Dog that killed girl was illegal pit bull

Police said a post-mortem examination on the killer dog, a family pet, proved it was of a type prohibited under dangerous dogs legislation. Since 1991, it has been an offence which carries a possible six-month jail sentence to breed, sell or exchange pit bull terriers, three other breeds of fighting dogs, and cross-breeds with characteristics similar to those of banned types of dog.

Superintendent Jon Ward, of Merseyside Police, said: "This information will be fed into the investigation and will inform any decision on what offences, if any, have been committed."

He added that a report would be sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Supt Ward also confirmed that the owner of the dog, the girl's uncle, had twice been warned about the animal's behaviour - once after an attack on another dog and once for its barking. The news came as the family of Ellie, who died on New Year's Day after the attack at her grandmother's home in St Helens, Merseyside, spoke of their heartbreak at losing their "little angel".

Ellie's grandmother, Jackie Simpson, 46, needed emergency surgery for arm injuries and underwent further surgery yesterday.

A statement from the family said they were "absolutely devastated" by Ellie's death. "She was a little angel, full of life and always running around. We had a great Christmas together, with her little brother, Josh, who Ellie doted on and thought she was a second mother to," said the statement.

"We are absolutely devastated and can't believe she is gone."

The family spoke as it was confirmed that the one-year-old dog, called Reuben, had already been identified as a problem and had attacked at least one person before. A 69-year-old neighbour said yesterday: "I was walking my dog early one morning some time in September last year when I was attacked by that animal outside their house. It was jumping up at me, really going at me, but I managed to hold it at bay with my walking stick."

Neighbours around the scene of the tragedy described Ellie as "an angel", but they said the dog had a vicious reputation.

Yesterday, it was also confirmed that the pit bull, which was destroyed after the New Year's Day incident, had attacked another dog last May. St Helens Council confirmed that it had sent an official warning letter to the dog's owner following that attack.

Earlier, the council had also confirmed that the owner had received another warning a month later, following complaints from neighbours about the dog's barking.