A lone wolf that reportedly attacked an English family and their pet dog has now struck again, and this time stole a lap dog which it later killed and apparently ate.

Few details have been released about the attack on the English family who were reportedly holidaying in the Maiella National Park which has the Apennine wolf as its emblem. There are allegedly about 10 wolf packs in the park with a total of around 70 to 80 individual wolves.

But less than two days after they reported the attack, there was a second incident in which an Italian woman was attacked by the hungry wolf that snatched her as she walked her pet.

Nadia Terenzi, 56, had been walking along the street in the municipality of Palombaro, which is in the province of Chieti in Italy on Sunday, 21st May, when the wolf pounced.

Local mayor Mayor Consuelo Di Martino said it was incredible that in a built-up area, a wolf could suddenly appear and attack a citizen and steal her dog, especially as it came just two days after the earlier attack on the English family and their pet.

In the latest incident, she said: “Our fellow citizen had gone out for her morning walk just after 9am with her little dog. But near the Vittoria hotel, close to the centre, she was attacked by a wolf who wanted her dog.”

The mayor said that although the woman was terrified, she had tried to protect her beloved pet.

She said: “She was incredibly brave and managed to snatch her pet back from the wolf, and turned and ran with the dog in her arms. But the wolf chased after and jumped at her, knocking her to the ground.”

Di Martino said that at this point there was nothing the woman could do and the wolf ran off with her dog in its mouth. The mayor said that bloodstains found a short distance away made it seem likely that the dog was now dead.

The woman who was injured in the fall was taken to hospital and when she was eventually discharged, her arms were in a plaster cast. She also has a damaged knee.

As the alert went out for people to be careful and forestry workers set out to try and track the wolf and find out why it was brave enough to attack people with pets, the mayor added: “We are worried and have made sure that all of the relevant authorities are aware.

“This behaviour is not normal, and there is a concern that this wolf will continue to be dangerous.

“It is certainly hungry and it might be alone wolf that has lost its pack, which makes it more dangerous.”

The mayor added that utmost caution needed to be used if anybody spotted the wolf and officials should be notified immediately.