A ROSYTH woman has spoken of her shock after being attacked by a dog near one of the town’s schools in broad daylight.

Susan Hay, of Harley Street, needed two-and-a-half hours of surgery and was kept in hospital for almost a week after she was mauled by a Staffordshire bull terrier-type on March 1.

And her main fear is if the dog – which appeared to be on its own – had attacked a child instead.

Susan said: “My face was only inches away from it when I was bending down but the schools only went in at 9am; I’m an adult but I can’t think what could’ve happened if there had been a child there."

She had been out walking her own dog, Spud, when the incident took place at around 9.30am close to her home, which faces Rosyth public park and is close to Park Road Primary School.

Susan, 46, was left shaken by the incident and received extensive injuries to her right hand.

She was taken into theatre to reattach flesh that had been torn from the back of her hand as she attempted to fight off the dog – described as being black/brindle in colour.

She was released from hospital last Tuesday evening and recalled: “I was on my way back from walking my own dog and it came from behind,” she said.

“It was at the side of me, growling, and I thought it was going to fight my dog.

"I put my leg up and it grabbed my arm and wouldn’t let go; at the start I didn’t really feel anything because I was in so much shock, but after I’d known it was biting, I tried to kick it in the head.

"Once it stopped it ran back down the path.

“I was a bit shaky. I saw my friend’s door open so I shouted for her to come and help; she came out, took my dog and I walked to try and get home.

"My sister was there and she said she thought I was going to pass out. I saw there was blood but I didn’t realise how bad it was because I didn’t want to look."

She continued: "I keep thinking that I should’ve grabbed a hold of it; I’m not sure where it came from and it might do something like this again. I feel bad about it and have been worrying about it.

“I’m glad it happened to me and not any kids.”

Susan required stitching to her hand and was kept in the Victoria Hospital to ensure there was no infection.

She said she would require physiotherapy when the swelling and pain eases to “help straighten” her fingers back out.

She added: “I’ve never known anything like that to happen before. It’s not a dog I’ve seen there before and, when I mentioned the description to other people I know who walk their dogs at the park, no-one recognised it.

“I hope that the more people who hear about it, it might help find it.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that enquiries were ongoing and that they were still trying to trace the owner of the dog, which was wearing a collar.