Two PSNI officers in hospital following dog attack in Belfast

Two police officers in Belfast have been hospitalised after being attacked by a dog while carrying out a search of a suspect.

The two male officers were on patrol at around 9:50pm on Tuesday when they stopped a man under the Misuse of Drugs Act on Botanic Avenue in the south of the city and began searching him.

They have reported that the man became aggressive and the situation deteriorated to the point that all three ended up on the ground.

At this point the officers were attacked by a dog that was with the man, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said. One of the officers was bitten on the face and the other on the arm.

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The dog was secured and the man was detained a short distance away and arrested on suspicion of assault, resisting police and possession of a class B controlled drug. He remained in custody on Wednesday afternoon.

Both officers were taken to hospital for treatment of their injuries, one of whom has sustained serious facial injuries.

"This was a nasty incident involving two of our officers who were simply doing their job," said chief inspector John Sayers. "When they started their shift yesterday they did not expect, or deserve, to end up in hospital for treatment of injuries. I wish both of our officers a speedy recovery."

The PSNI has asked anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them.