The 17-month-old girl who died after a dog attack in St Helens has been named as Bella-Rae Birch as neighbours described trying to save her life.

Merseyside Police officers received a report that a dog had attacked a child at an address on Bidston Avenue, Blackbrook at around 3.50pm on Monday.

Emergency services attended the scene and Bella-Rae was taken to hospital where she died of her injuries.

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Superintendent Steve Brizell said: “Bella-Rae has lost her life in the most unimaginably terrible circumstances and our thoughts are first and foremost with the family and the wider community at this devastating time.”

He said: “At this stage we understand that the family dog they had bought just a week earlier has attacked Bella-Rae inside the family home.

“Bella-Rae was taken by ambulance to hospital by paramedics but despite the best efforts of police officers at the scene, paramedics and doctors, sadly Bella-Rae died as a result of her injuries yesterday afternoon.

“It has left a family and a community grieving and in complete shock.”

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Neighbours tried to save toddler’s life

One neighbour said: “We pulled up from school and heard screaming. I just ran over to try to help and started CPR until the paramedics took over.”

The neighbour, who is due to go to university to train as a paramedic, said the girl’s parents were “hysterical”.

She added: “I didn’t see the dog, I was just focusing on helping the baby.”

Another neighbour who helped to give CPR said: “The parents doted on the children. It’s too upsetting to say anything else.”

Dog had been with family for a week

Merseyside Police said the dog has been put down. The force said it had only been with the family for a week.

It will be examined to determine its breed and whether it was banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991), the force added.

Neighbour describes ‘beautiful little girl’

A neighbour described Bella-Rae as a “beautiful little girl”.

She said she saw an ambulance outside the house around 3.50pm on Monday before around 10 police vehicles arrived.

“I saw them bring the dog out. I couldn’t tell what breed it was but from the back it looked like a Staffordshire bull terrier or pit bull,” she said.

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she got home from the shops around 4.30pm when the area was busy with police.

She said: “The mum was on the field at the front of the house crying. She was hysterical.

“It is usually very quiet here and safe for children, but when you hear something like this has happened it is so distressing.”

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