Boy, 2, 'covered in blood' with facial injuries after dog attack in Staffordshire pub

Boy, 2, 'covered in blood' with facial injuries after dog attack in Staffordshire pub The toddler was attacked in the beer garden of a pub in Wolstanton, Staffordshire, leaving him 'covered in blood' before he was rushed to hospital with 'serious' facial injuries A toddler has been mauled by a dog at a pub in Staffordshire, leaving him with "serious" facial injuries. The boy, two, was attacked in the beer garden of The Wulstan, in Wolstanton, at around 3pm on Wednesday. Witnesses said he was left "covered in blood" and that guests at the pub were "hysterical" as one man called 999. The child was treated at the scene for serious injuries before being taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital for further emergency care. Staffordshire Police said the boy has since been discharged. Philip Preece, a regular at the pub, was in the beer garden at the time of the attack and believes the dog was "some kind of Bulldog breed". The 63-year-old, from Wolstanton, said: "I was sitting outside with a few people. The child was sitting across from me on another pub table. He was playing with some plastic dinosaurs and sitting with his mum. He had been enjoying some chicken nuggets and chips. Just having a nice family time. "I went inside the pub to get myself another lager shandy. As I went to go back outside, the mother ran into the pub carrying her child. He was in an absolute mess. You couldn't make out any of his facial features. He was covered in blood. His mum was too. So much was gushing out. "I quickly learned he'd been attacked by a dog. I came out of the pub and saw this lad. He had his dog on a lead. But it hadn't been wearing it earlier. He must have put it on quickly after the attack. "I asked what the hell was going on. Everyone was hysterical. A young lad who works for me called 999. Thankfully, the ambulance and the paramedics arrived very quickly to take the boy to hospital. "I was in shock. He'd just been having a nice time. Then all of a sudden his mum is in tears and he's bleeding. It was absolutely horrific. It's not something I'd ever like to see again. Everyone was in utter disbelief. "The little boy was apparently going inside with his mother to use the sweet machine. Then he's been attacked. He's only a baby. The dog ragged him up and down after biting his face. If the dog had gone a bit lower, it could have ended up biting the boy's throat. It could have been even more serious. We're all just wishing him a speedy recovery." A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We were called following reports a child had been bitten by a dog. An ambulance and a paramedic officer responded to the scene. The boy was given treatment for his serious injuries before being conveyed to Royal Stoke University Hospital for further emergency care." Police have launched an investigation and have appealed for anyone with any information to come forward, reports The Sentinel. A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We were called to The Wulstan following reports that a child had been bitten by a dog. Officers attended the scene alongside colleagues from West Midlands Ambulance Service. "The child was taken to hospital with facial injuries. He has since been discharged. Our investigation is ongoing and we are appealing for anyone with any information that might help our investigation to contact us." Witnesses should call the police on 101, quoting incident number 592 of 15 July, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.