A SICK stunt which reportedly saw a group torment large dogs in Colchester with the hope of capturing them retaliating on camera has prompted the launch of an investigation.

Essex Police officers were called to playing fields in Mile End, near Studds lane, in Colchester, at about 11.40am on Wednesday.

The force attended the scene after receiving reports regarding a group of people who were going out of their way to cruelly antagonise dogs and their owners in the park.

One dog walker who was caught up in the confrontations says he saw two middle-aged women filming on their phones as a man sprinted towards several pooches.

Gazette: Divisive - An XL Bully, which some campaigners want to see bannedDivisive - An XL Bully, which some campaigners want to see banned (Image: N/A)

He is then said to have persisted in trying to rile-up the dogs, which included three Staffordshire Bull Terriers, XL Bullies and a Labrador, which he reportedly kicked.

Speaking anonymously to the Gazette, the witness, who was walking his Cane Corso at the time, said: “The Lab belonged to an elderly woman and it just screamed.

“It then grabbed him by the arm and then he ran over to the two women who were filming saying it had bitten him – but they only filmed certain bits of it.

“Those with the smaller dogs were not targeted but they were saying the bigger dogs are dangerous and need to be destroyed.”

The seemingly malicious stunt comes after Suella Braverman called for the XL Bully dogs to be completely outlawed in the UK.

The Home Secretary floated the idea of a potential ban on the breed after an 11-year-old girl was attacked in Birmingham.

“My aunt had Jack Russells when I was a child and I lost track of how many times I got bitten by them,” added the 37-year-old animal trainer involved in the Mile End incident.

Gazette: Scene - fields in Mile End, ColchesterScene - fields in Mile End, Colchester (Image: Google Maps)

“The people in the park are making sure all the dogs get destroyed and are actively targeting people who have these dogs and trying to get bitten.

“They are sadistic. I’m not sure if they are trying to get a little bit of fame or what because I don’t understand the logic behind what they were doing.

“It is going to start becoming dangerous for people to walk dogs so people need to be aware this is happening in Colchester. They are deliberately targeting bully dogs.”

Essex Police has since launched an investigation.

A spokesman said: “We were called to a park near Studds Lane following reports of a group of people attempting to aggravated dogs and their owners. 

“Enquiries are ongoing.”