QUESTIONS were being asked about how a bull mastiff was left free to maul a ten-year-old boy, despite having attacked a teenager days before, in May 2008.

Joshua Paylor suffered deep wounds to his body and head during the attack on Darlington's Red Hall Estate.

Following the attack in May, 2008, he was undergoing skin grafts at the University Hospital of North Durham.

Read more: When Darlington was shocked after discovery of 'human skull' in garden

He was only saved from more serious injury by the actions of lorry driver Les Petch, who managed to restrain the dog and sit on it until police arrived.

Mr Petch also needed hospital treatment after he was injured in the incident.

The previous Tuesday, a 16-year-old boy was savaged by the dog, but police were helpless to act because the victim did not wish to press charges.

Jacqui Theakston, of Aviemore Court, said: "I'm furious. I witnessed this dog savage a young lad and nobody did anything about it. If they had, that little boy wouldn't be in hospital now."

Mrs Theakston, who also saw the aftermath of the attack on Joshua, praised the bravery of the youngster.

She said: "He wasn't crying, he just kept saying, 'I'm all right, Mum'.

A parachutist has thanked divine intervention after he was left dangling 60ft from the ground in a church graveyard, on May 26, 2008.

Former soldier Adam Bell realised he was going to miss his landing site after he opened his chute during a jump from 10,000ft over Peterlee, east Durham.

With the wind at his back, he was blown past the airfield and towards the spire of St Saviour's Church, in Shotton Colliery.

Anticipating a painful landing on the church roof, he closed his eyes and braced himself.

Read next:

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo? Click here

But a last-minute change in wind direction swept him into the high branches of a tree in the churchyard, from where he was rescued by the fire brigade.

Adam, 21, said: "I could see the gravestones getting bigger and bigger and I thought, this is going to hurt.

"I have had a lucky escape.

"Someone must have been looking down on me."