A mum-of-six almost died after an out-of-control devil dog tried to rip out her throat when it clamped its jaws around her neck – missing her jugular vein by a MILLIMETRE.
Suzanne Crofts, 41, was mauled by the crazed animal outside her daughter’s home after it launched at her on May 14.
She had started stroking the Pit Bull Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross before it suddenly jumped up and sunk its its teeth into her neck.
Suzanne tried to remain calm and stood up with the snarling mutt “hanging from her throat” for a terrifying two minutes as it tore a huge chunk out of her skin.
Her daughter Jaimie-Lee, 24, found her mum soaked in blood and she was rushed to A&E at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
Graphic pictures taken at hospital show the horrific open wound on her neck which required 13 stitches.
Suzanne has since had an operation to close the wound but has been in and out of Royal Chesterfield Hospital for two weeks with bouts of sickness.
Today (Thurs), the full-time mum, who used to run a cafe near where she was attacked, said she was lucky to be alive after the harrowing attack.
Suzanne, who lives in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts., added: “The dog seemed lovely so I gave him a couple of strokes on the head.
“Then when I turned away he just launched at me.
“Without warning, he ripped my neck and the bite was one millimetre from my jugular vein.
“It was just trying to rip my throat out.
“I can picture these powerful jaws coming towards me and it will haunt me forever.
“I tried to stay calm so I was standing up with this powerful dog just dangling from my neck.
“It was hanging there from my throat and I was sure I was going to die. .
“If I had struggled I’m sure I wouldn’t be alive today.
“It was snarling and you could see in its eyes it wanted to kill.
“Neighbours ran across and started trying to beat the dog off using bags of rice and things like. Eventually it let go after about two minutes.
“It was the longest two minutes of my life.
“My daughter found me dripping with blood. I was in agony but in complete shock at the same time. Part of my throat was just hanging out.
“I am lucky to still be here and if it had been one of my younger children instead of me they would have been mauled to death for sure.
“I was taken to hospital but there was no plastic surgeon so I had to go into City Hospital the day after for an operation.
“Since then I keep being sick and I’ve been in Royal Chesterfield Hospital for the last week.
“I’ve never been ill like this before and I don’t think it’s just a coincidence it has happened since the dog bit me.”
Single mum Suzanne, whose six children are aged between eight and 24, said the horrifying attack has left her too scared to leave the house.
She added: “I’ve always liked dogs but I’m a bit scared about seeing them now.
“I’ve got my own dog Tilly but she’s a pug so she’s quite small but I don’t want to leave the house in case I come across any other dogs.
“If I saw a dog now I don’t think I’d be able to go near it. It has really shook me up.
“I don’t really want anyone to see me like this either. I will have these scars for the rest of my life as a terrible reminder.”
The shocking attack took place outside Suzanne‘s daughter Jaimie Lee’s house in Forest Fields, Nottingham.
Jaimie-Lee said: “I just froze. Someone told me that a dog had bitten her throat and I could see all the blood.
“It was sickening and I couldn’t even look at it for about five minutes but in the end we managed to get her in a friend’s car to take her to hospital.
“It was terrifying to see my mum like that, there was blood absolutely everywhere.”
Neighbour Alison Key, 43, who saw the incident unfold, added: “I came out onto my doorstep after I heard all the shouting.
“The dog got hold of her by the side of her neck. Two guys who live on the road got spades to hit it with.
“But the dog went back at her again. My children saw the whole thing.
“My youngest was screaming at me: ‘Mummy, that dog is going to kill that lady’.”
Another eyewitness said: “I heard screaming so went to try and help Suzanne and as I got closer I could see that the dog had a grip on her neck.
“She was screaming and I was pulling the dog trying to get it off her but it was locked onto her neck.
“Another lady came running out and put something on her neck to stop the bleeding and she was in shock.”
Police confirmed the dog was seized and a 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault following the incident.
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Police said he has since been bailed and enquiries are ongoing.
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