Boy, 4, sufferers serious head injuries after being mauled by pal's pet

UNITED KINGDOM -- A four-year-old boy is in hospital with serious head injuries after being attacked by a dog.

Police and paramedics were called to Adelphi Street, Standish, Wigan shortly after 4pm today.

It understood the young victim was playing on a trampoline in a friend's garden, who lives across the road, when he was attacked by their pet dog.

A third young boy was also playing with the pair, reports the Manchester Evening News.

It is believed one of the boys went into the house and it was then that the dog raced out into the garden and attacked the little boy.

The injured child is believed to have suffered deep wounds to the back of his head and serious ear injuries.

He was rushed by land ambulance to the major trauma unit at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where he is expected to remain overnight.

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "There was an ambulance and a police van. The boy was taken away in the ambulance straight away and then police took the dog.

"The boy and his family haven't lived in that house very long. The boys were all playing out because it was the summer holidays and nice weather."

Another resident of the quiet street of semi detached houses said the little boy appeared seriously hurt and there was "blood everywhere".

He said: "We don't know exactly what happened. It's just so sad."

His two friends of a similar age witnessed the attack.

The dog has been seized and a police investigation into the attack has been launched.

The owner of the dog is said to be "very shaken-up" by the incident, according to residents.

The breed of the dog is unknown, police say.

A GMP spokesman said: "At 16.05 we were called to Adelphi Street in to reports of a four-year-old boy being bitten by a dog. He remains in hospital where he is being treated for serious head injuries."

A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service has confirmed the little boy suffered "serious lacerations" and "ear injuries".

She said he was taken to the RMCH's major trauma unit after crews were called out at 3.56pm.
His condition is not yet known.

(Mirror UK - Aug 3, 2015)