AN EIGHT-year-old boy is recovering at home after being savaged by a dog in a terrifying attack.
Brave Joseph Ray was set upon by an English bull terrier at the Lancashire Fold in Alkrington as he and his family enjoyed a meal to celebrate his mother's birthday on Sunday evening (6 July).
His father, Ian, spoke of how he had to wrestle his son's leg out of the dog's jaws after the Alkrington Primary pupil was set upon by the animal.
He said: "My son had just gone to the toilet, when we heard this screaming coming from the lounge.
"I went through and saw the dog had locked onto my son's leg.
"There was a crowd of people that I had to push past and jumped on the dog try and get it to loosen its grip on my son.
"I managed to get it off, but people were hysterical."
Man United fanatic Joseph was rushed to Booth Hall hospital after the attack, where he was treated for bites to his leg and was prescribed anti-biotics. He is now recovering at home.
During the attack, the dog, that had been brought into the bar by another couple, gripped onto Joseph's leg between his shin and knee.
The animal's teeth dug so deeply into his leg doctors were unable to stitch the wounds back together, and the family now face an anxious wait to find out if Joseph will require a skin graft on his injuries.
His father said he wants the dog to be destroyed after it attacked his son.
"The dog must have been about ten stone and it wasn't muzzled or anything. I understand it has attacked before and I think it should be destroyed in case it does it again.
"There were lots of toddlers in the bar at the time and this could quite easily have been a manslaughter charge if it got hold of one of them.
"I'd also like to say thank you as well to everyone in the bar who helped me get the dog off my son."
No-one from the Lancashire Fold was available for comment at time of press.
A spokesperson for GMP confirmed they attended the scene shortly before 6.40pm on Sunday following reports a dog had bitten a child.
Police attended and found a boy with injuries to his leg.
He was taken to hospital for treatment but later released.
Police are continuing their inquiries.
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catherine buckley (11/07/2008 at 03:09)
Angela Stewart (21/07/2008 at 09:33)
When I take my granchild to school THERE ARE USUALLY 5 OR 6 STAFFS AROUND THE GATE SO i DARENT LET HIM RUN ON AHEAD LIKE HE WANTS AS i NEVER KNOW WHATS ROUND THE CORNER.tHE OWNERS ARE OFTEN STILL IN THEIR P.J'S AND PATHS NEAR SCHOOL COVERED IN DOG MUCK.
CPO'S AND DOG WARDENS COULD DO WITH PATROLLING NEAR SCHOOLS. iD LIKE TO KNOW THE EXACT FIGURES FOR DOG ATTACKS.aLSO iD LIKE FINES FOR PEOPLE WHO PASS A DOG ON TO OTHERS WHERE IT HAS BITTEN BEFORE AND IS KNOWN TO BE DANGEROUS.dOGS SHOULD HAVE A PAPER LOGGING OWNERSHIP AND WHEN IT ATTACKS EVEN PREVIOUS OWNERS ARE PROSECUTED.