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A 12-year-old schoolboy was saved from being savaged by a dog by a hero neighbour who fought off the animal with a tube from a vacuum cleaner.
Louis Currie, 12, from Droylsden, Greater Manchester, was attacked by a Pitt Bull type dog as he rode his scooter to a friend's house. The dog tore a chunk out of his leg and bit into his arms and face.
He was saved from being more seriously hurt by neighbour Stewart McGuinness, 45, who works for Salford Council.
"My partner Julie and I were sat watching the television when we heard a young child screaming outside," said Stewart. "Julie looked out of the window and saw the lad being attacked by the dog.
"It was on top of him, biting him. My automatic reaction was to grab the first thing that came to hand, which happened to be the vacuum extension. I tried to force the dog off the lad. He had him by the leg. It was vicious.
"It wasn't the nicest thing having to whack the dog with the pole, but I had no choice - it would have killed him otherwise.
"Eventually I got the dog off and threw it over a fence into another garden. We locked all the gates, but we were still worried it would jump over the fence. It was a horrible dog - all muscle. It was just so powerful that when I was hitting it with the pole, there was no reaction. It bit so far into the lad's leg that it was near impossible to get it off.
"The lad and the dog were covered in blood, it was horrific. My only concern was saving the boy - I didn't think about myself, it was just automatic."
Louis' mum Sarah, who lives with Louis and his older sister Megan, 16, said she couldn't thank Stewart enough for his heroic efforts:
"In my eyes, he saved my son's life. Louis was very lucky. In most places the dog's teeth didn't go through major arteries or tendons - but there's muscle damage that needs to be fixed."
Louis is now recovering at Saint Mary's Hospital in Manchester but could have lifelong scars and may need plastic surgery.
Police are now investigating the attack on Sunday afternoon. It is thought the dog was captured, but it is not yet known if it has been destroyed.