Dog owner describes attack in Alfred Rose Park which left his friend hospitalised

He claims that the dog owner also punched a lady in the face, wrestled her to the ground and then bit her.

Following this, he also said that the row boiled over in four separate attacks, culminating in the boyfriend of the dog walker spitting in the lady's face who had intervened to stop the dogs fighting.

Steve Thrift who was walking his two Old English sheepdogs said a large group of males witnessed the savage attack, but were more interested in recording the incident on their mobile phones than intervening with the alleged attack.

He said: "Many people have now stopped walking their dogs in the Alfred Rose Park in fear of their dog's safety. They are getting away with this with apparent impunity.

"The person walking this pit-bull style dogs was in my face again, threatening to kill my dogs with hers.

"More needs to be done to protect people who just want to walk their dogs in a peaceful and friendly environment.

"I can't believe that the large group of males who were present didn't intervene. A person was attacking my friend and none of them intervened. They just recorded it on their mobile phone.

Pit-bull dogs are a banned breed in the UK, but pit-bull style dogs have always been a popular dog choice and bought up in the right environment can be the most kind and caring animals you could hope to own.

Four dogs are currently banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, including: Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and the Fila Brasileiro.

We covered a story earlier this year where a flock of sheep was attacked by a 'pit-bull style Staffordshire bull terrier' on Oak Farm in Broughton.

You can read this story here.

Steve continued: "I walk my dogs for two hours a day in Alfred Rose Park. They are two of the nicest and friendliest Old English Sheepdogs you could imagine.

"The kids in the park love them, they have never attacked anyone.

"Me and my friend who I've met from walking the dogs were in the kids area of the park where the new play equipment is.

"The kids were playing with my two dogs when out of nowhere this 'pit-bull' style dog came out of nowhere and attacked the elder of the two, and had it by the throat.

"The owner of the aggressive dog came over, at which point my friend told the person that their dog should be on a lead or at least have a muzzle on if it was aggressive."

At this point, the owner of the dog punched my friend who was on crutches, in the face.

Steve claims that the owner of the dog then wrestled his friend to the ground and then bit her.

He said: "The person came back three times to attack my friend, there must have been 50 people there and nobody was intervening to help."

After things had calmed down, Steve also alleges a person who the aggressive dog owner was with came back and spat in my friend's face.

My friend subsequently spent the day in Stoke Mandeville Hospital getting treatment for her injuries.

Steve said: "I have sent a picture of the person and their dog to the police, and have received a police reference number so hopefully some action will be taken.

"I won't live in fear of these dog attacks, but if this dog had attacked a smaller dog, they would have been killed.

"People shouldn't be afraid to walk their dogs at the Alfred Rose Park and they certainly shouldn't be able to get away with this kind of behaviour.

"It's terrifying that this person has taught her dog to be so aggressive. I've seen them punch their dog. It's awful."

Thames Valley Police have confirmed an investigation is ongoing, but no arrests have been made.

They issued the following statement:

"We are appealing for witnesses following an altercation in Alfred Rose Park on 26 August.

"Officers were called at around 7pm to reports of a fight in progress on Saturday (26/8).

"It followed reports that a dog had attacked other two other dogs in the park.

"A woman advised the owner of the dog to control the animal and was then allegedly assaulted.

"Another passer-by was then verbally abused.

"Anybody who witnessed the incident, or who may have mobile phone footage of the incident are urged to call 101 quoting URN 1177 (26/8).

"Nobody was seriously injured during the incident."