A 37-YEAR-OLD man has died due to injuries inflicted by a dog that was "dangerously out of control" in Leigh.

Police were called to a concern for the welfare of a man on Westleigh Lane on Thursday, May 18, at around 9.10pm.

Upon arrival, officers found a 37-year-old man with serious injuries believed to be caused by a dog and was rushed to hospital.

Dog 'destroyed' due to threat to the public

With the dog believed to be "dangerously out of control", armed officers were deployed to attempt to control the animal as they reviewed and actioned "every available tactic" to subdue the dog and bring it to safety.

However, due to the significant risk the dog posed to the members of the public, the dog was "humanely destroyed".

Arrest made after man dies from his injuries

After being treated for his injuries in hospital and despite the best efforts of emergency services, the 37-year-old man sadly died in hospital in the early hours of this morning.

A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog causing injury resulting in death. He remains in custody for further questioning.

Police determined to ensure distressing incident does not happen again

Detective Superintendent Simon Hurst of GMP’s Wigan district said: “Firstly, I would like to extend my condolences to the loved ones of the victim of this attack. Our officers and our partners are currently supporting the victim’s loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.

“We recognise this incident will rightly cause concern within the local area and we would like to reassure the public that we explored every possible avenue to protect the local community and the animal involved.

“We would urge members of the public to please come forward if they have any information in regard to this incident, any information you may have may be a huge help to our investigation.

“This is a distressing incident which has resulted in the sad passing of a man and we are determined to ensure this does not happen again in our community."

Any information about this incident can be reported to the police on 101 quoting log 3769 of 18/05/2023, or using the ‘report’ tool here. Alternatively, you can report information to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.