POLITICIAN Terry Hale (Con, Newland & St Briavels) really did get his fingers bitten delivering election leaflets.

The Tory councillor was rushed to hospital after being badly bitten by a dog as he pushed the leaflet through a letterbox in Lydney.

Doctors at Frenchay Hospital later had to repair nerve endings on his fingers after the collie- cross took a chunk out of them.

Coun Hale (Con, Newland & St Briavels) was helping deliver leaflets from MP Mark Harper.

The councillor, who recently suffered a heart attack, was taken to Lydney hospital but transferred to Gloucester and then Frenchay.

"When it started pulling I thought I was going to be dragged through the letterbox," said Coun Hale.

"The dog took a big lump out of my finger, it was right down to the bone."

Wardens will now visit the dog owner who was out at the time of the incident.