A small dog was grabbed by the neck in a savage attack by an XL Bully.

Terrifying footage shows the XL Bully lunge at the small white dog before sinking its teeth into its neck and gripping onto it in Maghull, Merseyside on Sunday.

A man holding the small dog desperately tries to free the pup, while a man in a blue t-shirt helps by hitting the XL Bully with fabric.

A witness said the XL Bully’s owner had told the owner of the small dog, ‘lift your dog because I can’t control her’, before the vicious animal slipped out of its collar.

Merseyside Police were called to reports that a dog had been attacked by another dog on Old Hall Road, Maghull, at around 4.45pm on Sunday.

The man holding the small dog can be seen hitting the XL Bully in an attempt to free the pup.

The XL Bully had to be prised off the smaller dog by members of the public.

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Police officers have confirmed the small dog was taken to a vet for a check-up and the XL Bully’s owner has been spoken to by police.

The footage of the attack surfaced on social media, where people expressed anger at the XL Bully not being on a lead.

One person said: ‘Why is the dog off its lead? This is what I don’t get.’

The person who posted the video clarified that the dog had escaped.