Candlelit vigil held for girl, four, who was mauled to death by pet dog in Milton Keynes

People gathered in a church following the dog attack in Milton Keynes Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

A candlelit vigil has been held for a four-year-old girl, who was mauled to death by a family pet.

People gathered to mourn the loss of the girl, named locally as Alice Stones, at a church near to the house on Wednesday evening.

Around 100 people turned out to the vigil that had been organised at the Grand Union Vineyard Church.

Prayers were said for the family as people gathered, holding candles, in a garden behind the church.

Alice Stones has been named locally as the girl who died

There were moments of reflection during the vigil, as music was played over speakers, including Amazing Grace and Over The Rainbow.

Donna Fuller, a ward councillor for Woughton Community Council, said the area has a “tight-knit community, predominantly families”.

She said the vigil was to “enable the community to come together and draw strength from each other.

“It will send a strong message to the family that we are thinking of them.”

She added there is “such a sense of shock” and it is an “awful situation”.

Flowers and soft toys have been left at the scene of the attack Credit: PA

The councillor told gathered crowds: “This family will need the time and space to allow them to process this tragic event and I hope that we can do that and help them in the future.

“I would ask that we support each other.

“There is a feeling of deep sadness that we will feel as a community so I ask you to be neighbourly and I ask you to be supportive and most of all I ask you to be kind.”

The back garden where the young girl died in Milton Keynes. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Officers were called to Broadlands just after 5pm on 31 January, following reports that a dog had attacked a child.

Shortly after they was confirmed that the girl died at the property.

The end-of-terrace home remained cordoned off by police tape on Wednesday, and flowers and soft toy tributes piled up on the pavement.

Formal identification is yet to take place and her family are being supported by specially trained officers.

The animal was put down by police on Tuesday evening.

Thames Valley Police said no arrests have been made and that investigators are working to establish the breed of the dog.

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