A police dog attacked a man on his own doorstep, leaving him with a gaping wound in his leg.
Azmat Farooq, 37, was returning home from work in the early hours of the morning at the same time officers were hunting for a man who had been stealing alloys from the wheels of cars.
He had been dropped off at his house, on Stovell Avenue, Longsight, when one of the police dogs being used for the search set upon him.
Mr Farooq suffered a wound to his leg around four inches long and an inch deep.
He said: “At the time I thought I was going to die, it’s a very big wound.
“Although I was angry at the time I have appreciated the police efforts since.
“They have been asking how I am, checking up on me and an officer came to see me in hospital.”
His friend, Az Mahmood, had given his friend a lift to his house and was driving away when he heard the commotion on the street.
Mr Mahmood said: “When I saw all the commotion I turned round and went back to see what had happened.
“Azmat was on the floor and there was blood everywhere.
“It’s ridiculous that this has been allowed to happen, the dogs are supposed to be trained but they had no control over that dog.”
Mr Farooq spent four days in hospital after the attack.
The chef, who works at Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel, moved to the UK in December.
Mr Mahmood added: “He hasn’t been in the country that long and now he can’t work because of his injury,”
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “A GMP police dog and handler were involved in the search for the offender and at around 12.50am on Stovell Avenue, a man who was not related to the search but who was on the street at the time, was bitten by the police dog.
“The 37-year-old man was taken to hospital for treatment to a bite on his leg.
“Officers visited the man the next day to check on his welfare.
“GMP’s Professional Standards Branch is aware of this incident.
“The police dog has since lost its licence.”