A YOUNG lad was bitten on the face by a savage American XL bully – before the dangerous dog turned on his mum and little sister too.

Eight-year-old Leo Dawes endured six-and-a-half hours of surgery after he was left "with his face hanging off" following the attack in Cannock, Staffordshire.

Mum Hayley Kimberley, a nurse, and six-year-old Carys were also hurt as the terrifying dog lunged on Saturday afternoon.

Frighteningly, the pet is still on the loose – raising fears someone else could be hurt.

Speaking from Birmingham Children's Hospital, where her little ones have endured operations, brave Hayley told The Sun of her horror.

"We've seen the dog before and it's been ok. We have no idea why it suddenly went mad," she said.

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She said she, Leo and Carys had been to visit a neighbour's new puppy doors down in the moments before the attack.

The dog's female owner – who was arrested following the ordeal – keeps both the pup and the much bigger bully XL, Ace, it's understood.

"The puppy was lying in the shade and I was standing by it while holding my daughter in my arms," Hayley said.

"My son was on the other side of the garden. The big dog jumped up at him and attacked his face.

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"I tried to get the dog off and the children inside the house."

But seconds after they reached the safety of the living room, the dog "burst" through the door and attacked again.

"It bit my arm and my daughter's arm," Hayley said.

She said Leo was left "with his face hanging off".

The huge beast then vanished from the house. It remains missing.

The female owner has allegedly told detectives of her remorse.

A man in his 20s, believed to be another owner, remains in custody today.

DEVIL DOG ON THE LOOSE

The children's stepfather, who asked not to be named, told The Sun of the moment he saw the youngsters "as white as ghosts with blood pouring from them".

"It was horrifying," he said.

"Hayley had been up the road at a neighbour's house with the kids and walked back screaming my name."

He said a "big flap" of skin was hanging from Leo's face, while Carys had been "badly bitten on the left arm".

It was such a nasty attack. I work in a prison and I see all sorts of things, but I've never seen anything like it before."

"An air ambulance had to take Leo to hospital. He was in a bad way," he added.

"He's undergone six-and-a-half hours of surgery. The dog bit his face just under the eye. It's damaged the muscle and he has no movement in his lips.

"We don't know yet if his eye or sight has been damaged.

"It was such a nasty attack. I work in a prison and I see all sorts of things, but I've never seen anything like it before."

He warned that cops must find the dog "quickly".

"It could attack again. It must be found," he said.

Cops say a 51-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of owning a dog which was dangerously out of control and caused injury. She has been bailed.

On Monday, two Cannock men aged 25 and 28 were also arrested, one for the same charge and the second for assisting an offender.

A spokesperson from the force said: "An eight-year-old boy remains in a critical but stable condition. A six-year-old girl and a 35-year-old woman are still receiving treatment for arm injuries."

It comes less than a week after a toddler was mauled to death in her home by the same breed of dog.

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Bella-Rae Birch, who was 17 months old, died in hospital after she was savaged in St Helen's, Merseyside.

The bully XL responsible was put down.

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