POLICE have launched an investigation after an 11-week-old puppy was mauled to death by a dog.

Police were called to a property in Flass Meadows last Friday after an adult dog allegedly attacked an 11-week-old Cavapoo - a King Charles Cavalier crossed with a Poodle.

Police said a dog described as a 'Staffie-type' breed is understood to have been off its lead at the time before it entered the front garden of a property and attacked the pup, called Millie.

Millie's owner and a neighbour attempted to assist and are understood to have received injuries during the incident. The dog has since been seized by police.

Belinda Scrogham said an eyewitness had described the incident as the "most horrific thing" she had ever seen.

She told the Evening Mail: "While working out at the back of the Red River I heard the most horrific screaming and I knew someone needed help so I tried to run as fast as possible only to find that my mum's next door neighbour Debbie Daniels was in the front garden with her beautiful little puppy Millie being ripped to pieces by a very large bull terrier.

"My sister Margaret was trying to wrestle its mouth open to free the puppy but you could see it was too late. Also my 85 year old mother was also trying to pull the dog's tail to stop it."

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Andrew Wright on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.