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Tory councillor Bernard McGuin had the perfect excuse to stop leafleting for Huddersfield Conservative candidate, Ken Davy, when he was bitten by a dog.

Bernard, a cat lover, was in Greenside, a suburb between Almondbury and Waterloo, on Tuesday when the dog, (not a St Bernard!), struck as he was putting a leaflet through a letterbox.

Bernard, 61, said he yelped with pain as the dog sunk its teeth into his right hand.

The former teacher said: "I would like to say thank you to the crew of the refuse wagon in Greenside who, luckily, were around when I was unfortunately bitten by a dog.

"A special thank you to one of the crew, Nick Spivey, who bandaged me up very efficiently according to the nurse at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

"Nick joked: 'Don't worry, we will patch you up, you old Tory git!'

(Image: Bernard McGuin)

"I couldn't see the dog perfectly as it was behind a frosted window but it was licking his lips - there was blood dripping out of his chops and he was grinning from ear to ear - so my blood must have tasted nice."

An X-ray showed the Kirklees councillor, (Con, Almondbury), had a fracture so he says he was glad he took Nick's advice and went to A&E.

Bernard added: "I used to be a postman so I should know better.

"On a serious note, however, dog owners need to be aware it could be a child putting its hand near a letterbox and not a politician."