Angeline Mahal Hornchurch XL bully attack: Everything we know so far

The Metropolitan Police Service were called at 1.12pm yesterday (May 20) with reports of a woman being attacked by a dog. 

Officers were dispatched to the scene in Cornwall Close, a small cul-de-sac. 

Neighbours have described the community and area as quiet (Image: Olivia Carter)Armed police officers also attended the emergency "due to the threat posed", a Met Police spokesperson confirmed. 

Neighbours were alerted to the incident after hearing London's Air Ambulance nearby, with some reporting they were evacuated from their homes whilst the situation was dealt with. 

One woman, who did not wish to be named, said she was told by a police officer: "It was for your safety".

Inside a home, a woman in her 50s was discovered with serious injuries and two XL bullies were safely secured in a separate room. 

Police tape and a blue tent outside a home in Cornwall Close (Image: Olivia Carter)

The woman, who has been named locally as Angeline (Angel) Mahal, was given treatment at the scene but later died. 

An elderly couple, who do not wish to be named, said they were shocked by what happened.

They came out of their home to see what was going on after teams of police arrived. 

The lady said: "At first, I was frightened. I just thought 'what the hell is going on?'

"We didn't know the woman, didn't see the dogs.

"We're just sort of shocked. 

"It’s what you see on telly you know, someone else is being reported about, or a crime series."

Her husband described how he initially believed there had been a stabbing or a shooting after seeing armed police arrive at the scene. 

The couple added: "What she must have gone through if they (the dogs) attacked her, it’s frightening."

Thomas Eggleton, a builder working in a nearby home, admitted he too thought the incident was a stabbing or shooting. 

He said: "We were working here all day and at about twenty-past-one, one of the guys had turned up and said ‘what’s going on out there?' sort of thing.

"Within seconds there were helicopters, police, everything was here - it was mobbed. 

"We thought it was a stabbing or a shooting or something like that. About half an hour later someone else knocked at the door trying to sell something and he heard that a woman had been done by a couple of dogs.

"I thought ‘really?’ because we hadn’t heard anything. You’d have heard barking, screaming but there was nothing. There was three of us working here all day."

Thomas described seeing two men standing on the pavement opposite the house, one with his hands to his head. 

"It’s a shame that no-one in a little tiny cul-de-sac heard… if a dog's barking you’d know straight away.

"How can they ( the dogs) just turn like that?"

The woman has been named as Angeline Mahal (Image: Olivia Carter)RELATED: 'We thought it was a stabbing': Scared neighbours on seeing armed police in street

Officers were able to safely seize both of the dogs and remove them from the property. 

Homeowners told of how they were forced to evacuate their homes as a safety precaution (Image: Olivia Carter)They have confirmed the XL bullies were registered in line with the new requirements after the dog breed was added to the banned list for England and Wales last year.

In a statement, the Met confirmed the dogs belonged to the dead woman.  

Another nearby resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "Everyone’s a little bit surprised that those dogs were around here.

"It’s generally quiet but obviously a lot’s going on at the moment.

"I didn’t know her, I think they kept themselves to themselves.

Black bags were removed from the property and put inside a van (Image: Olivia Carter)"Obviously it’s sad isn’t it, it’s a sad state of affairs that she’s lost her life due to the dogs.

"It’s shocked the community quite a bit, especially round here because it’s quite close."

The elderly couple also said they never saw the dogs and suspected a completely different incident had taken place. 

They said: "We were guessing it’s a stabbing or a shooting when the armed police turned up.

RELATED: Hornchurch dog attack death: Pictures from scene

"There must have been eight police cars, two or three ambulances plus two or three specialist, armed police. You lost count after a while."

The crime scene and forensics tent in place this morning (May 21) (Image: Olivia Carter)A police cordon has been set up, with a forensics tent in front of the door to a house in Cornwall Close. 

Forensics crews were seen carrying items to nearby vehicles. 

Officers from the Met are supporting the victim's family. 

There has been no confirmation as to what will happen to the dogs. 

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 1.09pm on May 20 to reports of an incident in Cornwall Close, RM11.

“We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, an incident response officer and London’s air ambulance.

“We treated a person but sadly, despite our efforts, they were pronounced dead at the scene.”