UNITED KINGDOM -- A 70-YEAR-OLD man has died suddenly just 24 hours after he was attacked by a bull-mastiff type dog.
The man, who has not yet been identified, died at his Stoke home after receiving hospital treatment.
The victim had been walking his own dog in Boothen Green, Stoke, on Wednesday morning when the animal went for the pet.
But as he made attempts to separate the animals he suffered bite wounds to the hand.
He was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire for treatment, but died on Thursday afternoon.
Staffordshire Police are now investigating whether the bull-mastiff type dog's attack is to blame for the man's death.
A post-mortem examination to establish a cause of death is scheduled to take place next week and a report has been prepared for the North Staffordshire Coroner.
A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "We can confirm the sudden death of a 70-year-old man at his home in Stoke on Thursday afternoon.
"The man was involved in an earlier incident on Wednesday, whereby he sustained hand injuries as he tried to separate his dog from another dog. This incident remains under investigation."
Residents of Boothen Green said they were distressed to hear about the death, and have reported regularly seeing an agitated-looking dog prowling the area.
Kath Frain, aged 56, a community care worker, said: "I saw an ambulance and a first response car outside the flats in the morning and they were there for quite a while. It was probably the shock that killed him.
"I've seen a young lad with this type of dog and he can't even hold it on the lead.
"I have two small dogs myself, but I keep them in the back garden in case it gets hold of them.
"People often use the green to walk their dogs, but you wouldn't expect anything like this to happen round here. It is shocking."
Hilda Copeland, aged 87, a retired pottery worker, said: "It is terrible what has happened.
"I'm very sad to hear that the man has died. It is an awful thing for his family. I've seen the dog and it is quite big and powerful. I would be scared to go near it."
Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Michael Goodwin at Staffordshire Police on 101.
(This is Staffordshire - Nov 17, 2012)
