A TEENAGE boy was bitten by a dog as he walked along the road in Ringwood.

Jude Chiari, 17, was walking along Duck Island Lane near the Bickerley at around 8pm on Wednesday when the incident happened.

The Staffie cross dog wasn’t wearing a collar and was without an owner at the time.

Jude’s mum, Katie Geary, said: “My son and his girlfriend and gone to go to the cinema but missed the bus and decided to walk home along the old railway line. As they were coming back there was this very large dog.

“As he walked past it, he went to stroke it, as he turned it tore the back of his jeans.

“He went to hit it and get it off but it bit his arm.

“He managed to get it off and his girlfriend screamed and run away and it chased her and bit her but didn’t draw any blood.

“Jude then chased after her and the dog kind of shrugged and walked off.”

Katie added: “He was literally three minutes away.”

“It’s just crazy that something like this can happen on our doorstep.”

Jude had to have a tetanus injection following the incident which was reported to the police and dog warden.

Katie said: “If he’d had a pair of shorts on, it would have been a visit to A&E. His jeans saved him. He’s been in some serious shock.”

She posted a picture of her son’s injury following the attack on Facebook to warn others about the dog as the area is used by children and the elderly.

“It’s been a big lesson, I’ve got a nine-year-old daughter and they think all dogs are like mine.”

She said: “It’s not the dog’s fault. It’s the owner’s fault. God forbid it had been a couple of little kids walking their dog.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Hampshire Police by calling 101 quoting reference number 441180172111.