Man sought as woman, 76, attacked by dog in Handsworth

Officers want to trace the man with the dog to question him about what happened

A dog charged at a 76-year-old woman in an attack that put her in hospital and left her labradoodle with puncture wounds to its neck.

The victim was knocked to the ground in Somerset Road in Handsworth and suffered leg and head injuries.

The dog, which West Midlands Police believe was a bull breed, continued to savage her pet for about 20 seconds after pushing her over.

Officers want to trace the man with the dog, who reportedly left on a bike.

Both the woman, who was in hospital for four days, and her dog, were recovering well after the attack at about 19:45 BST on 4 August, the force said.

Anyone with information about the man and the dog was urged to come forward.

Insp Leanne Chapman, from the force's dangerous dog unit, said: "The video makes shocking viewing, and you can see the sheer force that the victim is hit with.

"We believe the dog involved may be a bull breed, and it's really important that we hear from anyone who knows the man in the images so that we can take steps to protect the public from harm in the future."