A pet cat had its head ripped off by a dog outside his family home.

Travel agent Nicola Shelley, 31, of Goodhew Road, was left “absolutely distraught” after her one-year-old cat Diesel was left decapitated in the attack.

Diesel had been playing and sitting outside when he was killed.

She said: “The dog came over from nowhere.

“Diesel tried to jump up a fence and the dog grabbed him.

“It was the most vicious thing I’ve ever seen.”

Miss Shelley said the dog bit Diesel twice and then “shook him so hard his head came off.”

She said: “Whoever’s dog it is, they need to put it on a lead.”

Travel agent Miss Shelley has been left with two kittens, one of which was donated by a breeder after Diesel’s death.

She admitted she would now be “frightened” to let the cats play outside.

Neighbours tried to intervene but backed off when they realised how aggressive the dog was.

Neighbours told Miss Shelley it may have been a German shepherd.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said it was “a great concern” and the charity is seeing an increase in problems caused by out of control dogs across London and North Kent.

She said: “Owners are taking on dogs, including German Shepherds, for the wrong reasons, for macho reasons.”

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