Cornwall Close, Hornchurch dog attack: Neighbours react

Angeline Mahal was named locally as the victim of the attack in Cornwall Close yesterday (May 20).

Police and forensics have been at the scene today, with crime scene tape in place surrounding a house.

A crime scene remains in place following the incident yesterday afternoon. (Image: Olivia Carter)An elderly couple, who do not wish to be named, said they were shocked by the news. 

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

The police are believed to have been in the cul-de-sac from around 1.10pm yesterday (May 20) (Image: Olivia Carter)"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. 

RELATED: Woman mauled to death by XL bully dogs at cul-de-sac home

"I didn’t know this area had so many police. It was a tragic incident – that was their words."

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

Police outside a home in Cornwall Close (Image: Olivia Carter)

The couple claimed that officers evacuated homes yesterday (May 20) whilst the armed police dealt with the incident. 

The dogs were secured in a room in the home whilst paramedics tried in vain to save the woman, who was in her 50s.

The neighbours added: "What she must have gone through if they attacked her, it’s frightening."

Multiple forensics officers were seen bringing items out of the home this morning (Image: Olivia Carter)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."

The woman has been named as Angeline Mahal. Her exact age is yet to be confirmed (Image: Olivia Carter)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.

RELATED: Hornchurch dog attack victim named locally

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

The American XL bully breed was added to the list of prohibited dogs in the UK at the end of October 2023. 

Two large black bags were removed from the property by forensics and placed in the back of a truck (Image: Olivia Carter)Both dogs involved had been registered and owned by the woman who was killed. 

They were seized by police from the home. 

Another neighbour who wished not to be named said the street is "generally quiet". 

He said: "I didn’t know her. I think they kept themselves to themselves.

"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 community are said to be shocked by the incident (Image: Olivia Carter)"Everyone gets on with everybody. 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 with yesterday and today.

"This is what it’s like generally, and generally you hear the A127 traffic more than anything apart from the kids coming home from school it’s quiet round here."

Police said the woman's family are being supported by officers.