A woman has been mauled to death by her own XL Bully dogs at a house in east London.

Armed Met Police officers raced to the address on Cornwall Close in Hornchurch, in the borough of Havering, on Monday afternoon.

The woman, in her 50s, was treated by medics from the London Ambulance Service but sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Two registered XL bullies, who were found shut inside a room, were seized and removed from the property.

The family of the woman are being supported by specialist officers, a spokesperson for the Met added.

It became a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate from February 1.

Anyone who owns one of the dogs must have the animal neutered and microchipped, and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public.

The government's move to ban XL bullies followed a series of attacks on people.