Police have praised bystanders for helping save a 17-year-old girl attacked by a large, mixed-breed dog in the New South Wales Hunter Valley.

Emergency services were called to a home on Broughton Street about 11:30am on Thursday, to reports of an unprovoked attack.

They found the girl with critical injuries to her face, neck and back .

She had been visiting a friend when the attack occurred.

Bystanders who witnessed the attack pulled the 10-year-old dog off the girl before calling for help.

Police said the dog was a mix of boxer, bull Arab and Irish wolfhound.

Paramedics treated the teenager before she was flown to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.

She remained in intensive care on Friday, with her condition unchanged.

Bystanders first on scene

Acting Hun

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