A DOG owner said his beloved family pet ‘almost died’ after being injured by a metal spike dumped by flytippers.

Barrie Thorpe said his five-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, Roly, was left needing life-saving surgery after being impaled on the spike left sticking out in the woods just off Taylor Avenue, Waterfoot.

Mr Thorpe, 40, said: “I reported the rubbish to the council about two and a half weeks ago but nothing has been done.

“If they had acted on my information this could have been avoided.

“It’s just waiting for a child or an adult to injure themselves in there.

“It’s the council’s responsibility to clean that up.

“When you report it to the council you expect them to act and when they don’t it’s really frustrating and annoying.”

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Roly had spent the weekend in Armac Veterinary Care, Bury where he underwent surgery on his chest.

The dad-of-two, of Crabtree Avenue, Waterfoot said it was down to luck and Roly’s good health that he did not die..

Councillor Amanda Robertson, who represents the area on Rossendale Council, visited the family yesterday to discuss the situation.

She said: “I have been to see the owners and obviously they’re upset about their poor dog, but is more concerned that it could have been a child.

“The trouble is that it’s in Lancashire County Council owned woodland and we’re not sure who the path belongs to.

“Unfortunately when you’re not sure whose property its is on you can get in trouble for trying to do something.

“However, obviously we should have gone out and done something.

“I’m going to make sure the rubbish has been removed and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Cllr Robertson added she would meet with the head of the operations for the borough to find out what prevented the rubbish being removed after it was reported.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said. "This site is owned by the borough council.

“They’d be the people responsible for cleaning up any flytipping, although we have responsibility for the tree planting there.

“It is an area vulnerable to flytipping."

The family have set up an online fundraising page to cover the £1,000 cost of Roly’s surgery. So far they have raised £585.Visit www.gofundme.com/save-the-rolydog to donate.