ONE of the region's most senior plastic surgeons has warned of the dangers of animal bite injuries, describing a case he worked on in which a rat bit off part of a baby's eyelid.

Richard Milner is a consultant plastic surgeon at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, and president of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.

Mr Milner, who has been a consultant for more than 20 years, spoke to The Northern Echo after a survey, by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, revealed the North-East had some of the country's highest rates of hospital admissions as a result of dog bites.

He said: "Most dog bite injuries are relatively minor nips and small lacerations, which do not get as far as the plastic surgery ward and are usually dealt with by A&E.

"Animals' mouths are full of mixed bacteria and can cause quite severe infections.

"Facial injuries are the worst and children are most at risk - they are at the same level as dogs, are less of a physical threat to the animals and children do sometimes tease dogs, which can then bite back.

"I came across injuries caused by a rat, although it was not in this area, where the animal bit off part of a baby's eyelid.

"The family lived close to a river and the rat got in the house while the child was asleep."