A two-year-old boy has been left with serious facial injuries after being mauled by a dog in the beer garden of a Staffordshire pub. The attack occurred at The Wulstan pub in Wolstanton at around 3:06 pm on Wednesday, July 15, according to Staffordshire Police.
Witness Describes Horrific Scene
Philip Preece, a regular at the pub, witnessed the aftermath of the attack. He said the child was playing with plastic dinosaurs and eating chicken nuggets and chips with his mother before the incident. Preece described the boy as being “covered in blood” and said his facial features were unrecognisable.
Preece told reporters: “He was playing with some plastic dinosaurs and sitting with his mum. He had been enjoying some chicken nuggets and chips. Just having a nice family time. I went inside the pub to get myself another lager shandy. As I went to go back outside, the mother ran into the pub carrying her child. He was in an absolute mess. You couldn't make out any of his facial features. He was covered in blood. His mum was too. So much was gushing out.”
Preece believed the dog involved was “some kind of Bulldog breed”. He noted that the dog’s owner had the animal on a lead after the attack but had not been using one earlier.
Emergency Response and Hospital Treatment
West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed that an ambulance and a paramedic officer attended the scene. The child was rushed to Royal Stoke University Hospital for emergency care. A police spokesman later confirmed the child had been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for facial injuries.
Preece added: “I asked what the hell was going on. Everyone was hysterical. A young lad who works for me called 999. Thankfully, the ambulance and the paramedics arrived very quickly to take the boy to hospital. I was in shock. He'd just been having a nice time. Then all of a sudden his mum is in tears and he's bleeding. It was absolutely horrific.”
Police Investigation and Appeal
Staffordshire Police have launched an investigation into the attack. A police spokesman said: “We were called to The Wulstan following reports that a child had been bitten by a dog. Officers attended the scene alongside colleagues from West Midlands Ambulance Service. The child was taken to hospital with facial injuries. He has since been discharged. Our investigation is ongoing and we are appealing for anyone with any information that might help our investigation to contact us.”
Witnesses are urged to call Staffordshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 592 of 15 July, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
