A man who died after being mauled to death by an XL Bully near his home is said to have stood “no chance” against the big dog.

Ian Langley, who weighed just eight stone, was attacked near his home in Sunderland on Tuesday afternoon and later died in hospital of fatal neck injuries.

He was walking his Patterdale puppy Beau in Shiney Row at the time of the attack, with his friends saying he would have “done anything” to protect her.

Officers from Northumbria Police shot the dog involved in the attack and took another, also believed to be an XL Bully, into custody.

The owner, aged 44, was originally arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm but was later re-arrested on suspicion of murder. He was released on bail on Thursday pending further inquiries.

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Michael Kennedy, his neighbour of 20 years, said he was a “very caring fella” and described him as a “lovable rogue”.

“He never did any harm, he was not a violent person, he wasn’t a hard man, he wasn’t the type to go looking for trouble,” he said. “He was really thin, he would have no chance against a big dog.”

Mr Kennedy added: “He was a really nice lad, he came from Liverpool, he was a lovable rogue you might say.

“He used to go to the church every Tuesday, where people go to help each other out. My mam goes and every time I saw him he would ask after her. He was a very caring fella.”

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Mr Langley’s friend Rachael Barron, 31, also paid tribute to him, saying: “He’s very slight of build and could not hurt a fly. He would have stood no chance against a dog as big as that, it makes me feel sick to think about it.”

She added that he would have “done anything” to protect his puppy Beau and added: “It’s absolutely devastating that this has happened to him, he is a lovely, kind man.”

A local dog owner said he frequently saw two XL Bully dogs being walked in the area and witnessed the aftermath of the attack.

He said: “I heard a girl screaming for the police, saying the man was dying. The man got put in the ambulance and they were working on him here for about 10 minutes before they set off.”

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Detective Chief Inspector Angela Hudson, of Northumbria Police, said: “First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the man’s family and loved ones.

“This is an absolutely tragic incident, and we will continue to offer them support in any way that we can. A full investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances of what has happened.

“I would like to reassure the wider community that there is no ongoing risk to them, and officers will remain in the area to offer reassurance and carry out enquiries.

“While our investigation is at an early stage, we do believe those involved were known to each other.”

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