Police investigate dog walker assault

Police are investigating after a man was assaulted while walking his dog near Barnsley last month.

The 69-year-old was walking his two dogs in the Dearne Valley Country Park on 21 October when he was approached by a man with a cocker spaniel.

One of the victim's dogs is reported to have approached the spaniel which ran away causing the men to argue. The owner of the spaniel reportedly tried to kick the pensioner's dog, before grabbing the man by the throat and hitting him with his own walking stick.

The suspect is described as a white man in his 50s, around 5ft 10ins tall, of stocky build. He is described as having short dark hair.

He was reportedly wearing a dark three-quarter length jacket and spoke with a local accent.

The suspect was walking a light brown cocker spaniel dog with a distinctive white stripe down the front of its face and a long tail.

Police are asking anyone who knows anything about the assault to contact them.