THREE people were bitten by a dog who had slipped out its lead on the Torpoint Ferry yesterday afternoon (Wednesday, September 9).

The incident took place at around 1.45pm on onboard the Tamar Crossings ferry Lynher II.

Travelling in the rear of a vehicle, the dog, which had been secured, slipped its lead when the vehicle's boot was opened.

The dog then bit a ferry crew member, who was carrying out cleaning duties in the vessel vestibule. The dog's two owners also sustained bite injuries while attempting to secure the animal back inside their vehicle.

The ferry was delayed while all three individuals were assessed by paramedics. None of their injuries were considered life-threatening.

A statement from Kellyann Bastos, ferry manager at Tamar Crossings, read: “An incident involving a dog travelling in the rear of a vehicle occurred onboard Tamar Crossings ferry Lynher II.

“Crew and management were immediately alerted, and medical assistance was requested. All three injured individuals were assessed by paramedics and, thankfully, none of the injuries are considered life-threatening.

“Passengers onboard at the time were kept informed of the reason for the short delay. Once the vessel had arrived at Devonport, the vehicle, dog and injured parties were escorted from the ferry, allowing the service to resume.

“I would like to thank our crews for their calm and professional response to what was a sudden and challenging situation. I am also particularly grateful to the paramedics who were able to provide immediate assistance onboard. I would also like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding while the incident was being dealt with.

“Our priority remains the welfare of everyone involved. We wish the two members of the public a swift recovery and are continuing to support our crew member following what was understandably a very distressing incident.

“Tamar Crossings will review the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify any appropriate operational learning arising from it."