A man has been killed by his pet dog in his home at Cleator Moor.

Police were called at 2pm yesterday to a property on Robert Owen Avenue, after a report of a male being attacked by a dog. 

A 45-year-old man, who lived at the property, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The dog who attacked the man, a Staffordshire bull terrier-pitbull cross, was destroyed. 

A police spokeswoman said: "Three other dogs were seized from the property and will be assessed by a specialised police officer. 

"The death is being treated as non-suspicious and the coroner has been informed."

Eyewitnesses said the street was "full of people" for hours while paramedics and the air ambulance attended to the scene.

A spokeswoman for the North West Air Ambulance said a helicopter was called to the address along with two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle.

Nearby residents who did not want to be named said the victim was a nice, quiet man, who kept himself to himself and was well-known in the town.  

The Kennel Club has released a statement relating to the man's death.    

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club secretary, said: "While we do not know the circumstances regarding this terrible incident, our deepest sympathies go to the family of the victim at this tragic time.

"Dogs are part of the family but it is important to remember that they are animals and it is crucial to ensure that they are properly trained and socialised and kept mentally and physically stimulated."

She added that the problem of dangerous dogs is a social one and needs to be tackled through the enforcement of effective legislation that seeks to better educate the dog owning public to prevent incidents before they occur.

"Currently there is no bite register or central database in order to log information regarding bite incidents.

"It is our view that this could be achieved through establishing a central reporting system, provided there was a mandatory requirement for police, hospitals, behaviourists and veterinarians to input the data.

"This would help to ensure preventative measures are put in place."