XL Bully attack – latest: Woman killed by two dogs in Hornchurch pictured as neighbours feared for children

While some based nearby have reported hearing barking during the incident, others heard nothing.

One man working on a house a few doors away from the victim’s told The Sun the first he knew about it was armed officers turning up.

He said: “The armed response officers were here immediately. We thought it was a stabbing or a shooting or something.

“We saw someone get pulled out of the house on a bed getting CPR. I couldn’t see her because there was too many people around her.

“It was strange, because there were no noises... That’s the weird bit about it.”

Councillor David Godwin, of the Havering Residents Association, told The Independent he was keen to allow the police to do their work during the live investigation.

But he added: “We are saddened this had happened in our community, it’s knocked us all for six.

“We fell very sorry for the family. It’s something you never think will happen in your area.”

Another neighbour told The Evening Standard: “Two of her boys returned home and she had been attacked.

“It was too late for her… imagine coming home to that. It’s a tragedy, they were too late.

“She was a really nice lady and it’s tragic. I called her Ange - she was a gentle person who was quiet and humble. We are all reeling from this. It’s just so sad.”

• Angeline Mahal, believed to be in her fifties, was attacked by her two dogs at the semi-detached home in Cornwall Close in Hornchurch just after 1pm on Monday.
• Her two sons found her in the floor of her hallway before they alerted emergency services and attempted CPR, it is feared she may have been dead for hours.
• The Metropolitan Police confirmed Mahal had been pronounced dead at the scene.
• Officers later seized the two dogs without harming them.

More people living and working close to Monday’s dog fatal attack have given their reaction to the tragic death of Angeline Mahal this afternoon.

The street was evacuated hours after armed police were called to the scene.

Speaking to The Mirror, one elderly neighbour, who has lived on the street for 40 years, said: “I was scared stiff, there were four or five armed officers who all came round and we were evacuated from our houses.

“There were cars and ambulances and a dozen officers. I said to the police, ‘Is it safe?’, because we were worried there might be a gunman or someone with a sword, it was terrifying.

“We had no idea it was a dog attack.”

A relative, who wished to remain anonymous, feared Angeline - known as Angel to friends - had been dead for many hours before she was discovered.

He told The Sun: “We miss her, she was sincere and loved by everyone.

“We asked her to get rid of the dogs. The bond with owners and their dogs is too strong.”

He said: “She had two dogs from when they were puppies. They were registered. It was more likely to have been one of them attacked her.

“We are just shocked. You hear about these attacks in a paper but you never expect this to happen to your own family.”

He added: “There’s something I want to make clear and it’s that anyone who has XL Bully-type dog needs to do the right thing if they spot their pets becoming aggressive and give them up.

“I know it’s hard because people have such an attachment - but we wouldn’t want any other family to go through this. We miss Angeline. She was a sincere person with such a kind heart.”

One neighbour told MailOnline, the sons were seen outside the home as emergency services fought to save Mahal’s life. The unnamed neighbour said: “The medics were working on her on the front driveway by the front door.

“One of the sons was in tears but you could see they were both devastated. The woman lives on her own with the dogs but her sons come round and visit her regularly.

“I’ve never seen the dogs being walked. I’ve not really seen them in the garden either. I hear them quite a bit in the house, they sometimes bark at night. The woman who died has been renting the house for about two to three years.”

Figures show 400 XL bully dogs have been euthanised since the breed type was banned.

A Freedom of Information request shows that 400 compensation claims have been made for the euthanasia of XL bully dogs in England and Wales since the ban on 1 February.

In total, £76,500 has been paid to owners who opted to have their pets put down.

Figures also show 57,277 exemption certificates have been issued to owners who want to keep their pet, on the condition it is neutered, microchipped and kept on a muzzle and lead when in public.

The data shows that previous estimates of the number of XL bullies in the UK have been too low. The government said there were thought to be 10,000, a figure increased to about 50,000 earlier this year.

Monday’s attack reportedly comes just days after a woman was reportedly mauled by two XL Bully dogs at her home in Leith, Edinburgh.

The dogs were euthanised and the woman in her 20s left seriously injured after the dogs attacked her at a property on Leith’s Academy Street last Thursday, The Scottish Sun reported.

Animal welfare charities have argued banning breeds does not work and other measures are needed to stop fatal dog attacks.

“We were saddened to hear about yesterday’s incident, and our thoughts are with the family of the lady who died,” said a spokesperson for the Dogs Trust.

“Dogs Trust has been calling on government to overhaul the Dangerous Dogs Act as it is ineffective and does little to protect members of the public. We urgently need effective legislation that allows for early intervention, with a focus on the prevention of dog bite incidents across all types of dogs”

They added that better monitoring of puppy breeding and selling was needed, as well as mandatory licensing for dog sales.