The mother of the British toddler mauled to death by a pitbull on a Greek holiday island has told how the ‘sweetest child you can imagine’ was killed in a matter of seconds after going to stroke the dog in their garden.

Two-year-old Leon Dulia was fatally wounded after the beast turned on him following a shopping trip with his mum Robbie Deeth, 32, and dad Loukas.

Devastated Robbie said the tragedy happened ‘in less than 30 seconds’ and has blamed hunters using whistles and guns in nearby woods for spooking the pitbull.

The tragedy happened on the Greek holiday island of Zakynthos where Robbie has lived with her husband and family for several years after moving from Andover, Hampshire.

Choking back tears Robbie paid tribute to her son and told the Daily Mail: ’Leon was every mother’s dream, he was the sweetest child you can imagine.

‘We used to say that even people who didn’t like children adored Leon because he was so lovely, he was special and everyone loved him, his dad, me and his whole family.

‘He was a beautiful little boy who never stopped smiling and he was a joy to be with and he gave us great joy.

‘He loved the animals we have here and we have a lot, cats, horses and dogs and the pitbull had never been a problem before Saturday when it happened.

Two-year-old Leon Dulia was fatally wounded after the pitbull attacked him on the Greek holiday island of Zakynthos
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Two-year-old Leon Dulia was fatally wounded after the pitbull attacked him on the Greek holiday island of Zakynthos

Pictued: Mother Robbie Deeth, 32, and dad Loukas with their two-year-old son Leon
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Pictued: Mother Robbie Deeth, 32, and dad Loukas with their two-year-old son Leon

The boy's mother claimed the pitbull (pictured) had never caused any problems before Saturday when it mauled Leon
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The boy’s mother claimed the pitbull (pictured) had never caused any problems before Saturday when it mauled Leon

‘My husband had rescued the dog and he was chained up in the garden on a 10 metre chain, which backs onto woods and there was hunting going on there at the time.

‘You could hear gun noises and there were other dogs and the hunters were using whistles, I really do believe that’s what spooked the dog into attacking.’

Robbie added: ’There had never been an issue with him since we got him and he let Leon tickle his tummy and stroke him and he would lick Leon’s face; he was never any trouble. Leon would play with him all the time.

‘Something just flicked in him and in the 30 seconds we went inside to sort out the shopping Leon wandered off to see him and then it was all over, Leon was grabbed or shaken, it looked like he was bitten just the once.’

Robbie described how she and her husband Loukas frantically called emergency services, put Leon in their car and drove to the island’s main hospital meeting the ambulance sent to them en route.

She said: ‘They just took Leon off me and went to the hospital but I think it was already too late, he wasn’t going to survive and the doctors confirmed it when we got to the hospital.

‘It’s been two days now and I still haven’t been able to see Leon but I’m hoping we will be allowed to today.

‘If I knew there was any danger I would never have let Leon play with the pitbull but he was fed and watered and had never been any trouble.

‘It was Leon’s second birthday a few weeks ago and when he was born, we were so happy, but I always had a nagging doubt he wouldn’t be with me for long and now it’s happened.

’Leon was every mother’s dream, he was the sweetest child you can imagine,' hs mother told the Daily Mail
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’Leon was every mother’s dream, he was the sweetest child you can imagine,’ hs mother told the Daily Mail

The family had lived on Zakynthos for several years after moving from Andover, Hampshire
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The family had lived on Zakynthos for several years after moving from Andover, Hampshire

The two-year-old was mauled by the family's pitbull mere seconds after going to stroke the dog in their garden. Pictured: The child stroking a family pet on his second birthday just two weeks ago
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The two-year-old was mauled by the family’s pitbull mere seconds after going to stroke the dog in their garden. Pictured: The child stroking a family pet on his second birthday just two weeks ago

The British family said they owned 'a lot' of pets including cats, horses, dogs and the pitbull
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The British family said they owned ‘a lot’ of pets including cats, horses, dogs and the pitbull

Robbie and Loukas frantically called emergency services, put Leon in their car and drove to the main hospital after the attack at their house
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Robbie and Loukas frantically called emergency services, put Leon in their car and drove to the main hospital after the attack at their house

‘He meant so much to us and now we will never see his smiling face or hear him laugh again.’

Pictures on social media show Leon stroking animals the family keeps and blowing out the candles on his second birthday cake just two weeks ago.

Robbie dismissed reports in Greek media that her and her husband have been charged with manslaughter and said:’ We have both given statements, but the police have said nothing about criminal proceedings.

‘We told them the dog had been chained up and had been fed and watered and had never been a problem.

‘When my husband found him he was a skeleton of a dog, but we nursed him back and he was always good, he wasn’t snappy or aggressive in all the time we had him.

‘We just can’t get over the fact, it was all over in 30 seconds, the first we knew was when my daughter came in and said “Leon’s been bitten by the pitbull”.

‘We rushed outside and he was on the floor but the dog wasn’t over him, you could see Leon wasn’t moving but it was just one bite, we never thought this would happen.’

Officials have impounded the dog while the investigation is ongoing.