A family was forced to kill their pet dog with a hammer after it left one of them with life-changing injuries, it is understood.
Police arrived to find the out-of-control animal dead at a home in Worcester at around 9.10am yesterday.
They administered first aid to two victims before rushing them to hospital.
A 68-year-old woman remains in hospital with life-changing injuries while a 38-year-old man has serious injuries.
Neighbours have now told how a dad’s actions ‘probably saved their lives’ after horror unfolded on the quiet residential street.
One local, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘It was a case of the dog or them – his actions probably saved their lives.
‘I heard the dad used a hammer. It must have been a horrific thing to encounter but when a dog flips sometimes there’s just no going back.’
Another neighbour added: ‘I heard shouting at about 8.30am, then it went quiet and then it started again.
‘I heard the noise and looked up and down the road and no police cars were there. I then saw a man leave the house and he had a hammer in his hand and when police arrived he sat on the floor in relief.
‘There were around 10 police cars an ambulance, air ambulance and a black unmarked car which had two police officers come out of it with guns.’
A third local added: ‘It is shocking and frightening that something like that has happened.’
West Mercia Police confirmed that the dog was killed ‘when the family were trying to stop it from causing any more injury’.
The force said in a statement: ‘Yesterday morning we reported that a 68-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man had been injured by a family pet at a home in Boughton Avenue in Worcester.
‘We’re shocked and saddened to say that a second, unconnected, incident happened later the same day when a 9-year-old boy suffered a serious leg injury caused by a dog at a private address in Portefields Road in the city.
‘Officers were called to the incident shortly before 5pm yesterday. The child was taken to hospital by his family where he is being treated. The dog was recovered by officers and is secured in kennels.’
The force’s superintendent, Rebecca Love, urged anyone who is concerned about their dog’s behaviour to contact their local vet for advice.
