Mother Fights off Hawk to Save Dog

"As the bird lifted Alfie from the ground Mrs Patterson grabbed hold of him and took part in a tug-of-war with the bird.

Mrs Patterson managed to fight off the hawk and rescue Alfie from its clutches.

"It was really scary. We were all terrified and the girls were screaming.

"The bird swooped down and picked Alfie up from the ground. I was holding on to his body and so the bird was only a couple of inches away from my face.

"The bird was pecking at the dog's head. It definitely could have killed him," she said.

Mrs Patterson said luckily Alfie escaped with only a couple of minor cuts and a small hole in the top of his head."