POLICE are hunting for the owners of a dog which ripped apart a girl's face, leaving her scarred for life.

Nichola Jackson, 16, had to have about 60 stitches in her bottom lip, chin and mouth following the attack in Consett, County Durham.

The youngster, from South Shields, was visiting relatives in the Moorside area of town and was playing with friends when the animal attacked.

The dog, believed to be a cross between an American pit bull terrier and a Staffordshire bull terrier, clamped its teeth on to Nichola's face.

Horrified neighbours prised the dog's jaws apart as blood poured from the screaming teenager's gaping wounds.

She underwent emergency surgery at the University Hospital of North Durham and may need plastic surgery later.

The dog, white with a black eye patch, has not been found.

Nichola's 33-year-old mother, Lisa Donaldson, called for it to be destroyed.

She said: "Nichola's bottom lip was ripped in half. The surgeon has done a fantastic job, but she has been pretty traumatised by it.

"Now I want the dog destroyed. It shouldn't have happened to Nichola, but if it gets hold of somebody smaller than her, it could rip their face off."

Mrs Donaldson said the dog was pregnant and fears the owners may be hiding it until it has its litter, to take advantage of the lucrative sale of the pups.

Nichola's confidence has been badly shaken by the incident and she was reluctant to leave home yesterday to pick up her GCSE results.

Speaking of her ordeal, she said: "The weight and the pain as it sunk its teeth in just dragged me to the floor. I was terrified. I thought I was going to die."

The attack came just two days after 12-year-old Sean Young was attacked by a pit bull terrier in Coxhoe, County Durham. He is still recovering in hospital after an operation to repair his shattered arm.

A Durham police spokesman said: "It was a very nasty attack and sadly the second in our area in just a few days.

"This incident highlights the need for owners to be responsible and control their dogs."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Consett police on (01207) 504204.