A father suffered horror injuries after being savaged by a pair of Staffordshire bull terriers while visiting a friend.

James Nicol mistakenly believed the dogs had been locked away in a bathroom at the flat in Seaton, Aberdeen, but they on him pounced as soon as the 43-year-old walked through the front door, attacking his legs.

The events manager escaped by crawling out of the flat and managed to call 999 with an ambulance rushing him to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Mr Nicol has been in hospital for 10 days and doctors say he could be permanently disfigured.

James Nicol, 43, pictured, has been in hospital for 10 days after being savaged by his friend's Staffordshire bull terriers at a flat in Aberdeen

The dogs 'ripped apart' his legs, pictured, after the events manager protected his throat and face, with Mr Nicol saying he had 'no choice' but to let them attack his limbs

Mr Nicol said he 'thought he might die' during the attack and added the pain was 'indescribable'. He manged to call an ambulance after crawling out of the property. Pictured left and right are the wounds to his legs

But it is understood police and the dog warden service will not take action because the dogs only attacked when Mr Nicol entered the property without knocking, meaning they are not considered a 'danger to the public'.

Mr Nicol said: 'They were coming right at me and I had to protect my throat and face, so I grabbed a rug and just covered my face.

'I had no choice but to let them rip my left leg apart. I thought I might die. The pain was indescribable.'

He added: 'I've had to have skin taken off my thigh so it can be grafted onto my legs.

'It will be a while before I can even try to put weight on my left leg. I will have to undergo physio.

'I could be left permanently disfigured, but the plastic surgeons have done a great job so far.'

Mr Nicol, who lives at another flat in the same block, said: 'My friend who lives in a different flat wanted to catch up. I told him I would only come to his flat if the dogs were locked away.

Mr Nicol fears his legs, pictured, will be permanently damaged and he is having plastic surgery performed on them including a skin graft

The incident was caused by a 'misunderstanding' with Mr Nicol believing his friend had locked up the animals. He entered the property without knocking, causing the dogs to attack him, but his friend believed he would knock first to give him time to remove the pets. Pictured are his bandaged legs following the savage attack

'I thought they had been locked in a bathroom but they somehow got out and came for me.'

Police were told there was a 'misunderstanding', as Mr Nicol entered the flat without knocking, thinking the dogs were already locked in a room, while his friend expected him to knock before securing the dogs.

Mr Nicol added: 'I'm just grateful my boy wasn't with me. He wouldn't have stood a chance.

'I'm just hoping to provide awareness of how dangerous and powerful these types of dogs are and that people should think twice regarding approaching such dogs.'

A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'We got a call at 7.20pm on February 1 regarding a man who had been bitten by a dog.

'A man was taken to ARI for treatment. Officers made inquiries and established the man who had been bitten did not wish to make a report. The issue was referred to the dog warden at the council.'