Girl, 15, hid in friend's wardrobe to escape vicious dog Ciarah Bennett attacked by Pitbull-like dog at a friend's house in Salford Student petrified as dog tried to seize her neck during 25-minute ordeal Doctors say she is scarred for life. She said: 'I thought I was going to die' Police seized a dog under the Dangerous Dogs Act and are investigating A 15-year-old girl thought she would die after a 'devil dog' used its nose to open the wardrobe where she was hiding in a frenzied 25-minute attack. Ciarah Bennett has been told she will be scarred for life after the Pitbull-like dog clamped its jaws onto her leg and tried to bite her throat at a friend's house in Salford, Greater Manchester. The college student spent nine days in hospital and had a three-hour skin graft operation after she hid in a wardrobe, but the dog opened the door and jumped in with her. Mauled: Ciarah Bennett (right and left with her mother Chantel) hid in a wardrobe for 25 minutes to escape a pitbull-like dog The attack was only stopped when a friend squeezed the dog's head and Ciarah yanked her leg out of its jaws. Ciarah, a student at Bury College, Greater Manchester, said: 'I was in the bedroom when it came running through and grabbed my leg. I was crying and trying to fight back. I kept getting dragged to the floor. It was really strong. I was screaming "help me, help me." I got in the wardrobe but it got in with me and jumped up and got my arm. It dug its other paw in me and tried to get my throat. I got out of the wardrobe with the dog still on my arm and it dragged me by the leg again for another 10 minutes while I held on to the bed. Ciarah was taken to North Manchester General Hospital, and later to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where she underwent a three-hour skin graft operation on a deep wound to her right leg. Traumatic: Ciarah, 15, said: 'I thought I was going to die. I got in the wardrobe but it got in with me and jumped up and got my arm Terrified: The student with her mother Chantel, who said: 'This has had a big psychological impact on Ciarah' Banned: It is illegal to own, sell or give away pitbull terriers like the one pictured, with police cracking down on what they call dangerous dogs. The breed of dog which attacked Ciarah is not confirmed (file photo) She had suffered 20 bite marks across both legs, nerve damage to her right leg and bites to her right arm. Her right leg and arm are in plaster, she has to use crutches to walk and she will need physiotherapy. She added: 'I am still in a lot of pain and I have had a few nightmares since.' Her mother Chantel Bennett, 35, said: 'This has had a big psychological impact on Ciarah.' Certain breeds of dog are banned for their aggression in Britain, including Pitbull terriers, Japanese Tosas and Fila Brazilieros. The breed of dog involved in the attack on Ciarah has not been confirmed. Greater Manchester Police confirmed a pitbull type dog was seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act from a house on November 25. No-one has been arrested and inquiries are ongoing.