Manchester Police arrest three as girl, four, is rushed to hospital after ... trends now

Police have arrested three people after a four-year-old girl was mauled by a pack of dogs. 

The tot was rushed to hospital on Sunday evening after a being attacked in Greater Manchester where she remains in a stable condition.

Police arrested three people on suspicion of owning a dangerous dog.

They also seizing four canines, which were taken away by specialists.

The attack took place just before 2.40pm on Sunday at an address in Carrington.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said on Sunday: 'Shortly before 2.40pm today police were called to a report of a child who had suffered injuries caused by dogs at an address on Ackers Lane, Carrington.

'The girl was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition.

'Four dogs were seized by officers and have been taken away by specialist partners.

'Three people have been arrested on suspicion of owning a dangerous dog.'

The number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales been on the rise over the past five years.

Last year alone, the UK saw nearly 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury, compared to the around 16,000 cases recorded in 2018, BBC reported. 

Despite the 37 per cent rise in recorded cases, the dog population in the UK is estimated to have only increased by 15 per cent.

NHS data released last year revealed the number of Britons being mauled by dogs has grown dramatically since 2008 - a rate of 15 cases for every 100,000 of the UK population. 

In all, those requiring hospital treatment following a dog attack has more than doubled in the last 15 years - with over 10,000 people now requiring specialist medical care each year.

Ten people were tragically killed as a result of dog attacks in 2022, compared to five deaths in 2021 and two in 2020. 

As a region, the north west of England has seen the highest total of fatal dog attacks in recent years, with four deaths since March 2020, MailOnline revealed earlier this year.

Next closest with three deaths were the Midlands and Wales, while South Yorkshire saw two fatalities within the same period. 

Sunday's attack comes just two months after a dogwalker was mauled to death by the eight animals she was walking.

Natasha Johnston, 28, died after a frenzied attack by the canines at the Gravelly Hill beauty spot in Caterham, Surrey, on January 12. She suffered 'multiple penetrating dog bites to the neck'.

Eight dogs were seized at the scene although police confirmed that there would be no individual prosecutions. 

The local council claimed that Ms Johnston had not been licensed and had not been following guidelines on the safe number of dogs to walk at one time.