A SHOCKED family told how a group of schoolchildren viciously attacked their dog outside a shop.

A relative took to Facebook to tell how the beloved rottweiler, Dom, was targeted outside Co-op in Gardener Avenue, Stanford-le-Hope.

The stunned sister of the dog owner said: “My sister secured him to the post and he had laid down.

“A young man came in and asked who owned the dog because several kids from Gable Hall School were kicking him.

“They were still in uniform.

“The man and my sister shouted at them to stop only to get abuse back.

“They continued to harm him and the man chased them off – they headed down Queen Elizabeth Drive shouting abuse at him.”

She added: “A big thank you to the man who helped – sorry my sister didn’t get your name as it was a shock at the time.

“Dom is a little quieter than usual, but he is okay.”

The school is aware of the incident and a spokesman has said it would help the authorities identify the culprits – and will take appropriate action if necessary.

A school spokesman said: “The alleged behaviours described in the incident, are not in line with the school’s values and ethos. Gable Hall School will be working with agencies to co-operate fully in any, and all, investigations to identify the individuals.”

The post on Facebook has been shared more than 200 times as the Gazette went to print.