ONE brave pooch is today back at home resting after a terrifying incident in Ipswich town centre left him with severe injuries.

Lizzie Parry

ONE brave pooch is today back at home resting after a terrifying incident in Ipswich town centre left him with severe injuries.

Rambo, a four-year-old Maltese was left with several holes in his head and neck, severe bruising around his neck and one ear ripped from his head after the little dog became involved in an incident with a Bull Mastiff.

At about 4pm on Tuesday afternoon Myriam Beard, Rambo's owner, was popping into the bank when the drama took place.

Ms Beard said her legs gave way from underneath her as she looked down and saw her little pup in the bigger dog's mouth.

She said: “I was just going into Lloyds bank to pay a bill. As I went to walk Rambo in my lead pulled and as I pulled it to guide him through all the people the lead came off in my hand and I turned and looked down.

“I just looked straight into the face of a huge brown dog, and all I could see of Rambo were his little back legs swinging around.”

Members of the public rushed to help part the two dogs with one man jumping on the back of the Bull Mastiff amid screams from bystanders.

She said: “Police tried to use bars and sticks to open the dog's jaws and another sprayed it with something.

“I spoke to the policeman today and he said he had put his fingers up the dog's nose to stop it breathing, forcing it to release Rambo.”

The ordeal, which lasted about ten to 12 minutes, left Ms Beard distraught.

She said: “I went crazy. I thought he was going to be killed. I felt terrified.”

But against the odds after being rushed to the vets by police, “traumatised” Rambo is back at home being pampered and is on the mend.

Ms Beard said the vet said he should make a full recovery thanks to his leather collar, preventing the Bull Mastiff's teeth from penetrating Rambo's throat.

Ms Beard said she wanted to say “thank you” to all the members of the public who stopped to help, all the police who came to her aid and the “heroic” man who jumped on the Bull Mastiff to pin it down.

THE man who bravely jumped onto the back of the Bull Mastiff said he didn't think twice about helping little Rambo.

David Robson, from Felixstowe, was walking through Ipswich town centre when he saw Rambo on one side of him and the owners of the Bull Mastiff standing talking on his other side when the incident happened.

He said he initially threw his bag at the bigger dog but when that didn't work he jumped on top of it holding the back end and middle down while somebody else helped him.

He said: “My main concern was I didn't like the idea the little thing did not stand a chance.

As I walked away I just thought that was either very stupid or very brave.”

Mr Robson said he suffered a few bumps and bruises to his shoulder and arms but is now feeling fine.