Girl in hospital after being mauled by suspected XL Bully in Falmouth

A young girl has been hospitalised with serious injuries after being mauled by a suspected XL Bully dog in Cornwall.

The victim, 10, was rushed to Treliske Hospital in Truro after the dog attacked her in Lowenek Close in Falmouth, at around 7.10pm on Saturday.

Armed police attended the scene and seized the dog. The girl remained in hospital on Monday morning.

Devon and Cornwall Police said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

XL Bully dogs were banned by the government earlier this year following a surge in recent attacks by the animals, which are a close relation to the pit bull and have been cross-bred with other breeds such as English bulldogs, old English bulldogs and American bulldogs.

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

It follows restrictions which came into force at the end of last year meaning the dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.

Breeding, selling or abandoning the dogs also became illegal as of 31 December.

Earlier this month a man became the first person to be sentenced for illegally owning one of the dogs.

Patrick McKeown, 40, failed to apply for an exemption for his XL Bully, and also did not neuter the dog or obtain insurance.

It was reported that the dog was also seen loose in the back garden of a property in Worthing, West Sussex, police said.

McKeown warned officers his dog would attack anyone who approached it.

Officers executed a warrant at the address and the dog was seized.

The former builder admitted one count of possessing or having a fighting dog, contrary to the Dangerous Dogs Act, at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on 12 March.

The court imposed a one-year community order, requiring him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 surcharge.

The court imposed an order for the destruction of the dog, pending an appeal.