I suffered horror injuries after being attacked by a dog at a popular tourist beach – the owner’s reaction was shocking
A MAN who suffered horror injuries after a dog attacked him on a popular tourist beach has slammed the owner’s shocking reaction.
Perran Nicholls, from Camborne in Cornwall, was left needing hospital treatment after the harrowing attack on Loe Bar Beach on April 7.
The musician was making his way down to the beach when he stopped to let a man pass with his dogs – but instantly knew something wasn’t quite right.
He said: “I knew something was up as he greeted me from a distance shouting ‘They are only puppies‘.
“I was like ‘no worries’, not knowing what was about to happen.”
But within seconds one of the dogs sunk its teeth into Perran’s side – leaving him “in shock”.
Perran said: “I waited as they passed with the two dogs aggressively barking at me, and then all of a sudden, one got too close and started to jump on me.
“It latched onto my side and then I felt the dog’s sharp teeth penetrating through my T-shirt into my skin.
“The owner wrestled the dog off of me, he was just as shell-shocked as me.
“He asked me if I was OK and was genuinely concerned. I was very much in shock at this point.
“I just wanted to get out of the situation as fast as possible, so played it down to get them to move on – as the dog was still very much angry.”
Perran was just about to film a music video with his band The Ultra Violets – and had continue as though nothing had happened while in agony from the dog attack, with his suit ripped open.
At first, he decided to let the wound heal by itself, but a day later decided to go to the hospital, where he was given a tetanus shot.
He was also left with quite a mighty bruise and a scar.
Perran said: “My initial reaction was just ‘Mind the suit I’m wearing, man.”
“The attack probably lasted seconds but it felt like forever.
“I was very much in shock at this point and just wanted to get down the hill onto the beach to start the video shoot as fast as I could.
“I hid it well in the video though, you would never have known! I deserve an Oscar, to be honest.”
The incident took place on 7 April, but Perran says the pain remained for a month.
He added: “The physical pain has gone now, but there’s a scar and I’m always wary of dogs that approach me.
“Especially if I’m wearing a suit.”
Devon and Cornwall Police have been contacted for comment.
It comes after a man whose friend’s five bullmastiffs tore off both his ears in a terrifying attack said he has only himself to blame.
A vet has issued an urgent warning over the rising number of dog attacks – revealing their top tips to keep your pet safe.