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A man has been taken to hospital after being bitten by a dog, believed to be an XL bully.

The man, who is in his 40s, was attacked in Pasley Park in Southwark, southeast London, on Friday.

He was taken to hospital with injuries to his arm. The owner of the dog, believed to be a grey-coloured XL bully, left the scene before police arrived.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he will ban XL bully dogs
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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced plans to ban XL bully dogs. File photo

There have been no arrests and police inquiries are ongoing.

Met Police officers were called to the scene by the London Ambulance Service, the force said in a statement.

Rishi Sunak has said he will ban the animals under the Dangerous Dogs Act and new laws will be “in place by the end of the year”, following a spate of attacks involving the breed.

Recent dog attacks

Ian Price, 52. Pic: Staffordshire Police
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Ian Price, 52, was attacked by two dogs. Pic: Staffordshire Police

The prime minister’s announcement came after the death of Ian Price, 52, who was mauled by two dogs in Staffordshire earlier in September, in what police said was a suspected XL bully attack.

A few days before his death, shocking footage emerged of an attack in Birmingham that left an 11-year-old girl with serious injuries.

And South Yorkshire Police reported four separate dog attacks on children in two days, including one in which a 15-year-old was taken to hospital after being savaged by an XL bully in Sheffield.

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XL bully owner defends breed but calls for tougher laws

The four breeds currently banned in the UK

The XL bully, which is developed from the American pit bull terrier, is not recognised as a specific breed by the Kennel Club – and there are concerns an attempt to prohibit the animal may not be practical due because of this, as it could mean a ban may inadvertently outlaw other kinds of dogs.

Campaigners are calling for an overhaul of the existing legislation, so it focuses “not on the breed but the deed”.

It is against the law to own, breed or sell dogs on the list of prohibited breeds, drawn up by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

There are currently four banned breeds of dog in the UK: the pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro.

It is also against the law to have a dog that is dangerously out of control, an offence which can be punished by prison sentences and unlimited fines.

‘Backyard breeders need to be targeted’

Jack Lis
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Jack Lis died in 2021

Emma Whitfield, whose 10-year-old son Jack Lis was killed by an American XL bully dog in Caerphilly, South Wales, in 2021, has called on the government to go further than just banning the breed, saying backstreet breeders and irresponsible dog owners need to be targeted.

“Banning the dog at the moment will help and putting restrictions on them will prevent these types of attacks,” she said. “But, in the long term, if backyard breeders still exist, they are going to create a new breed and we could find ourselves in a few years in the same place.”

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Mosquito bite warning after rise in chikungunya cases in travellers returning to UK

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Mosquito bite warning after rise in chikungunya cases in travellers returning to UK

Travellers are being warned about mosquito bites on holiday after a rise in chikungunya infections in people returning to the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also said the first cases of the emerging oropouche virus had been recorded.

Chikungunya typically causes sudden fever and joint pain, which can be debilitating, and lasts from a few days to weeks.

The name comes from a word in a Tanzanian language meaning “that which bends up”, owing to the joint pain associated with it.

Most people recover but in some cases the symptoms can last several months or even years.

It’s spread by mosquito bites in tropical and subtropical regions, and most of the 73 cases reported in the UK so far this year were in London and linked to travel to Sri Lanka, India, and Mauritius.

Only 27 cases were reported in the same January to June period last year.

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Chikungunya can’t spread directly from person to person – so if someone becomes ill in the UK, they can’t pass the infection on, and the mosquitos responsible aren’t present here.

Dr Philip Veal, consultant in public health at the UKHSA, said it can be a “nasty disease” and the increase in cases was “worrying”.

“It is essential to take precautions against mosquito bites when travelling,” he said.

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“Simple steps, such as using insect repellent, covering up your skin and sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets can greatly reduce the risk.”

Chikungunya is mainly found in Asia and Africa, but cases have been reported in Europe and North America this year.

Two vaccines to guard against the infection are available in the UK from private travel clinics.

The first cases of the Oropouche virus have also been confirmed in Britain, according to the UKHSA.

It’s spread by midge and mosquito bites and the three cases are all linked to travel to Brazil.

Oropouche was first identified in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1950s and had been mainly confined to the Amazon area.

However, cases have been increasing since 2023 and have shown up in places such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Peru.

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Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting.

Anyone who gets such symptoms after being in Central and South America or the Caribbean is advised to get urgent medical advice.

Most people recover on their own, but it can cause severe disease in the very elderly or those with a weak immune system.

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Man staying at hotel that has been focus of protests denies sexual assault charge

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Man staying at hotel that has been focus of protests denies sexual assault charge

A man staying at a hotel that has been the focus of a series of protests has denied a charge of sexual assault and faces a trial next month.

Mohammed Sharwarq, a 32-year-old Syrian national, was arrested after police were called to the Bell Hotel on the Epping High Road in Essex yesterday, police said.

Sharwarq, who is alleged to have kissed a man on the neck, indicated a plea of not guilty to a charge of sexual assault at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court today.

He indicated guilty pleas to six further charges concerning four complainants – with two counts of common assault and four of assault by beating.

Sharwarq is alleged to have punched a man in the face, thrown an object at a man, slapped a third man in the face and attempted to punch a fourth.

Sky News understands the alleged offences took place inside the hotel between 25 July and 12 August.

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District judge Lynette Woodrow remanded Sharwarq, who was assisted in court by an Arabic interpreter, in custody until his trial on 30 September.

The arrest followed weeks of protests outside the hotel.

Neil Hudson, the Conservative MP for Epping Forest, said last month that the protests were a crisis that “risks boiling over”.

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UEFA Super Cup: Spurs let slip 2-0 lead to lose to PSG on penalties

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UEFA Super Cup: Spurs let slip 2-0 lead to lose to PSG on penalties

Tottenham let slip a two-goal lead before losing a penalty shootout to Paris St Germain (PSG) in the final of the UEFA Super Cup.

Spurs defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero scored from set pieces to put the north London side on their way to winning the trophy, in what was manager Thomas Frank’s first game in charge.

However, Champions League winners PSG, who were thrashed in the Club World Cup final by Chelsea last month, produced a stunning response after Kang-in Lee pulled one back with five minutes left.

Tottenham's Cristian Romero scores his side's second goal. Pic: AP
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Tottenham’s Cristian Romero scores his side’s second goal. Pic: AP

PSG striker Goncalo Ramos, who was brought on in the 77th minute, forced the game to penalties after scoring a header in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

The Super Cup final, played each year between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League, does not feature extra time – meaning the game went straight to spot kicks.

Tottenham players react during the penalty shootout. Pic: AP
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Tottenham players react during the penalty shootout. Pic: AP

Europa League winners Tottenham initially had the advantage when Vitinha missed PSG’s first kick – but it was followed by Van de Ven and Mathys Tel failing to score their penalties.

PSG, managed by Luis Enrqiue, went on to win 4-3.

PSG's players celebrate after winning the final. Pic: AP
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PSG’s players celebrate after winning the final. Pic: AP

The PSG players poured on to the pitch in celebration, knowing they had etched their names into history as the first French side to lift the trophy.

“It’s incredible to win like this. This team once again showed character, even if we’re not at our physical best,” PSG defender Marquinhos said.

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PSG's Marquinhos lifts the trophy. Pic: AP
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PSG’s Marquinhos lifts the trophy. Pic: AP

“We managed to get the goals we needed through the substitutions, and in the shootout we have players who take their penalties well and a goalkeeper who helped us.”

Tottenham, who finished 17th in the Premier League last season, were unable to win what would have been their second trophy in 17 years – with the first one coming when they beat Manchester United in Europe’s second-tier competition in May.

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