Liverpool Man, 79, Killed in His Garden by 'Out-of-Control' Dog

Two women have been arrested after a 79-year-old man died when he was mauled by an "out-of-control" dog in the garden of his home in Liverpool.

The women, aged 27 and 28, have been arrested under the Dangerous Dogs Act, Merseyside police said.

The pensioner was set upon in the back garden of his home at around 8.40pm on Saturday night.

Officers arrived at the scene to find the man injured, and a dog roaming aggressively about the garden.

The dog was destroyed by armed police following the incident in Richard Kelly Close in Clubmoor, a cul-de-sac across the road from a public park.

The pensioner was pronounced dead in hospital, and a post-mortem examination will take place later today. The breed of dog has not been confirmed.

Forensic experts are now carrying out examinations at the scene of the attack, police confirmed.

"When they arrived officers found the body of the man and they were confronted by a dog that was out of control," said a statement from Merseyside police.

"Armed officers attended at the scene and the dog was destroyed. At this stage the breed of the dog is still to be established.

"House-to-house inquiries are underway and Crime Scene Investigators are carrying out forensic examinations at the scene."

Two women are being held under the section of the Dangerous Dogs Act relating to an owner or a person in charge of the dog allowing it to enter a private property where it is not permitted to be and the animal injures a person.

In March, 14-year-old Jade Anderson was killed by aggressive dogs after visiting the home of a friend in Atherton, near Wigan.

Manchester police said a prosecution was "unlikely" in that case, as there were no laws to protect people from dogs when the person was injured at the property, by dogs belonging to the property's owners.