Bradford campaigners have made fresh calls for the Government to toughen up dangerous dog laws after a vicious Rottweiler killed a toddler.

The family pet snatched 13-month-old Archie-Lee Hirst from the arms of his seven-year-old aunt and savaged him in front of the terrified girl, in the garden of their grandmother's West Yorkshire home.

The ten-stone two-and-a-half-year-old bitch then mauled Archie-Lee again, despite the best efforts of another 16-year-old aunt to fight it off, West Yorkshire police said.

Archie-Lee died in hospital five hours later.

The shocking attack has sparked more urgent calls from safety campaigners who have made repeated pleas for a change in the law, which they say fails to protect the public.

Campaigner Elizabeth Hellmich founded Bradford's SAFE project and gathered a 1,000-name petition for the Government to toughen up the current legislation.

Following the latest tragedy, Mrs Hellmich said: "The poor young girl who saw a dog rip apart her nephew will have to carry that with her for the rest of her life.

"How many more children have to die or be severely maimed before the Government and local councils address what is becoming a very serious issue?"

Ellie Lawrenson, five, was savaged to death by a pitbull terrier last New Year's Day on Merseyside.

Mrs Hellmich said that in Bradford, she knew of about two incidents every week involving dangerous dogs. But many go unreported to police and there is no national database to log dog attacks, she said.

"I know that there are things like this that are not reported - people want to sort it out themselves rather than tell the police - because they think that nothing will be done about it."

The campaigner is calling for all dogs to be microchipped with their owners' details, to make them more responsible for their potentially dangerous animals.

Mrs Hellmich said: "It needs to be the dog that carries the information with it so that, if it attacks, people cannot say it is not their dog any more and get through the loophole in the Dangerous Dogs Act."

Campaign organisation Deed Not Breed (DNB) say the latest attack highlighted the "total failure" of the act and have backed Mrs Hellmich's position.

Deed chairman Melanie Page said: "In certain circumstances any dog could be dangerous. Isn't it time to stop targeting specific breeds and instead focus on responsible ownership?"

The Telegraph & Argus Curb the Danger Dogs campaign was launched to urge the Government to tighten the loopholes in the act. The act was hastily drawn-up after six-year-old Rukhsana Khan suffered terrible injuries when she was savaged by a pit bull terrier near her Bradford home in May 1991. But Mrs Hellmich said: "The lessons still have not been learned."

The latest attack happened at Archie-Lee's grandmother's home in Wakefield.

The Rottweiler was shot dead at the scene by a police marksman.

Detective Superintendent Steve Payne, of West Yorkshire police, said: "I would like to pay tribute to Archie's 16-year-old aunt who attempted to rescue him from the dog. She struck the dog several times before calling the emergency services."

Meanwhile Archie-Lee's mother said her "sleeping angel" would always be in her heart. Rebecca Hirst turned 18 yesterday and in a statement she paid tribute to her 16-year-old sister Kara, saying: "She's a hero. We are all so proud of her."

e-mail: marc.meneaud @bradford.newsquest.co.uk