A DOG owner may require a skin graft after his hand was mauled by an out-of-control Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The owner suffered severe hand injuries after he was bitten by a dog that charged at him as he walked down a street in Leigh.

The 61-year-old victim said: “I was walking one of my Shih Tzu dogs down the street when suddenly, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier came running out of the front door of its house and instantly tried to attack my dog.

“I pulled my dog up quickly by his harness and held him in my arms by which point this dog bit my hand.

“As I tried to get him off the weight of the staff caused my skin to rip off.”

The attack took place in Leigh on Thursday, May 23, and was reported to the police by the man’s wife after she took him to the accident and emergency department at Southend Hospital.

He is also awaiting an appointment at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, to find out whether he needs a skin graft.

He added: “After the attack, the woman that was shouting at her kids was telling me about how she had to fork out £2,500 in vet bills from when it attacked another dog before.

“That’s what has wound me up the most really.

“It has made me very wary to take the dogs out now.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We were called at around 7.30pm on Thursday, May 23, with reports a man suffered a hand injury after being bitten by a dog in Leigh.

“We received information that as he walked his dog at around 6.30pm, a dog ran out of an address in Rayleigh Road and injured his left hand.

“He was taken to hospital for his injury.

“Our investigation is progressing and has a dedicated investigating officer who contacted the man on Saturday, May 25, and will be making further contact with him today.

“We will also be making further enquiries with the dog’s owner, who has been identified after getting in contact with us.

“Anyone with information is asked to call PC Christopher Short on 101 quoting crime 42/81653/19.”