A grandmother is furious after the miniature Shetland pony she bought as a present for her granddaughter was savaged by a dog.

The pony, called Peanut, was in a field off New Popplewell Lane, Scholes, when it was attacked by a dog, thought to be a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The pony required 15 stitches to its face and was left with two puncture wounds on its neck.

Its owner, Eileen Christensen, of Lightcliffe, now faces a vet’s bill of around £600.

West Yorkshire Police were called to the scene but are treating the incident as a “civil matter”.

Mrs Christensen, aged 55, said: “The pony was going to be a present for my two-year-old granddaughter Scarlett.

“We were going to give it to her in future years. Peanut is only really little – seven hands. He was so mild-mannered before, but now he has been attacked by a dog, what’s he going to be like?”

Recalling the horror of when she first heard of the attack, Mrs Christensen said: “It was tea time when I got a phone call from the lady where I keep my ponies.

“A Staffordshire Bull Terrier had attacked my miniature Shetland pony. We had to have the vet there and the police as well.

“He needed 15 stitches in his face and he was really shook up about it. One of the neighbours had tried to help but he couldn’t get the dog off it.

“Why should a dog like that be allowed to roam around like that?

“It’s costing me a fair few hundred pounds now – at least £600.

“I don’t want it coming and attacking one of the other horses or sheep, geese or ducks. There’s all sorts on the farm.”

Police confirmed they were called to an incident in which a bull terrier had attacked a pony on Wednesday.

A police spokesman said it appeared that a young girl had taken the dog out for a walk and let it off its lead, at which point it had gone for one of the ponies.

The police spokesman said: “It’s a civil matter. The parties have exchanged details.”