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A schoolboy who was mauled by dogs was gifted a pair of the Nike trainers he asked for while he was rushed to hospital - thanks to a group of kind-hearted strangers.

Lewis Barkley, 11, was bitten and dragged around a Speke park by two dogs on Sunday, June 24.

The heroic dad who saved Lewis from the horror attack desperately tried to keep him calm on the journey to Alder Hey by talking about his favourite trainers.

Little Lewis said he loved Nike 110s - a detail that was picked up by a kind-hearted group of strangers who decided to send the 'traumatised' boy a surprise gift.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) represents postal workers and BT engineers across Merseyside - many of whom have suffered 'horrific' dog attacks in their line of work.

After reading Lewis' story in the ECHO , the union decided to club together to buy him a special treat while he recovers from his injuries.

Jamie McGovern represents CWU's Greater Mersey branch, and he visited Lewis at his home in Speke today to drop off his favourite trainers.

The group even bought Lewis a brand new England shirt for him to wear while he watched the Three Lions take on Colombia tonight.

Speaking to the ECHO, Jamie said: "Because of the jobs we do, we suffer a lot of dog attacks. We know what people go through with them and when we saw the story we were pretty much heartbroken.

"If this brings a smile to Lewis' face then it's worth every penny. We know dog attacks change lives and a lot of us were heartbroken when we saw the photos."

In a letter sent to Lewis along with the gifts, the CWU said: "It was with great sadness we read about your dog attack. We know how serious dog attacks can be, as many of our colleagues in Royal Mail, BT and Parcelforce suffer dog attacks on a regular basis.

"We also know how brave and courageous you must have been during your treatment. Because of this, we would like to give you this gift with our very best wishes."

They added: "P.S. Hope you wear the shirt when England make the final."

Lewis' family were blown away by the CWU's random act of kindness, saying they've been amazed by the kindness and generosity the community has shown.

The family chose to share a shocking photo of Lewis covered in blood and clearly in distress after he arrived in Alder Hey for treatment.

His dad Josh Shields said the family wanted people to see the damage the dogs had done, and the impact it had on his little boy.

The dogs that attacked Lewis while he played in a Speke park still haven't been found - prompting his dad to issue a desperate plea for information.

Josh said: "I think that photo sends out a strong message and people aren't happy because of that picture. I want to issue an appeal just to show people what it has done."

The attack has left Lewis incredibly shaken and a shadow of the happy little boy his family knew before the attack.

He was left with around 340 stitches, which had to be removed on one of many hospital visits earlier this week.

(Image: LIVERPOOL ECHO)

On Tuesday, June 26, Fredrick Farnsworth, 72, appeared in Liverpool Magistrates Court on two charges of having a dog dangerously out of control.

The dogs are said to have attacked Lewis and his friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Magistrate Anthony Canning ruled the offences were too serious to be dealt with by a magistrates court and sent Farnsworth for a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on July 24.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC. You can also call 101 quoting incident reference 716 of 24 June or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information .