One-year-old boy mauled to death by rottweiler was snatched from the arms of another child

The full horrific details of the attack in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, were revealed as police continued their investigation.

A seven-year-old girl had carried the boy, who celebrated his first birthday on November 4, into the yard of his grandparents' home to stroke the family pet when the attack happened at around 3.30pm yesterday.

Police said the child then alerted the boy's 16-year-old aunt to the attack and she bravely attempted to wrestle the child from the dog before contacting the emergency services.

He was taken to Pinderfields General Hospital at around 3.40pm with serious injuries but died last night. Armed officers also attended the address within nine minutes of the emergency call.

They found the rottweiler in an agitated state, "clearly representing a potential danger to others", and the animal was destroyed.

Detective Superintendent Steve Payne, who is leading the investigation, said: "Clearly our thoughts go out to the family at this tragic time.

"They are understandably devastated by what has happened and are being supported by specially trained officers.

"The circumstances of the incident are still unfolding and we are speaking to the children that were present at the scene. The boy who died was staying at his grandparents house during the Christmas holidays."

Det Supt Payne added that the dog was a two-and-a-half-year-old female rottweiler, which the family had owned for about six months.

"Although the dog lived in the yard of the premises, it had interacted with members of the family including children, and another dog and cat at the house, and had showed no previous signs of any aggression," he said.

A 16-year-old girl, the aunt of the one-year-old boy, was inside the house also caring for two girls, aged six and seven.

"This was a common occurrence and again the 16-year-old and the children were known by the dog."

The parents of the child were on the scene within a matter of minutes and tended to the other children. Forensic officers are still examining the scene and police investigations are ongoing.

A police spokesman said a post-mortem examination would be conducted today and the identity of the child would be released in due course.

A policeman was outside the red brick terrace at the end of Chald Lane in central Wakefield, where the boy was attacked yesterday.

Forensic officers in white suits worked in the backyard of the narrow home, which was blocked off by police tape.

The street is close to the centre of the town and runs alongside a stream strewn with shopping trolleys and debris.

The MP for Wakefield, Mary Creagh, said: "This is obviously a devastating incident and our thoughts are with the family of the child at this time.

"Its clear from the police statement that the paramedics who went to get the child showed great bravery."