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| Tests on pit bull after attack | Tests on pit bull after attack |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Tests on a dog which killed a girl of five on Merseyside are expected to show if the animal was a breed subject to the Dangerous Dogs Act. | Tests on a dog which killed a girl of five on Merseyside are expected to show if the animal was a breed subject to the Dangerous Dogs Act. |
| The girl, Ellie Lawrenson, was found bleeding to death in the living room of a relative's house in St Helens. | |
| Her grandmother was badly injured in Monday's attack by the pit bull terrier, which was later destroyed. | |
| Under the 1991 act, owners of pure-bred pit bull terriers can be prosecuted for attacks by their animals. | |
| It has emerged that the dog's owner, Ellie's uncle, was warned last June about the animal's behaviour. | It has emerged that the dog's owner, Ellie's uncle, was warned last June about the animal's behaviour. |
| It followed an incident in May in which the animal was said to have attacked another dog. | It followed an incident in May in which the animal was said to have attacked another dog. |
| When a child loses her life in such circumstances, it has an effect on the whole community Supt Jon Ward | When a child loses her life in such circumstances, it has an effect on the whole community Supt Jon Ward |
| Police found the child in the living room of the property in Knowles House Avenue, Eccleston, shortly before 0430 GMT on Monday. | Police found the child in the living room of the property in Knowles House Avenue, Eccleston, shortly before 0430 GMT on Monday. |
| Ellie's grandmother, Jackie Simpson, had managed to lock the dog outside but suffered injuries to tendons in her arm, and wounds to her thumb and elbow. | Ellie's grandmother, Jackie Simpson, had managed to lock the dog outside but suffered injuries to tendons in her arm, and wounds to her thumb and elbow. |
| She was taken to Whiston Hospital and underwent emergency surgery but is now said to be in a stable condition. | She was taken to Whiston Hospital and underwent emergency surgery but is now said to be in a stable condition. |
| Dog handlers called to the house destroyed the animal. | Dog handlers called to the house destroyed the animal. |
| The dog was destroyed following the attack | The dog was destroyed following the attack |
| Supt Jon Ward said: "They made a decision as to whether it was safe to control the dog and seize and safely remove it. | Supt Jon Ward said: "They made a decision as to whether it was safe to control the dog and seize and safely remove it. |
| "The assessment was that that couldn't be done safely so the dog was humanely destroyed at the scene around 5.40am." | "The assessment was that that couldn't be done safely so the dog was humanely destroyed at the scene around 5.40am." |
| Police said Ellie had been staying with her grandmother after her parents had been out to celebrate New Year's Eve. | Police said Ellie had been staying with her grandmother after her parents had been out to celebrate New Year's Eve. |
| One resident, Dorothy Watkinson who lives near the family home, told BBC News that Ellie was used to dealing with the dog. | One resident, Dorothy Watkinson who lives near the family home, told BBC News that Ellie was used to dealing with the dog. |
| "I've seen her at the gateway with it, stroking it. It never turned on her like that." | "I've seen her at the gateway with it, stroking it. It never turned on her like that." |
| Supt Ward added: "This is such a tragic incident. When a child loses her life in such circumstances, it has an effect on the whole community." | Supt Ward added: "This is such a tragic incident. When a child loses her life in such circumstances, it has an effect on the whole community." |