10 September 2012 Last updated at 13:00 ET

'Pitbull' mauls girl, two, in Paisley's Brodie Park

The two-year-old girl was taken to hospital after the attack in Brodie Park

Police are searching for the owner of a "pitbull-type dog" which mauled a two year old girl and her mother.

The child was playing in Brodie Park, Paisley, when the animal attacked her at about 18:00 on Saturday.

The dog grabbed the child's ankle and dragged her to the ground. It bit her mother's hand when she tried to drag it off. The child is being treated in hospital for ankle and foot injuries.

A man in his 30s grabbed the dog and ran off after the attack.

The dog is described as being a "pitbull-type" and the man who took the dog, is described as white, in his 30s, with a slim build, about 6ft tall with short, dark, curly hair.

'Frightening experience'

Following the attack, the two-year-old girl was taken to Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital and later transferred to Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow.

Insp Alison Kennedy, of Strathclyde Police, said: "This was no doubt an extremely frightening experience for a mother and her child and it's imperative we trace the dog and its owner.

"I would like to appeal to people who may have been in the park at the time of the incident to get in touch with us.

"I am also appealing to people who use this park to walk their dogs - it's possible they may know the man and the dog we are referring to. I would urge them to contact us."