A man in his 50s was running through the Bytheway Field off Leigh Road at around 3.40pm on Wednesday 15 March when he encountered a man walking a large German Shepherd dog. The runner asked the dog walker to control his dog and he responded by becoming aggressive and pushed the victim to the chest.

The dog owner is described as white, in his late 20s, around six feet tall and of medium build with a brown beard. He was wearing a navy blue raincoat, dark blue trousers and a baseball cap underneath the hood of his coat.

Police constable Amy Davis, of Dorset Police, said: “We are conducting enquiries into this incident and I would urge anyone who saw what happened, or who has any information that might assist our investigation, to please come forward.

“I would also urge the dog walker involved to do the right thing and please contact us so we can take your account.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk/contact or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55230041042. Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.