Dog Attack: Two Women Released On Bail

Two women arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a 79-year-old man was fatally injured by a dog in Liverpool have been released on bail.

Clifford Clarke was outside his home in Clubmoor, north Liverpool, when the dog attacked on Saturday evening.

Merseyside Police found his body and were confronted by a dog that was described by officers as "out of control".

Armed police destroyed the animal outside the pensioner's home in Richard Kelly Close. The breed of the dog has not yet been established.

Two women, aged 27 and 28, were arrested on suspicion of an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act, 1991.

They were rearrested and questioned a day later on suspicion of manslaughter before being bailed.

It is understood that the dog belonged to the house next door to where Mr Clarke, who had celebrated his 79th birthday only last week, lived.

A post-mortem examination established that he had died from multiple injuries consistent with a dog attack.

Locals said there were three dogs in the neighbouring property, two of which were described as calm and the other more aggressive.

One resident, Susan Carson, told Sky News it was a "big dog" but she was unsure of the breed.

"People used to moan about it barking in the back," she added.

Ms Carson described Mr Clarke, whom she said she had known since 1986, as "a nice bubbly person", who "got on with everyone".

She said he had lived in the house all of his life and used to work as a hospital porter.

A single bouquet of flowers were laid against the wall at the front of Mr Clarke's house.

The note read: "Deepest sympathy to Cliff's family. Such a nice person, such a tragedy."

Police forensic examinations have been carried out at the scene of the attack, a small cul-de-sac over the road from a public park.

Mr Clarke's death comes after a 14-year-old girl died in March when she was attacked by a pack of dogs at a house in Greater Manchester.

Jade Anderson was savaged by up to five dogs at a house she was visiting in Chaucer Grove, Atherton near Wigan.

The animals were shot by police.

Ministers have since tried to tighten the laws regarding dangerous dogs but the measures have been criticised for not going far enough.

Last year, over 6,000 people were taken to hospital for treatment for dog bites.

The law under which the two women were originally detained relates 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 then injures a person.