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A councillor needed surgery after being bitten by a dog while out posting election leaflets.

Former Sheffield Lord Mayor Denise Fox was bitten on her index finger last week in the Westfield area of the city when she put her hand through a letterbox.

The Labour politician said it was a "really vicious attack, it nearly took my finger off".

Police have issued a warning to the dog's owner.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Ms Fox was leafleting with her 10-year-old grandson,

"If he had put his hand through, the dog could have had his hand off," she said. "Normally I wear gloves but it was a lovely day, so I didn't have any on."

She needed a tetanus booster and antibiotics, as well as several hospital appointments.

"I saw a plastic surgeon because they need to reconstruct my finger and I had an operation at the weekend to clean it out," she said.

"I have lost the feeling on the end of my finger and it's wrapped in bandages, but the hospital is encouraging me to move it to keep the blood flowing. It's kept me from campaigning and driving for a while."

The candidates standing for election to Sheffield City Council in the Birley ward are: Dennis Booker - UK Independence Party; James Ellwood - Liberal Democrats; Denise Fox - Labour Party; Thomas Oulton - Conservative Party; Alan Yearsley - Green Party.

The election takes place on Thursday 2 May.