The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Man uses steel pipe and bin to fight off pitbull
Aquick- thinking Peterborough man has told howhe armed himself with a steel pipe, and used a wheelie bin as a shield, to fight off a vicious dog in the street. Maurice Jackson ( 69), of North Street, Stanground, says he wentinto action afterseeing an American pitbull attack a poodle being walked by an elderly woman.
He said: “I had seen the pitbull loose in the street earlier and it had already frightened five people.
“I noticed this elderly lady walking her small dog - it may have been a poodle - and I knew the other dog would go after it.
“By the time I’d got outside thepitbullhadthesmallerdog’s head between its teeth and was viciously shaking it about.
“The owner of the smaller dog was shouting but there wasnotmuchshecoulddo. The poor woman was screaming.
“I picked up a piece of steel pipe to fight off the pitbull and kept ramming a wheelie bin at it.
“I was really scared as the pitbull kept coming at me. I was shouting so much I lost my voice.
“The incident lasted about four minutes a nd I managed to get t he pi t bull of f the smaller one three times but it just kept coming back until it eventually ran off. I believe it is owned by someone who lives nearby.”
A crowd of about 20 or 30 people watched the commotion, which began in North Street at about 10am on Tuesday.
Mr Jackson said: “I understand the elderly lady took her dog to the vets but I don’t know what injuries it had. I think it would have been killed if I had not intervened.”
Witness Tim Potkins said: “There was a large group of neighbourscomfortingthelady andherdog. I wasjustgladMau- rice stepped in. He was visibly distressed.”
A police spokeswoman said: “We were called to reports of two dogs fighting in North Street. We have spoken to witnesses and an officer has arranged an appointment withthevictimtoday to determine what happened and if an offence has taken place.
Sheadded:“All incidents reported to the force control room have to be prioritised for response.
“Those where a crime is in progress or where life is at risk, such as a serious road collision, are given priority. It is not clear in this casewhetheracrimehas beencommittedorwhetheranyone was injured.”