First Hornchurch photo from fatal XL Bully attack scene as police seize two dogs

The first photo from the fatal XL Bully attack scene in Hornchurch has been released after a woman was mauled to death by her two dogs yesterday (Monday, May 20). Armed police and LAS attended the scene in the area of Havering at about 1.10pm but were unable to save the woman in her 50s.

She was pronounced dead at the scene inside a house in Cornwall Close in Hornchurch. The two dogs were seized by police.

XL Bullies have been outlawed in the UK after a string of violent attacks in recent years. Those over a certain size must be registered with an exemption certificate from the ban and follow strict rules in public places like being muzzled and kept on a lead.

READ MORE: Woman mauled to death by her own XL Bullies as armed police seize dogs

These two dogs were registered in line with the recent ban that came into force in February this year the police confirmed. The ban also outlaws breeding, selling, giving away or allowing an XL Bully to stray and means they must be microchipped and neutered or spayed.

Residents on nearby Essex Gardens were seen bringing cups of tea and coffee to officers who had been on the cordon for seven hours. One, who did not wish to be named, told the Mirror: "The dogs weren’t killed, they’ve taken them away. There’s been vans back and forth non-stop since lunchtime and we saw the helicopter come over and you assume the worst. Campion [a nearby school and sixth form college] isn’t far from here so you panic it’s kids or something. You never think a dog’s going to do that. It’s awful."

The woman's family is being supported by officers. A Met Police spokesperson said: "A woman in her 50s has died after an incident inside a house in Hornchurch.

"Police were called to Cornwall Close around 1.12pm on Monday, May 20, to reports of a woman attacked by a dog. The woman was treated by medics from London Ambulance Service, but sadly she was pronounced dead at the scene. Due to the threat posed, armed officers attended. After assessing the situation, officers were able to safely seize two dogs.

"These were registered XL Bully dogs and prior to officers' arrival had been contained inside a room in the house. They did not leave the house at any time during the incident. The family of the woman, who was the owner of the dogs, are being supported by officers."

There have been several recent attacks by XL Bullies in London recently. Some of them ended in death. In February, grandmother Esther Martin, 68, died of "unsurvivable" dog bite wounds after being savaged to death by XL bullies.

And in March, a video went viral of a group trying to stop an XL Bully attack in Battersea, south London. Armed police attended, shooting and killing the 'dangerously out of control' XL Bully as 4 people were rushed to hospital.

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