Zoe Stenton, of Wood Green, Whitwood, had the right side of her face sliced open and was left with a swollen and brusied right eye after she was bitten by the Japanese Akita cross Alsation in a neighbour's garden at around 12.30 pm yesterday.

She is now facing a five-hour operation – where surgeons will stitch her cheek and part of her nose back on – and plastic surgery to reduce the scarring.

Her dad, Wayne Stenton, said: "She is in pain, obviously, but is laughing and joking with the nurses and her brother Matthew.

"She is really worried about how her face will look afterwards but the doctors have reassured us that the scarring will be limited.

"Her mum and I were so worried and she was just lying in bed watching TV.

"She's very resilient though, she always has been."

It is thought that the dog, called Spike, went for Zoe after she tried to join in a child's birthday party which was taking place in the front garden of the house on Chiltern Avenue.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "They were having a birthday party and I think she just wanted to play with the children. The dog wasn't even out, I think one of the children let it out. I didn't see the dog go for her, I just heard a piercing scream. I had never heard anything like it.

"It happened in seconds. I thought it was a bumble bee or something but then I realised. The bites were on her cheek and a bit on her chin.

"Her dad came running from around the corner and tended to her oustide until the paramedics arrived."

The owner of the dog told the Express: "It's a placid dog – I've had it since it was eight –weeks-old. It's just because it didn't know her. Even though what happened was wrong, it's because it's not very good with strangers."

The dog will be put down by police.