A family suffered a terrifying ordeal when their horse bolted through the streets after being attacked by an out-of-control dog.

Danielle Gorner, 16, was spending Easter Monday morning riding her Irish thoroughbred colt, Darcy, just north of the pier on St Annes beach.

She was accompanied by her parents Jason and Maxine when the frightening incident unfolded as they left the beach at around 11.30am.

The Lytham High sixth-form student, said: "It was the first time we had taken him to the beach and we were just going towards the car park to leave when a Staffordshire-type dog ran towards us and started snapping at his lower legs.

"It was very scary and we were screaming at the woman who was with the dog to get control of it.

"My mum had been holding on to the horse with a kind of lead called a lunge and she was doing her best to keep Darcy calm by walking him around in circles, but the dog just wouldn'd let up."

After several minutes, during which the terrier could not be controlled, Danielle leapt from the horse as the dog began to jump up and bite the horse's belly.

She said: "We were becoming more hysterical, and obviously Darcy began to get agitated once he was injured.

"Eventually my mum couldn't hold on any more and he bolted, throwing her to the floor and trampling on her."

Once Darcy had broken free, he left the beach and ran free through central St Annes for around half a mile going down Beach Road and onto Clifton Drive North, before his frantic and distressed owners were finally reunited with him.

Maxine, 40, who was left extensively bruised, said: "The whole experience was horrific for us and I have been traumatised ever since, especially when I'm near dogs.

"We feared the worst when he bolted and it could have led to a very serious incident once he got onto the streets.

"It goes to show the importance of keeping pets under control at all times as the lady with the dog didn't have a clue how to get him away from the horse.

"We would also like to thank the people who helped us on the beach and those who recovered Darcy from the streets, they were wonderful."

Darcy is now recovering from three open bite wounds at his stables in Lytham and had to be sedated after the attack.

Mrs Gorner said the woman with the dog, who was in her 50s or 60s, simply drove off from the car park after the horse bolted.

The incident was reported to the police and the Gorners, who live on Church Road, St Annes, are now appealing for witnesses to the drama.

Anyone who witnessed the incident and can identify the dog's owner is asked to contact St Annes police station on 0845 1253545.