The Liverpool Echo has stepped up its fight for tougher laws on dangerous dogs following the death of a five-year-old Merseyside girl who was mauled by a dog.

The tragedy has dominated the front page of the paper since the attack on Monday, with the Echo taking a two-pronged approach to its coverage – focusing both on the personal tragedy of the incident and the call for action.

And the paper has now teamed up with police to ask the Government to allow a dog amnesty on Merseyside, which would allow people to bring dogs forward to be tested without fear of arrest if they are a banned breed.

The Echo broke the news of the fatal dog attack on Ellie Lawrenson on its website New Year’s Day, following that up with five pages of coverage in its print edition on Tuesday.

Since then it has reported on the reaction from local residents, tributes to the five-year-old from friends and family, and the investigation – which has already revealed the dog was a banned pit bull-style animal.

Assistant news editor Jon Tunney said: “It’s a big story anyway but for us it is particularly apt because we have been campaigning for a change in the law for the past six months and nothing has been done.

“We have spoken to Merseyside police and between us we are asking the Government to allow a dog amnesty on Merseyside. We already have the backing of all five Merseyside councils.

“The issue of dangerous dogs does trouble our readers and it’s tragic that something like this has to happen to focus people’s minds.”

In July the Echo launched its Bite Back campaign calling for an overhaul of the Dangerous Dogs Act, leading to Home Secretary John Reid ordering a review of the dog laws in October.

On Wednesday the paper’s front page again called for action, saying: “A mum weeps for her daughter. Behind her is the drug-dealing owner of the banned pit bull that ripped Ellie to death. For months the Echo has demanded action. What more eveidence is needed?”

The aims of the Echo’s Bite Back campaign are: