A 68-year-old woman was mauled to death by her two pet Rottweilers as she fed them in her garden on Christmas Day.

The grim attack unfolded at the home in Concordia sulla Secchia, Modena Province, Italy, shortly after noon on 25th December.

Retired Iolanda Besutti was viciously attacked by her two dogs while her husband, also an OAP, was out.

She was found in critical condition after her daughter visited the house a short while later.

Firefighters, police, and paramedics were dispatched to the scene and gave Iolanda first aid before taking her to hospital.

But she died en route to the emergency department in Baggiovara.

Investigators from the local police and carabinieri will now try to determine why the two dogs attacked their owner.

They had lived with the couple for some time but are known to have bitten Iolanda once in the past.

In the previous incident, Iolanda was reportedly in her garden feeding the dogs when they bit her on the head and arm.

And just last February, the animals, aged one and four, attacked a gardener, seriously injuring his legs and arms.

He required two hours-long operations following the vicious mauling.

Police have now seized the dogs and it is believed they will be put down, while the victim’s body has been taken for a post-mortem examination.

It is not clear if any measures were taken against the pets following their earlier attacks.