Savage attack: Rhianna Kidd with her mother Lisa Gray Pic: © CSNA/Mike Day
A schoolgirl who suffered horrific injuries after she was pulled off her bike and savaged by a pair of rottweilers, has spoken for the first time about her ordeal.
Rhianna Kidd, aged 10, who has previously been unable to bring herself to talk about the incident, described how she was observing her green cross code when the snarling dogs attacked. She hailed her grandmother Irene Grady a hero for saving her life.
Speaking from Mrs Grady's home in Dryburgh Street, Dundee, where she is convalescing just yards from where she was mauled, she said: "I was riding my bike to my granny's house. I stopped at the side of the road to look left and right, like I've been told, before I crossed over the road.
"Then I saw the dog, and it and another one circled me. "I pedalled my bike really fast. They were growling at me. One started barking and then it grabbed me off my bike.
"One of the dogs was dragging me along the road. They were biting me. I remember my granny came across the road and protected me. She took me in to her house but the dogs were following me.
"Granny tried to get me to calm down because there was blood on me. I was scared because I didn't know what was going to happen to me. I knew I'd been bitten by the dogs and it was sore. I love my granny for helping me. She was brave and I was brave too."
Bitten
Rhianna was rushed to the city's Ninewells hospital with her jaw broken in two places and severe gashes all over her body after the attack. She had hundreds of stitches in her face, neck, arms and legs and to re-attach part of her left ear, which was almost bitten off.
Her badly bitten arm and leg remain in bandages and Rhianna fears seeing the marks left underneath. But she said she was recovering, and was thrilled to be at home with her family and Casper, her grandmother's Yorkshire terrier.
She said: "I'm feeling good. I'm not sore anymore. I'm itchy under my bandages on my arm and leg. But my stitches aren't sore.
"I'm happy to be out of hospital. I didn't like being in hospital because I was being sick because of all the antibiotics I had to take. That was the worst part.
"The best thing about being allowed to go home is getting to see all my family - and especially my granny's little dog Casper. He's a Yorkshire terrier, and I'm not scared of him.
"I'm not scared of any dogs now. I've been outside. The first place I went was to Tesco with my mum. We also went to Toys R Us. Some people sent me some money so I bought two Club Penguin games for my Nintendo DS.
"I'll be at home a lot I think so I'll have lots of time to play them. It's just good to be home."
IN DETAIL:
- Mother of rottweiler attack girl makes heartfelt plea for law change
- Grandmother praised for rescuing 10-year-old girl from rottweiler attack
- Kilmarnock youngster recovering after dog attack
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