Wolverhampton boy savaged by stray dog

An 11-year-old boy has been savaged by a dog in a horror attack at his Wolverhampton home.

Finn O'Mahoney underwent five hours of surgery after being mauled by a Chinese Shar-Pei the family had taken in as a stray just days earlier.

The dog went berserk as the youngster watched Christmas Day television in Whitmore Reans.

The boy's uncle Bernard O'Mahoney said the family was watching Coronation Street at around 8pm when the dog, a stray that had been taken in by his brother a week earlier, "flew through the air" at his nephew's face.

The animal was pulled off the child by his father Michael O'Mahoney, 42, in front of his mother Carol and nine-year-old sister Lily.

It took two specialist police dog handlers to restrain the dog, which has since been destroyed.

Finn was taken to New Cross Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for facial injuries yesterday.

Bernard O'Mahoney, aged 50, of Harborne, Birmingham, said Michael had found the dog suffering from frostbite in a doorway near the Avion shopping centre in Whitmore Reans just over a week ago.

He took it home to Newhampton Street West and later took it to a vet to be treated, he said.

"He's a big-hearted man who could not bear to see an animal suffer and is obviously now devastated.

"He said the dog seemed very placid and docile.

"On the night it happened, no-one was talking and it had been lying on the floor quietly - the next minute he just flew through the air at Finn.

"My brother managed to grab its collar and pull the dog off but it wouldn't be restrained until the police came. He is obviously distraught, he was just trying to do a good deed."

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman John Hawker said today: "The boy suffered facial injuries, mainly lacerations to his cheek and under his jaw."

Police today confirmed they were called to the house.

By Marion Brennan