A DOG owner screamed for help as two of his American bulldogs mauled him so badly his arm was ripped off.

Bystanders tried to make the dogs stop by attacking them with golf clubs and garden tools before the pets eventually ran off into the night.

People living in County Durham, England, were terrified until one dog was shot dead by police and the other was caught.

The search operation involved the force helicopter and armed officers.

An ambulance crew took the 47-year-old owner to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, where he was receiving treatment for his serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

“I’ve never seen something so vicious and brutal in my life,” a witness said.

“I saw blood and his arm was literally torn off, his clothes were torn or pulled off and he was just squirming about screaming for help and eventually it looked as if he just gave up.

“People were behind the dogs in a car beeping the horn constantly to try and scare the dogs away, while some other people were also hitting the dogs with garden tools and golf clubs, but no matter what the dogs would not stop.

“Eventually the dogs stopped and ran away, and while they were running one of them was hit by a car, several times I think, but it still continued to run away.”

The injured man has been regularly seen in the area walking up to seven bulldogs.

Durham police said one bulldog was “humanely destroyed” shortly after the attack.

The dog that was caught will be kept in kennels while a decision is made about its future.