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What we know after woman killed by her registered XL bully dogs at home

Armed officers were called to the house after the attack in Hornchurch, east London on Monday.

A woman in her 50s was killed in an XL Bully attack. (PA)
A woman in her 50s was killed in an XL Bully attack. (PA)

A woman has died after being attacked by her two XL Bullies at a house in London.

The attack is believed to be the first fatal attack by XL Bully dogs that were known to be registered under new laws after the breed was banned.

The woman, who was in her 50s, has been named locally in reports as Angeline Mahal.

She was mauled to death by the dogs at a home in Cornwall Close, Hornchurch, east London.

The attack took place just after 1pm on Monday and armed officers were called to the house.

The two registered XL Bullies were seized after being contained in a room of the house.

The Metropolitan Police said they were called at 1.12pm to reports of a woman being attacked by a dog.

Police outside of the home where a woman in her 50s was killed after being attacked by her two XL Bully dogs - forcing armed police with shields to storm house and seize pets yesterday (20/5), Hornchurch, May 21, 2024.  Release date – May 21, 2024.  A woman in her fifties has been mauled to death by her own XL Bully dog at a home in east London.  Firearms officers were scrambled to Cornwall Close, Hornchurch at 1.12pm on Monday.  The victim was treated by paramedics from London Ambulance Service but pronounced dead at the scene.
Two XL Bully dogs have been seized after a woman was killed in a dog attack in Hornchurch, east London. (SWNS)

The victim was treated by a medical team from the London Ambulance Service but police said she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The force said the dogs were registered and had been contained in a room in the house prior to the officers' arrival.

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The dogs did not leave the house at any time during the attack.

The Met said the victim's family are being supported by its officers.

A sign in the window by a door to the property reads: "Never mind the dog, beware of the kids."

The Sun reported that Ms Mahal's relatives, who described her as “loved by everyone”, had asked her to get rid of the animals before the tragedy.

A sign on the door of a house where a woman was killed by her two XL Bully dogs. (SWNS)
A sign on the door of a house where a woman was killed by her two XL Bully dogs. (SWNS)

Although the victim has been named locally in reports, she has not yet been formally identified.

It is not yet known how the alarm was raised about the attack, or how the two dogs were secured in a room in the house.

One woman who lives in the area said she heard barking during the attack.

She said she had also previously warned her child about going near the XL Bully dogs.

“I said ‘don’t ever touch those dogs. They’re dangerous.'

“I didn’t see anything but I heard a lot of barking and saw a lot of people outside.”

Another woman, who did not wish to be named, said: “I came out of the house and looked to see what had happened. We hadn’t heard anything but saw a helicopter overhead and loads of police.

A police cordon in Cornwall Close, Hornchurch, east London, where a dog owner has been mauled to death by her two registered XL Bullies. (PA)
A police cordon in Cornwall Close, Hornchurch, east London, where a dog owner has been mauled to death by her two registered XL Bullies. (PA)

“I stood by the road and saw a paramedic administering CPR. That poor woman. It’s shocking.”

Another man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I was sat in the garden when it happened. I didn’t hear anything but I saw a helicopter overhead.

“I looked out and saw two or three ambulances and eight or nine police cars. We asked police what had happened, they said there’d been ‘an unfortunate incident’.

“At around 4.15pm we were told to evacuate. We were out for around half an hour while police blocked off the road.”

From 1 February this year, it became a criminal offence to own the XL Bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.

Anyone who owns one of the dogs must have had the animal neutered, have it microchipped and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.

The government banned the breed after they were involved in a series of attacks.