A five-year-old boy who was mauled by a dog brought to his school as an end-of-term treat has left hospital.
Jamie Stevenson had to have emergency surgery after he was bitten on the face by the Alaskan Malamute dog at his school on Friday.
Jamie needed 60 stitches for his horrific injuries after the dog lunged at him in the school playground.
The animal had been taken in to Carniny Primary School in Ballymena by a teacher for the children to pet.
The Belfast Telegraph reports that the dog was under the supervision of four adults in an enclosed playground where the children we lined up to stroke it one by one.
Raymond Ross, the school's headmaster, said the animal was jumping and playing around when it suddenly turned on Jamie and 'caught him in the face'.
"Everyone at the school is very upset about this," he said.
The dog was subsequently destroyed, and the North Eastern Education and Library Board, the police and Health and Safety Executive are all investigating the incident .
Jamie's parents Darwin and Valerie said it was 'just one of those things' and that they do not blame the teacher for the incident.