A nine-year-old boy was savaged by a dog in an attack which hospitalised him.

The boy received stitches to the bite wound on his arm following the attack, which took place in the grounds of Thorpe Coombe Hospital in Forest Road, Walthamstow.

A golden Staffordshire bull terrier jumped out of a bush and bit the boy, who has since been released from hospital, and police are urging the dog’s owner and witnesses to come forward.

The dog owner is described as a Caucasian man with a white beard, wearing a cowboy hat.

The incident, which took place at about 7.30pm on Saturday, May 25, has only just been publicised by police, and is one of the latest dog attacks to take place in Waltham Forest.

A Staff mauled a smaller dog in Salop Road, Walthamstow, on March 26, while a six-year-old girl half part of her ear ripped off by another Staff in Pole Hill, Chingford, in January 2012.

A total of 450 dog owners are campaigning against proposals by Waltham Forest Council to make more parks dog-free zones and to set up special dog exercise areas for them.

Anyone with any information regarding the latest attack can call Training Detective Constable Rob Wilmer on 0203 276 0930, or to remain anonymous, can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.