Little girl attacked by dog as she walks through York city centre

The youngster, who has not been named, was in the middle of York when the Staffordshire bull terrier-type animal jumped up at her.

Officers said she suffered a one-and-a-half inch scratch to her left cheek and a puncture wound to the left of her mouth.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the incident happened at about 1.45pm yesterday.

He said: "The girl was walking hand in hand with her mum and dad down Stonegate towards Blake Street.

"As they passed an unknown man who was walking in the opposite direction, his Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog jumped up at the little girl and bit her face."

PC Danny Foxton, of the York Safer Neighbourhood Response Team, said: "The little girl suffered some nasty-looking injuries to her face and her parents are naturally very shocked and upset by what happened.

"Thankfully she was not seriously hurt but this is probably more by luck than anything else."

The girl was taken to York District Hospital by ambulance. She was later discharged after treatment, police said.

Officers are trying to trace the owner of the dog who walked away afterwards.

He is described as white, aged in his early 30s, about 5ft 10in tall, of slim build with a pale and thin face. He was wearing a white fleece jacket and blue jeans.

Police said the dog, which was on a lead at the time of the incident, was described as a Staffordshire bull terrier with a brown body and white head.

Mr Foxton said: "I am appealing for any witnesses to come forward as soon as possible. In particular I want to hear from anyone who can help to identify the owner of the dog.

"It was a very busy in the city centre on Sunday afternoon, so hopefully people will recall seeing a man fitting the description who was pushing a bicycle and walking what appeared to be Staffordshire bull terrier dog."