TWO Macksville teenagers are being hailed heroes for saving 91-year-old Shirley Laverty from a horrific ordeal.
Mrs Laverty was leisurely gardening on Saturday evening, 31 January, when she was attacked and viciously mauled by two dogs.
Emergency services were called to Matilda Street, Macksville, just before 5pm.
Officers attached to the Mid North Coast Police District arrived to find Mrs Laverty suffering serious injuries.
She was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics and taken to Macksville Hospital, then to Coffs Harbour Base Hospital.
At the time, Luke Gaffey was visiting his friend Nathan Harju who lives next door to Mrs Laverty.
He said they were discussing whether or not to head to the local pub when Mr Harju heard a cry from outside.
They raced outside to find two large dogs had Mrs Laverty pinned to the ground.
“The dogs were really vicious and wouldn’t back off at all,” Luke said.
“There was blood everywhere.”
Luke and Nathan helped Mrs Laverty onto her feet while fending off the dogs.
By the time they got her inside she was limp and had very shallow breathing.
“We went to work on her legs and used towels to compress the wounds,” Luke said.
“I’m glad that we got to her before the dogs did any more damage.”
The dogs ran off, but were captured and surrendered to council officers.
They were subsequently euthanased.
By Andrew VIVIAN
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