Princess Goodwin, 50, of Jewel Walk, Bewbush described how she felt like someone had smashed her in the face when the hound locked its jaws round her nose and cheeks.

Princess, who was attacked in the middle of the night last week, said that when she put her hands to the gaping wound her face 'wasn't there'.

She explained: "It was about three in the morning and I just heard this growl and then thought someone had hit me so I shot out of bed ready to fend them off.

"I went to touch my face but it wasn't there and there was blood everywhere – it was pretty spectacular.

"It did hurt but the shock was more than the pain. Being an ex-nurse I stayed calm and went to look in the bathroom mirror."

She realised that her six-year-old greyhound Ali had bitten into her face tearing off her nose and large chunks of her cheeks.

Princess was taken to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill for emergency treatment and then transferred by ambulance to the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead where she underwent surgery.

She has already had skin grafts to repair some of the damage to her face and to date has had more than 40 stitches in her face.

Full story exclusively in this week's Observer (out Wednesday 3 September).