A horrified witness screamed three chilling words after a three-month-old baby died after reportedly being mauled by a dog.

A community was left heartbroken after a baby girl died in a suspected dog attack. Neighbours in Dormanstown, North Yorkshire, described the death as “absolutely devastating” and “horrendous”.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Thursday afternoon and the little girl was found to have sadly died. An investigation into the tragedy is ongoing and at this stage, police said they are treating her death as a result of a dog bite. One horrified resident was heard screaming on the street saying, “get the baby” or “help the baby”.

“I closed the blinds as I was looking after my great-granddaughter. I didn’t want her seeing any of that.” She added, reports TeessideLive. “That poor baby, she had no life. It’s absolutely horrendous.”

Armed officers were seen on the roof of a police vehicle during the incident before one of the dogs was shot dead. Another dog was captured and later destroyed.

A police statement said: “Both dogs were assessed by a specialist officer, and they have been deemed not to be a prohibited type of dog.” One neighbour described the dogs as “pocket bully” types.

Resident Scarlett Calvert had been to town that day and arrived back with her one-year-old son, who was asleep in his pram, when she saw police and ambulances in the street.

“I was on the path behind the police tape when one of the dogs escaped,” she said. “I was on the path and one of the dogs ran out.

“I was on the left side of the street and the dog ran out to the right side. I was getting called by my sisters, my dad, literally everyone.

“Police said to everyone just just get in anyone’s cars, houses or gardens. Two police officers came up to me and I got put in someone’s garden.

“The next thing I heard was a gunshot. They had already captured one of the dogs and put it in the van but then the other dog got out through a gap in the fence.”

A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death. Following questioning, he has since been released on conditional bail.