Three seriously hurt in attack by escaped dogs

A POLICE officer and two members of the public were seriously hurt after being bitten by two dogs in the early hours yesterday.

The victims are being treated in hospital following the attack at around 4.40am in the Moortown area of Leeds.

The dogs are thought to have wandered into a back garden after escaping from another house.

A 79-year-old man heard the two dogs barking in the garden of the culde-sac house.

He went outside to check on the noise and the dogs attacked him, leaving him with serious injuries to his arm.

The dogs are then believed to have left the garden and mauled a 59-yearold man while he was on the way to the property to investigate the noise. The second man is said to have received life-changing injuries.

Police and an ambulance were called to the scene and a police officer was also bitten while trying to catch one of the dogs.

He sustained a serious arm injury and remained in hospital for further treatment.

A second officer was taken to hospital by the ambulance service with minor injuries.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police arrested two people, believed to be the owners of the dogs, and took the dogs away.

Police would not confirm the breed of the animals.

Det Insp Richard Holmes, of Leeds CID, said: “We appreciate there will be understandable concern in the community following this incident.

“We will have extra police patrols in the area to offer reassurance, and I would urge anyone who has any concerns to speak with officers.

“Our inquiries remain ongoing into the circumstances and I would ask anyone who has any information to contact police.”