AN 11-year-old girl needed seven stitches after being bitten on the back of her head, and on her fingers and shoulder by an alsatian dog.

Zoe Grigg and 15-year-old sister Joy, were babysitting at the home of a family friend on Sunday when the dog attacked Zoe.

The youngster managed to turn her face away from the six-year-old dog but needed the seven stitches in her scalp. She was also treated for shock.

Futures College pupil Zoe said: "It knocked me back on the sofa. I didn't want it to get my face, so I turned away, but it bit me on my head. I was very frightened. My sister started shouting at it and I got away."

Zoe's 47-year-old mother, also called Joy, of Heygate Avenue, Southend, said: "It's a big alsatian and Zoe is only little, but she has known it for eighteen months and not had a problem before.

"He bounded up to her and pushed her back on the sofa."

Zoe's sister, who is also at Futures College, said: "I managed to frighten the dog off and it ran into the bathroom, so we shut the door on it.

"Zoe was screaming and there was blood all over the place. I pulled her hair back and saw a huge gash, so I called an ambulance."

The sisters were looking after children aged two, four and six.

The owner of the dog, Claire Millard, of Albert Road, Southend, says the dog was let into the house against strict orders to keep him outside while she visited her husband in hospital.

She said: "My dog should have been in the garden because he is a big dog and can easily knock young children over."

At the time of going to press, no one from Essex Police would comment on the attack.