A police dog is "lucky to be alive" after being stabbed multiple times in the head while assisting officers to detain a suspect suffering mental health problems.

Kaiser the police dog was on patrol in Orpington with his handler, PC Mark Woolcott, when he was attacked with a large kitchen knife.

The incident happened on Sunday at around 11pm when they were called to reports of an intruder in the back garden of a house on Luxted Road.

The pair conducted a search and found a man down a track behind the house.

But while Kaiser tried to subdue the suspect, he was stabbed up to five times on the top of his head and once below his eye.

Despite the attack, the courageous canine was able to keep control of the man for long enough to allow officers to take hold of him.

He was then rushed to the vets where thankfully the blows to the top of his head were found to have struck bone, narrowly avoiding lasting injury, or worse.

Kaiser required stitches and was kept in overnight for observation but is expected to make a full recovery.

In the struggle that followed the attack on Kaiser, another officer suffered a broken wrist and is expected to be off work for up to a month.

The man responsible for the attack had left his house in Biggin Hill earlier the same evening, armed with a large kitchen knife.

He is also believed to have used a golf club to smash the window of a car before disappearing into fields nearby.

The 43-year-old suffers from severe mental health issues and his family had alerted police to his disappearance.

A search had been carried out but he could not immediately be found.

Following the attack on Kaiser, the man was detained under the Mental Health Act and is now receiving treatment at an appropriate facility.

Superintendent Emma Richards, from the Met's Taskforce, which includes the Dog Support Unit, said: “I want to pay tribute to Kaiser and PC Woolcott for the immense bravery they showed in tackling this armed man. Kaiser was stabbed multiple times in the head and is lucky to be alive.

“My thoughts are also with the officer who sustained a broken wrist. I wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on duty as soon as he is able."

She also pointed out the man responsible for the attack was suffering from a mental health crisis.

"He is getting the care he needs now and a decision will be taken in due course as to whether it would be appropriate for any criminal charges to follow," she added.

“Incidents where mental health is a significant factor can be unpredictable and sometimes dangerous. They make up an increasing proportion of the calls our officers respond to and present a unique set of challenges.

“The events of Sunday night are a reminder of the risks that our men, women and animals face on the frontline.

"We ask them to go towards danger and uncertainty on a daily basis in order to keep the public safe and I am proud that they do so with such commitment and bravery each and every time.”

Dave Wardell, trustee of the Thin Blue Paw Foundation and owner of retired police dog Finn, who was stabbed while on duty in October 2016, said: “We were horrified to hear about the shocking attack on PD Kaiser and his handler; it just goes to show how brave our police officers and police dogs really are.

"We wish Kaiser and his handler a speedy recovery and we’re pleased to hear that their attacker is now receiving the treatment he needs.

“We launched the Thin Blue Paw Foundation last year to support, celebrate and protect working and retired police dogs, just like Finn and Kaiser.

"They are four-legged heroes who, like their handlers, put their lives on the line every day to enforce our laws and protect the public, and they deserve our respect.”

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