Man, 37, dies after being attacked by a dog in Leigh

The man was taken to hospital but did in the early hours of Friday morning

Author: Cameron Henderson & Dan DaviesPublished 19th May 2023
Last updated 19th May 2023

A 37-year-old man has died after being attacked by a dog in Leigh, Greater Manchester.

Police were called to the incident on Westleigh Lane at around 9pm on Thursday evening to find a man with serious injuries believed to have been caused by a dangerously out of control dog.

The man was taken to hospital but died in the early hours of Friday morning.

Despite the efforts of armed officers to subdue the dog and bring it to safety, it posed a significant risk to the public and was humanely killed.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of owning a dangerously out of control dog causing injury resulting in death. He remains in custody.

Detective Superintendent Simon Hurst of GMP's Wigan district said: "Firstly, I would like to extend my condolences to the loved ones of the victim of this attack.

"Our officers and our partners are currently supporting the victim's loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.

"We recognise this incident will rightly cause concern within the local area and we would like to reassure the public that we explored every possible avenue to protect the local community and the animal involved.

"We would urge members of the public to please come forward if they have any information in regard to this incident. Any information you may have may be a huge help to our investigation.

"This is a distressing incident which has resulted in the sad passing of a man and we are determined to ensure this does not happen again in our community."

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