dog attack
A woman died after her brother's Rottweiler attacked her as she took it food while her sibling was away on holiday. Patrizia La Marca, 53, was savagely attacked by the hound in Ventimiglia, Italy.

Members of a team of emergency responders called to the scene said they had "never seen anything like it" after the woman had "pieces of her body torn away".

Ms La Marca was tragically mauled to death in the resort town in the province of Imperia on Wednesday afternoon.

She was found with bites to her arms, chest, shoulders and head at about 4pm

Ms La Marca was at her brother's home to feed the hungry Rottweiler while he and his wife were away for a few days.

Neighbours found Ms La Marca in a pool of blood after the attack and called the emergency services.

The police shot the dog on arrival, injuring the beast which is now being kept in a kennel under the control of judicial authorities.

Ms La Marca was taken by helicopter to hospital where she later died.

A shocked emergency worker told local media: "The body was torn apart in several places - a very serious clinical situation.

"I have never seen anything like it."