THE ambulance service has issued an update after a young child has been taken to hospital with “serious” facial injuries after a reported dog attack.

At around 12.30pm, today, July 24, the East of Ambulance Service were called to Grigson Drive in Clacton after reports of a child been bitten by a dog at an address.

The ambulance service immediately notified Essex Police to also attend the incident.

Police officers arrived first on scene and given the nature of the child's injuries, advised ambulance control that they would be transporting the child to hospital.

No ambulance crews were in attendance at the incident as the ambulance was stood down en route.

Police officers who were on the scene, after reports of a dog behaving dangerously out of control, found a young child who had sustained a facial injury and a dog

The dog was secured away from the child.

The child was taken to hospital for a serious injury which the police say is being treated as “life-changing”.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service has commented on the incident.

They said: “We were called just after 12.30pm this afternoon with reports that a child had been bitten by a dog at an address on Grigson Drive in Clacton.

“Essex Police were called to assist.

“Police officers arrived first on scene and given the nature of the child's injuries, advised ambulance control that they would be transporting the child to hospital.

“Advice was given to the police officers to request further support if the child's condition worsened.

“An ambulance was stood down en route to the scene.”