6 Year Old Girl Bitten By Police Dog In Manchester
A six-year-old girl has been bitten by a police dog after it was set loose to catch a suspected car thief.
An internal police investigation has been launched into the attack after the youngster needed hospital treatment.
The Greater Manchester Police dog team had been called to Briscoe Lane in Newton Heath, Manchester, at around 8pm when a stolen Fiat Punto ploughed into a wall.
The driver fled the scene and the dog was sent after him.
Police said the girl was bitten during this chase, but was not seriously injured.
A GMP spokesman said:
"A police dog was deployed to pursue the offender and during the chase a six-year-old girl was unfortunately bitten.
"The girl was taken to hospital and kept in overnight for observation. Her injuries are not believed to be serious.
"An automatic referral has been made to the Greater Manchester Police Professional Standards Branch."