Our daughter, 7, nearly died after she was mauled by a Rottweiler – she was saved by her HOODIE

A LITTLE girl almost died after she was savaged by a dangerous Rottweiler during a horrifying attack - but was saved by her hoodie.

The youngster, who was aged just seven, suffered a deep bite wound to her face when the vicious mutt leapt on her outside her home in Worcester.

She was spared more serious injuries by her thick hoodie, which protected her throat.

James Palmer, the dog's owner, has admitted being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog during the attack on April 11 last year.

He'll return to Worcester Magistrates' Court to be sentenced on June 24. Specialist dog liaison officers say the Rottweiler should be put down.

The victim's family say they'll move if the dog is spared and allowed to return to Palmer.

Her stepfather, 35, said: "Imagine if it was a person who tried to kill you and you had to carry on living next to them.

"It was lucky - I feel the hoodie saved her life.

"If the dog had grabbed her neck, that would be it."

The girl, now nine years old, said: "When his paws were on me I felt how strong he was. I felt the power."

She said Palmer told her the beast was "friendly" - so she approached it and stroked it on the head.

But the animal, which was tied up with a chain, launched a ferocious attack.

"I saw he was looking at me and he looked like he wanted to attack me," she said.

"He was looking me straight in the eye like he was about to pounce. He jumped and bit."

Palmer pulled the animal back and slapped the dog, but the girl had suffered a gaping wound to the left-hand side of her face close to her jaw.

It was so deep muscle tissue beneath was exposed.

He looked like he wanted to attack me. He looked me in the eye like he was about to pounce

"I was shocked and scared. I didn't feel the pain. Neighbours were looking and told me to get in and tell my mum," she said.

Medics put her under general anaesthetic to repair the wound.

Palmer, 31, later claimed the girl was holding an ice cream when the dog savaged her. This is disputed by her family.

Her mum, 41, said: "I'm not really happy for him to have the dog back.

"She is just really lucky that the dog let go.

"I'm afraid the dog will attack other children."