A father-of-two savaged by a Japanese Akita as he worked has told how he feared the dog would tear his arm off.

The horrific attack happened as self-employed joiner Jamie Farrell, 27, went to get tools out of his van parked at the back of a house in Pollard Lane, Undercliffe, Bradford.

Speaking from hospital, Mr Farrell said the Akita was being walked on a lead by a boy of about six when it broke free and lunged at him.

He has been left with gaping wounds exposing his right arm to the bone.

He said: “It happened in just seconds. I was walking down the path to the back gate when I saw it in the gap, it just jumped at me. The lad couldn’t hold it, it was too powerful for him.”

Mr Farrell, who lives with his wife Joanne, 25, and their daughter, three, and 11-month-old son at Mulberry Close, East Bierley, said he was filled with terror and his only thought was trying to save his arm.

Now he is waiting for follow-up surgery and skin grafts after undergoing an initial operation to clean the deep wounds he suffered in the attack last Thursday which might leave him scarred for life.

“I knew the Akita was doing me serious damage. It was going crazy and I was tugging at its collar to pull it off but then it went for my leg. When I got it off my leg it went back for my arm, I was bleeding badly,” he said.

Mr Farrell added: “Somehow the little lad must have managed to get the dog back and disappeared. I got myself back into the house and was given towels to try to stop the blood. It was scary.

“I like dogs, I grew up with them and I’ve had Labradors and Dobermans. A neighbour had Rotweillers and Akitas before and I’ve always got on with them.

“I didn’t do anything to provoke the dog that went for me, it happened so quickly. I feel sick about it. I’ve still got my arm but I can’t move it much. I’m waiting to see what the doctors say.

“My arm is my livelihood, I need it to do my job and look after my family.”

Yesterday Mr Farrell was still waiting for follow-up surgery at Bradford Royal Infirmary, after the operation was delayed on Sunday night.

He said: “I just want to get on the mend and get home.

“My daughter’s missing me, she knows that it was a nasty dog that did this.

“We’re waiting to hear from the police what’s happening with the dog. I’ve got nothing against Akitas but they have to be controlled. With the size of that dog and the size of the little lad who was out with it, he didn’t have a chance of stopping what it did to me.”

Sergeant Rick Newton, of the Bowling and Barkerend Neighbourhood Policing Team, said officers were called by paramedics to Pollard Lane to reports of a man being bitten by a dog at about 4.30pm on Thursday.

He said: “The man was taken to hospital with arm injuries, while officers made inquiries as to who owned the animal. Inquiries are now ongoing to establish whether any offences have occurred.”