Pianist is mauled by pair of pitbulls

A mother was mauled by two pitbull terriers and her baby knocked to the ground in his pram.

Concert pianist Mary Duella, who was left with deep wounds to her arm and leg, is due to have a skin graft and may be permanently scarred.

The 35-year-old was walking home with her 19-month-old-son Daithi after playing at a jazz concert nearby to raise awareness for an arts café.

She was only yards from her home next to Plumstead Common last Sunday when two dogs ran past her as their owner shouted for them. "They just turned on me, knocking me to the floor and the baby's buggy was knocked over too," she said. "I had one attached to my arm, another to my leg and I had things racing through my mind.

"The first was my baby - as long as they were on me they couldn't attack him. Mercifully he was still asleep.

"The second was my career and if I'd ever be able to play again. I just had to lie there and wait for them to stop."

Eventually the owner managed to pull the dogs off, put them on a lead and calmly walked away as neighbours came out to help her. Husband Darragh Morgan, a professional violinist, cancelled his tour in Lisbon to catch the first flight home on hearing the news.

Ms Duella was taken to St Thomas' Hospital where she had two operations. The bites were so deep her muscles have been ruptured.

Mr Morgan, 34, said: "Our moods are swinging from shock, to anger at the owner. There's also a huge amount of relief that it wasn't worse."

Police are investigating the attack.