Dog could have bled to death after vandals buried glass in Littlehampton park

But for the prompt actions of his owners, the nine-year-old white boxer could have bled to death, and had to have an emergency two-hour operation to stop the blood loss.

Cruel vandals dug broken bottles into the ground at Linden Park, East Ham Road, Littlehampton, with the jagged glass pointing upwards, a lethal hazard for anyone failing to see them.

Roger Pilling, who lives nearby, spotted the shards as he walked in the park with Roly, and stopped to pick up as many of them as he could, but right at that moment his dog stepped onto one of them.

"The result was that every artery to his foot was severed and he needed an emergency operation to stop the blood loss," said Mr Pilling, who described the broken glass as "barbaric weapons".

He added: "They were put there with the shards protruding through the glass, specifically to inflict injury to anyone who went near them."

Further surgery needed

Mr Pilling said the terrible injury to Roly highlighted continuing problems of anti-social behaviour in the park, and the need for Arun District Council to make more frequent inspections. These problems have included youth drinking and taking drugs, smashing bottles and then scattering the broken glass over the children's play area and the grass.

Roly now faces further surgery on his damaged foot and the total bill for his veterinary treatment could be approaching 1,000, Mr Pilling and his wife Tina have been told.

Mrs Pilling told the Gazette: "We just want people to be aware of what has happened. A lot of children visit the park, and people walk their dogs there, so to leave the glass like that was a terrible thing to do."

A spokeswoman for Arun District Council said: "We are very sorry to hear that Mr Pilling's dog sustained an injury while walking in one of Littlehampton's parks and we would like to send our best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

"The council takes its responsibility to provide safe public spaces very seriously and we are investigating this incident to establish the facts of what happened."

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