Man held over dog attack on girl, six

The child also suffered injuries to her neck and shoulder when she was mauled by the animal in a park in Chingford, Essex, on Saturday.

Scotland Yard said a 56-year-old man had walked into Chingford police station yesterday and was arrested on suspicion of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place. A dog has also been seized by police investigating the attack.

Officers said the incident was unprovoked and happened at about noon at Pole Hill, Woodberry Way, in front of the girl’s parents and her younger brother.

The youngster was taken to a hospital in Essex for surgery, where she remained last night in a “stable” condition.

Officers and paramedics arrived at the scene soon after the attack, but the dog and the man with it had gone, the Metropolitan Police said.

A spokesman said earlier that “all possible steps” were being taken to trace them. The dog was thought to be a black and white bull terrier.

The man was described as white, in his late 30s or early 40s, with cropped blond hair.

Det Sgt Stuart Cheek, of Waltham Forest police, said the “appalling incident” had left the girl with serious injuries that could scar her for life.

The incident comes as ministers consider whether to toughen up the Dangerous Dogs Act after warnings it is failing. It bans four types of dog and saw 1,705 people prosecuted in 2010, but the Government is being urged to make owners responsible for their pets’ behaviour instead of banning breeds.

Nearly 700 people were treated in hospital after being attacked or bitten by dogs in Yorkshire between June 2010 and March last year, while nationally 5,000 people were treated in hospital after being attacked or bitten by dogs over the same period.

The RSPCA claims attacks are costing the health service £3.3m a year, while attacks on livestock are calculated to cost farmers £2.8m a year.