A 50 year old woman was savaged to death last night by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier that belonged to her son as she was hanging out washing at her home in the Valle de Guerra district of La Laguna. The incident occurred at around midnight, although it is not known at this stage what caused the animal to attack.

Its owner, who was slightly injured, managed to get the dog off his mother using a high-pressure water hose, then lock it in a bedroom, but the ferocity of its attack meant that death was almost instantaneous, according to an emergency services informant.

An insider from La Laguna town council has confirmed that the animal was not registered with the Town Hall, nor insured, nor had an identification chip, nor the required vaccination certificates despite the breed being on the council's list of dangerous pets. The future of the dog, which is being held at the Valle Colino dog's home, will be decided in court.