Boy, 2, in dog attack horror

A toddler was given emergency surgery yesterday after a family pet bullmastiff left him with horrific facial injuries.

Little Ollie Cummings, two, had been playing in the kitchen at his mother’s boyfriend’s Dundee home when the dog savaged him. Ollie was close to the dog while it was eating and its powerful jaws ripped into his face and head.

Medics at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, kept Ollie under observation overnight before he was taken into theatre for a two-hour plastic surgery operation at lunchtime yesterday.

His shocked mum, Natasha Wilson, 25, snatched him away from the dog before calling for an ambulance.

Speaking from the hospital, Ollie’s shocked grandmother, Debs Martin, 48, said: “Ollie had been playing with some keys, walking from one door to another pretending to lock and unlock them.

“It all happened so fast. We’re not sure if he maybe dropped the keys next to the dog.

“There are teeth marks on his head and a large cut from his nose to near his eye. His nose is being rebuilt. The doctors say that is a clean cut. The biggest worry is preventing infection.”

The incident happened at the home of Ollie’s mum’s boyfriend in the St Mary’s area of Dundee at 11pm on Friday.

Debs said: “Ollie was used to being around the dog. He has known it for six months and has been saying, ‘Love Ollie, love Ollie’. He’s not been fazed or scared by what happened. The dog was taken straight to kennels by its owner who is adamant it will be put down. He and Natasha are shocked and upset.”

The toddler faces further surgery when he is aged around 10 years. His third birthday is in eight days time on November 23.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We are unable to comment at this time.”

Dog attacks in the UK are one of the most common causes of severe facial lacerations in children. Each year, approximately 28,000 facial dog bites are reported in the UK, with just over 19,000 of them requiring some degree of plastic surgery.

The law concerning dangerous dogs was toughened up in Scotland earlier this year, giving new powers to local councils and requiring better registration.

The Sunday Post told last month how a six-month-old child was killed by an American pit bull terrier. Molly-Mae Wotherspoon was attacked at her home as she was being looked after by her gran Susan, 54, while 21-year-old mum Claire was out on October 3.

A coroner said the family paid the “ultimate price” for owning a banned dog.