Surgery for girl, nine, bitten by dog

A nine-year-old girl needed surgery after a dog bit her on the leg at a beach.

The child is in a stable condition in hospital after she was attacked by the animal at around midday last Friday.

She was walking along Croy beach, near Maybole in Ayrshire, with her mother when a black shaggy coated dog came running towards them.

The dog then bit the young girl on the leg and ran off.

The mother took her daughter home and dressed the wound, but the injury worsened and she was taken to Ayr Hospital on Sunday.

She was later transferred to University Hospital Crosshouse in Kilmarnock where she underwent surgery. Medical staff describe her condition as stable.

Yesterday police appealed for information about the incident.

Constable Jamie Dunlop from Ayr Police Station said: “The mother and daugh- ter did not recognise the dog from being on the beach before and it is vital that anyone with information that could assist our inquiries comes forward.

“If you were near to Croy Shore on Friday afternoon and either witnessed what happened or noticed a black shaggy dog in the area, please get in touch.

“Anyone with information can contact Ayr Police Station via 101, quoting incident number 3517 of Friday 5 January 2018.”