Elderly man attacked by dog owner

A 71-year-old man has a broken leg after being attacked by the owner of an aggressive dog north of Brisbane.

Police say the elderly man had been fishing at the beach at Clontarf on Saturday afternoon when an unleashed dog came up to him and started acting aggressively.

He prodded the dog with a fork to get it to go away, drawing the ire of its owner who punched him in the face.

The elderly man lost a tooth after he was knocked to the ground and broke his leg.

He was taken to Redcliffe Hospital for treatment and police have appealed for help to track down his attacker.

Anyone who can help identify the man should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.