A former Sutton and Cheam parliamentary candidate has described the moment her guide dog was attacked in Sutton Green.

Emily Brothers, who is blind, said Truffle was “dragged” by her harness by one dog before another bit her on the neck.

After the canine was rushed to a vet, she received several stitches and was later sedated – with the expectation that she won’t work for at least a month.

Police were called to the scene at around 10pm that evening but the owner, alongside their dogs, had already left the scene.

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Photo: Alison Robinson

Mrs Brothers said: “I'd been to a local Labour Party meeting and walked on the way home with friends along Stayton Road and into Sutton Green, at which point, two dogs attacked Truffle my guide dog.

“It was the larger dog who apparently dragged Truffle away by her harness. It was quite a prolonged attack, probably a couple of minutes. I was shouting and then pulled my iPhone out and called emergency [services].

“I couldn't see what was happening, all I could hear was the sound of dogs barking and growling - a dog fight.

“Obviously I knew Truffle was in trouble and I was also concerned about my friend Phil who waded in and did, quite bravely, pull Truffle away.

“If it hadn't been for that then the attack may have gone on for longer.”

Truffle was said to be fortunate during the alleged assault because she was wearing her harness, but Mrs Brothers has thanked her friend Phil for stepping in.

She says he “put himself at risk” in what was described as a “very scary situation”.

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The Labour Party member, who stood for the Sutton and Cheam seat in the 2015 elections, added: “We took her to the vet and she had several stitches so she had to be sedated. She's been a very poorly dog over the last few days.

“Medically, she will heal in time. She's a young dog and a confident dog so, with encouragement in time, I would hope that she gets back to working.

“However, who knows psychologically? I think she's certainly not going to be working for the next month, I wouldn't have thought, next three to four weeks, and then it's going to be very light work because she has to wear a harness and she's got a wound close to it.

“We don't want to aggravate that.”

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said police were called to Sutton Green at around 10.11pm on November 6 to reports of a dog attack.

She added that, when officers arrived, they had found a dog had been bitten on the neck by another dog before Truffle underwent emergency surgery at a vet.

No other injuries have been reported and no arrests have been made as enquiries are underway.

Anyone with information is asked to contact 101 with CAD reference 8341/06NOV.