'Dangerous' dog destroyed in Hartlepool after man seriously injured by American XL Pitbull

A man has been arrested and a dog killed on Teesside following reports of a safety concern.

Officers were called to an address in Thornton Street, Hartlepool shortly before midnight on Tuesday 23 May.

Once there, officers arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of assault and criminal damage.

During the arrest an American XL Pitbull inside of the property attacked the man being detained.

Officers spent several minutes attempting to free the man from the dog, but were unable to, and subsequently a taser was used to free the animal's grip on the man.

As officers moved the injured man to safety, the dog ran past them onto the street where it headed towards York Road in the town centre in an agitated state.

Despite several attempts to catch and secure the dog humanely, officers decided it was dangerous, out of control and posed a serious risk to the public at the time.

An armed response unit was called to destroy the dog.

The 32-year-old injured at the property had serious injuries to his limbs and deep bite marks, a spokesperson for Cleveland Police said.

He was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees to receive treatment.

His condition is not life threatening.

Cleveland Police has voluntarily referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

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