Dog bites Middleton child

An eight-year-old boy was left "scarred and traumatised" after an attack by a dog at a pub in Greater Manchester.

Joseph Ray was walking to the toilet at the Lancashire Fold pub in Middleton on Sunday when the dog, believed to be an English Bull Terrier, attacked him.

His father Ian found the dog with its mouth clamped round his son's leg.

Police are investigating the incident and pub operator JW Lees told BBC News it would be inappropriate to comment while the inquiries were being carried out.

Mr Ray told the BBC his son had been left physically scarred and emotionally traumatised.

He said he was with the rest of the family in a separate room when a call came through that his son was being attacked. 

They ran through to find a group of people trying to get the dog off him.

"Joseph was on the floor and the dog had its mouth around Joseph's leg and it was just absolutely horrible really," said Mr Ray.

"My wife was on top of the dog trying to get the dog off while I tried to get my hands in the dog's mouth trying to prise it.

"Fortunately, through I think everyone else joining in, I managed to get the dog's jaw off Joseph's leg.

"It was traumatic for everybody over why a dog of that type was allowed to be in a pub where not only Joseph, but younger children than Joseph, were about.

"From my point of view Joseph could have lost his leg or could have lost his life."

Joseph was taken to Booth Hall Children's hospital for treatment to a serious leg injury after the attack and has been told he may need skin grafts.

Officers are in the process of examining CCTV footage to decide if the dog could be considered to be dangerously out of control.