POSTMEN are used to seeing ‘Beware of the dog’ signs, but one Newport pet also dislikes politicians.

Liberal Democrat Paul Halliday had to abandon the campaign trail to be treated in A&E earlier today after a “large” dog mauled his hand as he posted a leaflet.

The Newport East candidate for Thursday’s General Election was making his way down Trostrey Street just off Caerleon Road near Maindee when he met with the hostile reception.

He tried to push some Lib Dem literature through a letterbox but said: “Unbeknown to me there was a dog on the other side which decided to chomp down.

“It was large and didn’t make a sound until it grabbed my finger and started to do a deep growl. I wasn’t sure I was going to get my hand out.”

Speaking to the Argus while waiting at the Royal Gwent Hospital, he said: “It’s quite painful. I’m hoping I won’t be here too long because I want to get back out delivering and campaigning.”

He later said doctors gave him antibiotics and a tetanus shot and wrapped his finger in bandages, unwilling to give him stitches for risk of trapping an infection.

Mr Halliday moved to Newport in 2005 to work as a minister in the Church of Christ in Riverside after studying theology in the US.

The 32-year-old left the church after five years and became a voluntary minister with The Forgiven Family, a tiny church of around 15 members based in Skinner Street that he helped found.

He said the dog injury would not stop him attending a hustings later on that day at the student union bar at the University of South Wales’ Caerleon Campus.

“It was bleeding a lot,’ he said. “It was not fun, I have to say. It sounds silly but at first I worried I wouldn’t get my finger back. I was scared at the time.”

He said he ripped his hand backwards after feeling teeth, and the brute force was strong enough to tear off a chunk of skin.

The identity of the animal remains a mystery, however.

Mr Halliday said: “I have no idea what kind of dog it was and I didn’t speak to the owner. My priority was getting back to someone’s house.”