire terriers in Stevenage at around 10pm on September 8 with his wife Sharon.

They had just adopted Holly, a 13-year-old teacup Yorkshire terrier, and decided to take her on a short walk with their other dogs.

Mr Hearn claims that after walking round a corner into another road, a dog ran out of a house and started attacking them.

The 47-year-old said: “I kept kicking it but it just wouldn’t let go. The whole thing was manic. My wife was screaming and I was just trying to chase the dog away.

“Holly is only a tiny little thing and after the attack there was a pool of blood the size of a football on the pavement.

“My wife was lying in the road holding her but there was nothing she could do because she was already dead.

“It has been a week of hell – my wife collapsed in the vets. It is the worst thing we have ever seen and we are both struggling to cope with what we saw.”

Mr Hearn contacted the police and returned to the scene. He was later arrested on public order offences and is due to answer bail on October 14.

Herts police confirmed they are currently investigating the incident and have summoned the dog’s owner to court, though a date has yet to be set.

Anyone with information should contact police on non-emergency 101 number or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.