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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Ethan Davies

Woman bitten by Akita dog and back 'sliced open' during walk in Greater Manchester beauty spot

A woman walking in Daisy Nook was subjected to a horrific dog attack - which left her with bite wounds on her back.

David Hodgkins and wife Rachel were walking through the Oldham beauty spot on Saturday morning, when they came across a man with a large Akita dog.

While passing the pair on a ‘thin path in some woods’, the pooch launched itself at David and then Rachel, the 39-year-old man told the Manchester Evening News .

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“As I passed the dog it went for my arm,” the Fitton Hill man said. “It had me on the floor, then it bit [Rachel’s] back.

“It was a savage attack. I managed to grip it in a bear hug. We went down an embankment — it was on an extendable lead so we got caught in the trees.”

Such was the ferocity of the attack, the dog ‘ripped’ Rachel’s, 35, fleece ‘to bits’, David added.

It also left her needing treatment at hospital, he continued: “I only have superficial wounds, but my wife was not so lucky.

“We went straight to A&E in Oldham, on my wife’s back there are three puncture wounds and [the dog’s] canines have sliced her back open.

“It looks worse than it did yesterday. She has scratches along her back.”

Along with her physical injuries, David says the incident has ‘really shaken’ his wife.

He continued: " It was like an unkept, big dog. If it was not on the lead it would have been a lot, lot worse.

(David Hodgkins)

"After, he would not move — the dog was patrolling the path so we could not leave the embankment.

" The guy did not even shout at [the dog]."

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed the incident was reported to the force, but no arrests had been made in connection to it.

“Enquiries are ongoing,” a statement added.

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