A Crystal Palace mum has been scarred for life after being mauled by a vicious dog while jogging by a park.

Karen McGilloway said the snarling animal clamped its jaws around her foot "for what felt like several minutes", despite her desperate efforts to fight it off during the attack by Upper Norwood Recreation Ground at about 12.30pm on Friday.

She said the dog, described as a Staffordshire and pitbull terrier cross breed, was beaten by its owner to make it release her, before he bundled it in to the boot of his car and drove off.

Mrs McGilloway said: "It was a terrifying experience. I was jogging along when the dog that was off its lead leapt out of some bushes and went straight for me.

"I fell to the ground. I was trying to pull myself away and free myself but there was nothing I could do. I couldn't really feel the pain at the start because of shock. I turned my face away because I was scared it would try and bite me there."

She added: "The owner appeared and started hitting the dog; really whacking it. He was trying to prise its jaws open but it was too strong.

"I was screaming. A group of people were watching but I think everyone was too scared to go near it in case it turned on them."

Police are now hunting the owner and his dog, called "Sky" by its owner. The man, described as black and in his mid 20s, drove off in a dark-coloured car.

Mrs McGilloway, who has a dog herself, warned the park was becoming a haven for dangerous dogs. She said recently there had been a number of attacks on dogs and that police had been in the area the day before the attack asking dog-walkers about the problem.

London Ambulance Service treated the mum-of-two for the bite wound before taking her to Mayday Hospital.

Mrs McGilloway who works for a bank, and has a six-year-old son at Rockmount School, in Upper Norwood, said: "I hate to think what the damage would have been like if the bite hadn't been through my trainer."

Anybody with any information on the attack should contact the Crystal Palace safer neighbourhood team on 020 8721 2906 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.