A Greenhithe mother headbutted a woman before biting a chunk from her nose in a 'shark-style attack' during a children's pantomime.

Tina Love, 29, of Acacia Road, lunged at mother-of-three Julie McDonald, 50, after a disagreement about a table during a production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

A 3cm by 3cm piece of the victim's nose was found on the floor after the attack at Butlins Holiday Camp in Bognor Regis, West Sussex on April 11, 2013.

At Chichester Crown Court last Friday (January 16) a jury of seven women and five men took just 48 minutes to convict Love of wounding with intent, which she had denied.

The day before the assault Love's two young children were seen laughing and swearing at Ms McDonald's son, who has severe learning difficulties.

On the night of the attack, the whole McDonald family went down to the Centre Stage of the Manhattan Building at the camp to watch the pantomime.

After finding a table, which appeared to be free, the victim sat down but was confronted by Love who said: "Oi, that's my table".

She waved her finger in Ms McDonald’s face and said: "What are you going to do about it?"

Ms McDonald, a full-time carer, and her daughter continued to look for tables as the pantomime continued and made "spitting sounds" as Love walked past.

Rachel Beckett, prosecuting, said: "Suddenly the defendant lunged at Ms McDonald and headbutted her, Ms McDonald fell back onto a seat.

"The defendant then got on top of her and bit her nose.

"She pinned her down and held onto her nose, Ms McDonald felt her entire nose was being bitten off. She then pushed the defendant away.

"Ms McDonald was screaming in pain and felt blood pouring from her nose."

Ms McDonald, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, gave evidence via videolink from Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court, and described the assault as a "shark attack".

She said: "She launched herself at me and I felt this person biting my nose with full force.

"I have never been bitten by a shark but that is the only think I can liken it to.

"It was like being attacked by a shark. There was this person biting my nose with all of her might.

"It felt like my whole nose was being bitten off. I was completely traumatised."

The court previously heard how Love "feared for her life" during the incident.

She told the court their heads "collided", and added: "I was on top of her at this stage - I was just terrified.

"I then just turned and I bit - I didn't know where I was biting.

"I was terrified - I just wanted her to stop.

"It was all so fast and I was shocked and I feared for my life.

"I did not realise at any time that I had bitten her nose, I did not know where I was biting."

She will be sentenced at the same court next month.