Man loses part of hand after saving mum and newborn baby in brutal dog attack (2025)

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES. William Newbury, 22, lost two fingers after stepping in to save a woman and her new born baby from three dogs attacking them in Cardiff, Wales

A young man who stepped in to save a new mum and her young baby from being mauled by dogs lost part of his hand in the attack. William Newbury, 22, was dropping presents to the woman’s home on Mother's Day when he heard screams coming from inside and so peered in the letter box and saw the pair being attacked by dogs.

He tried the front door but found it was locked so checked and spotted a downstairs window had been left open and climbed in. Once inside the house in Llanrumney, Cardiff, he helped the mum escape out the same window with her new born baby, while the dogs continued to bite at his legs, face and hands.

William was rushed to hospital but lost two fingers in the attack. He said: “I've already had one counselling session to get over this, I've had nightmares. I can replay the whole situation in my head, it's horrible.

“I refuse to be scared of dogs, but if a dog comes up to me now I step out of its way.

“ I went up to the letterbox and looked through and saw the mum and the baby being attacked by three dogs. The door must have been locked or broken as I couldn't get in, but I tried banging on the door and shouting through the letterbox to try and distract the dog.

“Luckily there was a downstairs window that was open and I didn't even think about it, I went straight in.

"They were all targeting me, nothing I did was stopping them, I was hitting one of the dogs trying to get it to stop, but it didn't work.

"They got me on my leg, hands, arm, side of my face, my stomach, my lower back, basically head to toe."

The three dogs, all Staffordshire bull terriers, were put to sleep as a result of the incident. The mum hailed Willa "hero" and began a fundraiser to help his recovery. She added: “I'm struggling with day-to-day tasks, as I can't walk and I'm awaiting my fourth surgery.

“William is mine and my baby's true hero, I can't thank him enough. I thought I was going to die."

Theresa French-Drew, the woman’s stepmother, said: “Will is a hero, there is no other word for what he did.

"Without him it would have been a whole different story. I'm not being dramatic, that is how it is. We are so grateful to Will and will be indebted to him forever.”

outh Wales Police is investigating the incident and no arrests have yet been made. A spokesman said: “ South Wales Police was called on Sunday, March 30 to Paracombe Crescent in Llanrumney to reports of three dogs having attacked a man, a woman, and a child.

"All three suffered injuries that required treatment but were not life threatening. Three Staffordshire bull terriers were put to sleep because of the incident. No arrests were made but investigations continue."