A YOUNG girl needed emergency hospital surgery to save a finger after being bitten by her next door neighbour's dog.

Nine-year-old Michaela Ryan, from Stamford Road, Carrington, was in the operating theatre at the Duchess of York hospital in Levenshulme for three hours as surgeons desperately attempted to save her ring finger.

But with the help of tendon repair work and the insertion of a metal rod the team of doctors avoided having to amputate the youngsters finger.

Michaela was playing in her back garden with her younger sister and cousin around 6.45pm on Friday when their ball went over the fence into the neighbour's garden.

Mum Shelley told SAM: "Michaela had put her hands on the top of the fence to reach over and ask for the ball back when the German Shepherd dog next door bit her hand.

"She screamed out loud and we panicked because there was blood all over her clothes and it is no exaggeration to say that her finger was hanging off."

Stepdad Paul said: "We rushed to Trafford General Hospital but they couldn't treat Michaela, so we took her to the Duchess of York where they operated immediately to try and keep the finger.

"Thankfully the operation paid off and Michaela is now back at home after the nightmare experience."

Michaela is due to pay a few more visits to the hospital to have the rod removed and have physiotherapy but says she is disappointed that it wasn't her right hand!

She said: "I am right-handed and because it was only my left hand that was bitten, my school - Our Lady of Lourdes in Partington - are sending homework for me to do while I am off."

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