Woman seriously injured by bully XL dog in Doncaster attack

A woman was seriously injured after being attacked by a dog as she walked her child in a pushchair.

The 28-year-old was with her own dog and her child on Doncaster Road in Askern, South Yorkshire, when she was mauled by a loose dog.

Emergency services, including an air ambulance, were called to the scene and the road was partially sealed off following the attack at 11am on Thursday.

Armed police seized the dog.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "The dog, believed to be a bully XL breed, is alleged to have caused serious injury to the woman’s arms. She has been taken to hospital by ambulance, where she remains in a stable but serious condition."

Bully XL dogs have been responsible for several fatal attacks this year.

In June South Yorkshire Police called for them to be added to the list of banned breeds after a sharp rise in the number of attacks.

It said officers had already dealt with 180 reports of out of control dogs in 2023 – more than double the number for the whole of 2018.

The force said XL bullies were "disproportionately" represented in the number of dog attacks.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.