Mother pays tribute to son killed by dog

LONDON - The mother of a year-old boy who died after being attacked by a pet rottweiller has paid tribute to her "li'l angel".

Rebecca Hirst, who turned 18 on Sunday, wrote a message for her 13-month-old son Archie-Lee on her Bebo social networking page.

"R.I.P my lil angel mummy knows your still here love u always and foreva x x x x x x", she said.

In an earlier message written after her son's first birthday Hirst had written: "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have him."

The boy's father, Damian Williamson, 20, said on his Bebo page he was happiest "when Archie keeps saying Dad Dad Dad all time."

The boy died in hospital on Friday after the dog snatched him from the arms of his seven-year-old aunt who had been carrying him at his grandparents' house in Wakefield.

Armed police officers destroyed the dog, a two-and-a-half year old female, at the scene.

The family had owned the dog, which they kept in their yard, for about six months. It had not previously shown any signs of aggression, police said.

The boy had been staying with his grandparents since Christmas Day and was due to return to his parents over New Year.

The attack came almost a year after five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson was mauled to death by a family pit-bull terrier at her grandmother's house.

Her uncle Kiel Simpson was jailed for eight weeks for owning a banned breed of dog.

Rottweilers are not banned by the Dangerous Dogs Act, but the legislation covers any dog out of control in a public place.