A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD boy was mauled by a dog while playing outside his home.

Jacob-Jay Burt was was set upon by the Japanese Akita and suffered wounds to his arm and back.

His mum, Lucy has praised the actions of neighbours Jason Hartley and Ken Porter, who rushed to her son's help.

Mrs Burt said her son, who is now experiencing nightmares over the incident, could have died if the men had not been on hand.

Mrs Burt said she was first alerted to the incident when she heard a woman screaming outside her door.

She said: "She told me JJ had been attacked by a dog and two neighbours had saved him.

"One had pulled JJ out from the dog's grasp and the other had pulled the dog away."

Her partner, John Burt, was also bitten by the dog when he went to help.

Mrs Burt, a care worker of Magnolia Close, Littlemoor, said that the dog had approached JJ and his friends and they had tried to usher the animal away.

"JJ said the dog started growling so he walked off. It just went after JJ and attacked him.

"It could have been a lot worse if the neighbours hadn't got involved. My son could have been killed."

Mr Hartley, 36, whose seven-year-old son Kai was playing with Jacob-Jay, said: "I saw the dog jump up on JJ's back and pin him to the floor.

"It bit him on the shoulder and on the arm. I distracted the dog so I could get JJ out the way and Ken came up and blocked JJ from the dog."

Mr Hartley said the owner of the dog arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and managed to drag it away.

He added: "I truly believe that JJ wouldn't be here now if we hadn't got there because I saw where the next bite would have been - on the back of the neck or the head. It was going for the final blow."

Mrs Burt said: "JJ had to go up to hospital with John, who was bitten on the wrist.

"It was definitely a shock, I was left with quite a sick feeling. JJ's been having nightmares since."

A Dorset Police spokesman said officers had spoken to the owner of the dog and inquiries were continuing. He added that the dog was being kept at Weymouth Police Station kennels.