A child is being treated for serious injuries in hospital after a dog attack in County Wexford yesterday.

The young boy was playing with friends in Enniscorthy when he was viciously attacked by a pitbull.

Gardaí and emergency services were called to the scene and the dog was later put down.

The nine-year-old boy was airlifted to Crumlin Children’s Hospital where he underwent surgery last night.

"Absolutely traumatised"

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Irish Independent Public Affairs Correspondent Amy Molloy said the boy’s friends are “absolutely traumatised” by what happened.

“It is understood that a young boy, believed to be around nine-years-of-age, was playing with a group of friends in an estate in Enniscorthy when this dog, which appeared to be loose, attacked him,” she said.

“I spoke to some locals in the area who said it was quite vicious and quite awful. I understand a number of the neighbours tried to pull the dog off the young boy.”

Restricted

Ms Molloy said the dog was owned by neighbours in the area who had only got him in recent weeks.

The Pitbull is one of 11 breeds on Ireland’s restricted dog list – and should be kept muzzled and held on a lead by someone over 16-years-old when in public.

“I spoke to neighbours and parents of children who were playing with the young boy at the time,” said Ms Molloy.

“They said the children are absolutely traumatised by what they saw.”

Gardaí said their enquiries into the matter are continuing.