A toddler left with facial scars after being attacked by a dog has won a national beauty pageant. Brave Elouise Smith, four, was mauled by a Staffy-cross at a play date at a friend's house and rushed to hospital where she had surgery and stitches on her face. The ordeal left the youngster feeling insecure about her facial scars, so she would often try to cover them up with mum Stacey Murray's makeup.
So Stacey, 34, decided to enter her into the Little Miss Glamour UK pageant to boost her confidence - which she won. She said: "It was to re-build her confidence and to show people that it doesn't matter if you've got scars, you can still go out there and do what you want to do. Her confidence is slowly getting there.
"When her stitches started to scar and come out, she started to use foundation to cover up her scars for her dance competitions. When I asked her why she did that, she just turned around and said she didn't want anyone to see her scars. "Now she's completely different - she's not bothered about trying to cover up her scars and is really, really open about it.
If you asked her how she got them, then she would openly tell you about them." Elouise was attacked by the animal when she went to a friend's house in Doncaster, South Yorkshire in December last year. She was rushed to nearby Rotherham Hospital, where she had surgery on her face and eye but Stacey now says her daughter is 'very nervous' around dogs.
The senior care assistant said: "She's still very nervous arou.
