THE family of a 75-year-old cyclist who was rushed to hospital in Newcastle after a terrifying dog attack are appealing for help to find the animal's owner.

Steve Lunt was knocked off his bike and bitten on his cheek, nose and arm by a dog which was tied up outside Morrisons in Whitehaven.

The cyclist, who had been volunteering in the town centre, was transferred from West Cumberland Hospital to a plastic surgeon at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

"It was very agitated, it was scared and frightened and apparently Alsatians can go into attack mode," said Steve, who lives at Padstow, near Keekle.

"I'd hoped to give it a wide berth, but it must have jumped back or stretched its lead and I got caught up.

"The lead was wrapped around my arm and I couldn't get away. I don't remember too much, the dog was making a racket before I got to it.

"It felt like I had toothache all over my face and I just bled. I bled for England, it was all over the floor in Morrisons."

His daughter Angela Lunt said: "It took around 14 hours to stem the bleeding, as the dog had bitten through an artery under the skin on his face, before my dad could be operated on."

Her dad, who told her it was "lucky it happened to him at 75 and not a small child", spent a few nights in hospital in the north east.

There is "a possibility of further work on his face in the future".

The incident occurred on Friday, June 29 at around 4.15pm.

Steve had just finished a voluntary shift at St Nicholas Church café.

He has yet to hear back from police and says no one knew who owned the dog. "The biggest thing in my life is my daughter now has to take me back and forward to the RVI, using a lot of fuel," he said.

Angela praised Morrisons for their help after the attack.

"Morrisons have been absolutely lovely. They closed the pharmacy department so my dad could wait for the emergency services in peace.

"They volunteered CCTV footage and Tannoyed for the dogs owner to come forward repeatedly, which were ignored.

"It seems when all the fuss had died down, the owner slipped off with the dog.

"I don't blame the owner for taking the dog away. I absolutely love my dogs, and would certainly be in shock if this was totally out of character.

"But I would also know that I should at least talk to the police.

"Please help the police if you're a witness."

Steve thanked the RVI for a "marvellous patching up job", adding: "I went back to Morrisons when I was out of hospital and said 'Can I come in? I promise I won't bleed on your floor."

Anyone with information is asked to email 101@cumbria.police.uk or call 101 and ask to speak to PC 2406 Huck, quoting incident number 234 of June 29.