A NINE-year-old boy was attacked by a bull mastiff as he played on a Nelson street.

Blackburn magistrates heard the boy suffered a horrific wound to his arm, the bite going through to the bone and causing permanent scarring.

The keeper of the dog, Paul McKenzie Norwood, had previously been banned from owning dogs after the same animal was involved in an incident when a woman had a lump of flesh ripped from her arm.

Norwood, 31, of Napier Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control. He was committed in custody to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced.

The court heard the boy was playing on his new bike on Southfield Street when he was attacked by the dog. His sister phoned their father who was quickly on the scene. The dog, called Max, has since been destroyed.

Nick Cassidy, defending, said following the ban on his client keeping dogs he had signed Max over to a friend who lived on Southfield Street.

“At that time my client lived elsewhere but at the time of this incident he had moved to live with the friend on Southfield Street,” said Mr Cassidy.

“At the time of this incident the dog was owned by the other man, who was out, and My client accepts it was under his control when the child was attacked.”

Distrct Judge James Clarke said Norwood had previous warnings about the same dog and had then been banned from keeping animals as a result of an attack on a female by Max.

“I am sceptical about the coincidence of you living at the same address as the dog but not being the owner,” said Judge Clarke.