Police cordons lifted after death of woman in dog attack

Local neighbourhood teams will provide an increased police presence at Gravelly Hill this weekend.

Police at Gravelly Hill in Caterham, Surrey, where a dog attacked members of the public on Thursday. A woman in her 20s was pronounced dead at the scene and a second woman is in hospital receiving treatment for dog bites, her condition is not life-threatening. Armed officers, with support from the National Police Air Service, detained a total of seven dogs at the scene and they are in police custody. Picture date: Friday January 13, 2023. (PA Wire)

Police cordons have been lifted after the death of a woman in a dog attack at a Surrey beauty spot.

The 28-year-old from London is believed to have been walking a number of dogs on Thursday when she was attacked at Gravelly Hill, Caterham.

Paramedics were unable to save her and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Surrey Police detained a total of eight dogs at the scene and detectives are keeping their owners up to date with the investigation.

No arrests have been made.

Detective Inspector Josephine Horner, senior investigating officer, said: “This is a tragic incident where a young woman has sadly lost her life. Our thoughts remain with her family and friends and the family have asked that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.

“Specialist teams have been carrying out forensic work at the scene but this has now been completed and the area has re-opened to the public.

“I know this incident has caused real concerns locally and officers from the local neighbourhood team will be out in the area to provide reassurance for residents.

“The investigation to establish the circumstances around this incident continue and I urge anyone with information who has not yet spoken to police to contact us.”

Richard Bream, who runs the nearby Mardens Kennels, told the PA News Agency he had never heard of a dog attack in the area before.

He said: “That particular area, View Point, is an area where professional dog walkers will turn up in their van and take the dogs out and walk them.

“I’ve always felt you see some of these dog walkers have five or six, and they shouldn’t be able to do that.”

A woman walking a border collie past one of the police cordons, who asked not to be named, said she was shocked by the incident.

She said: “It’s a nice circular woodland walk and we’ve never had any issues before. It is so shocking, normal dogs surely wouldn’t do that.”

A man at an address near the scene, who asked not to be named, told the PA News Agency the beauty spot was very popular with dog walkers.

He said: “The dogs dispersed into different areas of the woods and the police helicopter was out looking for them.”

A post-mortem examination will be conducted by the Surrey coroner as part of an inquest into the death.