Police have struck a new deal with Bradford dog wardens following an attack by a dangerous animal on two young children.

Eight-year-old Jonathon Bowles was bitten in the face and on the head and Jamie Glenn suffered lacerations to his face and ear in separate incidents in Luke Road, Little Horton.

The Staffordshire bull terrier cross was caught two days later by dog handlers called from kennels in Huddersfield after residents in Luke Road alerted police again.

But Jonathon's mum Joanne Bowles was unhappy about delays in dealing with the dog.

Police called in handlers from Huddersfield because the West Yorkshire force has a contract with them for dealing with dangerous dogs. By the time they arrived on the scene, the animal had disappeared.

Now police have agreed to use Bradford Council's dog warden service for future incidents in the Bradford area.

Councillor Steve Thomas (Lab, Keighley South), chairman of Bradford Council's housing and environmental protection committee, said: "I am pleased that the police agreed to review their procedure for handling incidents involving dangerous dogs.

"It is worrying that the police were using a contractor based outside the district to deal with dangerous dogs in Bradford because this can lead to potentially harmful delays."

Jonathon, a pupil at All Saints' First School, is recovering after being treated for cuts and given antibiotics.

Catering assistant Mrs Bowles, 32, of Horton Park Avenue, said: "I spent most of the weekend on the phone trying to get that dog caught. While it was still on the loose, other children could have been attacked."

West Yorkshire Police confirmed today that the kennels they had been using were cheaper than Bradford's dog warden service.

Coun Thomas said: "Dog warden manager Terry Singh spoke to the police after this weekend's incident because we were concerned about the delay and I am glad the police have now asked for a formal arrangement which will ensure our dog warden service is automatically involved when dangerous dogs are reported in the Bradford district.

"Public safety is paramount and the Council's dog warden service will ensure that incidents of this kind are dealt with as quickly as possible."

The dog involved in the Luke Road incidents is still at the kennels in Huddersfield and will be destroyed if it is not claimed within seven days.

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