A DOG owner whose pet was the victim of a vicious attack in a Rowley Regis park which has been plagued by anti-social behaviour and crime has joined calls from 1,000 residents and an MP for CCTV to be installed.

Julie Powell's 24-year-old son Louis Powell was walking her dog Angel at Britannia Park when it was mauled by another dog.

The 54-year-old mum-of-four, of Macmillan Road, is warning people with dogs and children to be on their guard after the shocking incident and has joined more than 1,000 people who have signed a petition calling for CCTV at the park.

Dudley News:

The campaign was boosted last week by the support of Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris who visited the park and met with campaigner Scott Sexton, who started the petition.

Mr Morris said: "A number of local residents have been concerned about a growing level of anti-social behaviour in Britannia Park.

"I have raised these issues with the police and council asking that they take action to deal with this.

"I am supporting a local petition to have CCTV installed in the park so that this acts as a deterrent and provides evidence to help capture the culprits."

Dudley News:

Sandwell Council installed CCTV cameras on Britannia Road facing the entrance of the park in June after 780 people had put their names on the petition - with many saying they are too scared to use the park because of threats at knife-point, robberies, sexual assault, anti-social youths on motorbikes and drug users leaving needles and other paraphernalia.

But Scott said the CCTV is not in the park and does not cover inside the park.

Julie, who works as a cleaner at Halesowen College, is backing calls for new CCTV cameras - warning that a child could have been the victim.

She said: "The large black dog came at Angel and was tearing chunks out of her - my son is autistic and he went into shock - he didn't know what to do.

"Then the owner, a woman in her 20s who also had a small dog on a lead, came and got her dog and just went.

"If I would have been there I would have taken a picture of her.

"When I walked in the house and saw her I was hysterical - there was blood everywhere - it was heartbreaking. She was shaking and whimpering.

"We need CCTV inside the park.

"I dread to think if that dog had attacked a child.

"If your dog is vicious and you can't control it, it should be on a lead and muzzled.

"People should not put other dogs or possibly children in danger.

"I won't go down the park again and that's a shame, anyone who goes there should be careful."

Dudley News:

Angel is a 12-year-old Staffie/Jack Russell cross. She was not on her lead and was chasing a ball at the time of the unprovoked attack on Saturday August 18, at around 8.30pm.

Her horrific wound became infected and she had to take penicillin, bringing the vet's bill for treatment into hundreds of pounds, but she is now thankfully on the mend from her ordeal.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for Safer Neighbourhoods Councillor Maria Crompton said: “I want to be very clear that the CCTV we installed is still operating. It covers the entrance of the park and we have no intention of removing it in the near future.

“We’re sorry to hear about the incident and we hope the poor dog is ok.

“We do not want people to feel unsafe in the park but that we are not responsible for irresponsible dog owners.

"We would urge the owner of the dog to report the incident to the police.

“We have improved security and installed CCTV at the entrance to the park in response to a petition from people concerned about anti-social behaviour.

“We are also closing the main gates at night which is helping to make the park feel safer.”