Want Stoke-on-Trent news emailed to you direct from our journalists? Sign up to our newsletter Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Terrified Jason Lammas has told how he was mauled by a Rottweiler as he walked home from the bookies.

The 45-year-old had visited Coral betting shop on Hamil Road, Burslem, when a 'giant dog' launched a horrifying attack.

He had wandered down an alleyway off Tellwright Street when the black and tan Rottweiler latched onto his arm in an unprovoked incident.

Now police have launched an appeal for witnesses to the incident, which happened at 6pm on Saturday (February 29).

Jason, from Burslem, said: “I walked down the alley and this dog appeared out of nowhere and attacked me. There was no owner - it was the biggest rottweiler you could imagine.

“It must have sensed my fear, but after about 10 seconds the dog let go of my arm and started to leave.

"It then started to come back towards me, so I shouted at it to go and thankfully it carried on down the entry.”

Jason had to go to Haywood walk-in centre following the attack, which left him in a lot of pain with swelling on his right forearm.

He added: “I’ve been walking in the area and seen a similar dog loose before - I think it must be the same one.

“It’s quite local to me and I usually walk around there, but now I don’t dare for fear of it happening again.

“The police or the council need to do something as the owner needs to be responsible. It could have happened to a child, or a mum with a pushchair. It could have seriously injured or killed someone.

“If I could speak to the owner I would ask why their dog had been allowed to run loose, and why they have not taken responsibility to make sure the dog doesn’t wander in public on its own.

“You’d think with a dog like that, the owner would be responsible enough to keep it under control.”

Staffordshire Police are attempting to locate the owner of the dog.

A spokesman said: “Police were called at 6.40pm on Saturday to a report of a dog bite incident in Stoke-on-Trent.

“A man was walking down an alleyway leading to Tellwright Street, when he was bitten by a dog - believed to be a type of Rottweiler.

“Inquiries are on-going to trace the owner."

Anyone with information can contact 101, quoting incident number 643 of February 29.