A man was walking his mastiff-staffy mix and staffy-cattledog mix along Charles Hackett Drive in St Marys at 10am when, as reported by witnesses, one of the dogs lunged at a woman nearby.

The animal latched onto her arm and dragged her to the ground.

The commotion caught the attention of drivers in nearby traffic, including a man in his 30s who tried to pull one of the dogs off the owner.

The dog started to attack him and he was left with arm injuries.

A police officer who tried to secure the dogs was also attacked.

It is understood the undercover officer used his foot to distract one of the dogs before the canine latched on.

One witness said multiple people tried to secure the dog which “just didn’t stop”.

“It kept on going and going and going,” she said.

“It took six men to pin it down with an umbrella in its mouth to stop biting, police pepper-sprayed it.”

Another witness was left shocked as he saw the dog attack the woman.

“I was pretty much sitting there thinking ‘do I get out of my car? Do I go and help him? What’s going on?’,” he said.

The dogs were eventually secured by police at the scene before they were taken by Penrith City Council rangers.

“The dogs have been taken to the Hawkesbury Animal Shelter by staff, where they will stay as police continue their investigation,” a council representative stated.