A cyclist suffered a potentially 'life-changing' injury when a dog bit her leg and 'stayed attached to her for several minutes', police have said. It's reported a man accused the woman and a friend she was cycling with of almost hitting his child earlier.
He is said to have 'slapped' one of his dogs to the head, causing it to bite her upper leg and stay attached to her for several minutes before she managed to break free, police added. The shocking incident in Morecambe, Lancashire, is being investigated.
Officers were called by paramedics to the scene at 4.23pm on May 5, although details have only just been revealed. The victim, aged in her 40s, and her friend had been riding on a cycle track behind the Priory Church close to Millennium Bridge and had to brake to avoid a woman and child, police said.
Lancashire Police added in a statement: "A short time later they were approached by a man with two brown Staffy Bullmastiff-type dogs who accused them of almost knocking into his child.
"It was reported he then slapped one of his dogs to the head, causing it to bite the victim on her upper leg and stay attached to her for several minutes before she managed to break free.
"She was taken to Royal Lancaster Infirmary with a potentially life-changing leg injury. She has since been discharged.
"No arrest has been made at this stage. As part of our ongoing enquiries, we now need to identify and speak to the dog walker. He is described as: white, 5ft 9ins to 5ft 10ins tall, of a slim build with short back and sides brown hair. He is thought to be in his early 30s and was not wearing a top."
PC Richard Hannaford, of Morecambe Police, said: “This incident has left the victim with a very serious injury. As part of our ongoing enquiries we need to identify and speak to the man who was walking the dogs.
"I would urge anybody who knows who he is – or the man himself – to contact the police as soon as possible. Similarly, I would ask any witnesses or anybody with CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage which could assist our investigation to please get in touch."
