A 56-year-old man has been arrested after a dog bit off part of a six-year-old girl's ear in London [23 January 2012]

Officers have seized the bull terrier that attacked the girl at Pole Hill, Woodberry Way, Chingford, at 12:00 GMT on Saturday in front of her parents.

The girl also suffered injuries to her neck and shoulder and has undergone plastic surgery at a hospital in Essex.

The 56 year old man was arrested after handing himself in to Chingford police station.

He will appear in custody at Thames Magistrates' Court today, on charges of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place and causing injury.

Metropolitan Police said a man was being charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

“Distressed family”

Terrence Lundy, who arrived at the park just after the girl was attacked, said he was walking his dog with his daughter and granddaughter when they saw the distressed family.

Police have appealed eyewitnesses to the attack to help with the inquiry.

Mr Lundy said: "This woman came running down with her husband and another little kid, so obviously a family of four, and she was holding on to her ear and screaming 'Keep your dogs away from my daughter. Keep your dogs away from my daughter'.

"I ran over there to her. I knew something had happened.

"She said, 'My daughter's ear's bitten off' and I took all the handkerchiefs out of my pocket, because I always keep handkerchiefs and I said 'Put that on her ear and hold it tight.'"

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