A 33-year-old woman, Michelle Hempstead, has been mauled to death by a dog at her home.

This is coming just weeks after losing her daughter.

The mother-of-five was attacked by a Bullmastiff-type breed at her ground-floor flat in Southend, Essex, on July 29 and suffered lacerations to her left arm.

Neighbours described how Ms Hempstead had clambered over the railing of her balcony to escape, before collapsing near a play area.

Bystanders rushed to give her first aid after hearing her screams. She was taken by paramedics to Southend Hospital before being transferred to the Royal London Hospital where she died the next day.

Yesterday it emerged that Ms Hempstead’s daughter died just weeks earlier on June 4.

In an online appeal to help pay for her funeral and support her children, Ms Hempstead’s friend, Liah Smith said it was the second time that tragedy had struck the family.

An inquest into Ms Hempstead’s death was opened today but adjourned while a police investigation continues.