A YOUNG girl died yesterday after being savaged by two Rottweiler

dogs.

Eleven-year-old Kelly Lynch, of Cotton Road, Dundee, was attacked as

she and a friend, Lorraine Simpson, walked the dogs beside the Eckaigh

river, near Sandbank, Dunoon.

The girl, who was visiting family friends at the Cot House Inn, was

found to be dead on arrival at Dunoon General Hospital.

The two girls had been out for most of yesterday and were returning to

the hotel, owned by Lorraine's father Mr Brian Simpson, between Kilmun

and Sandbank.

For no apparent reason Mr Simpson's two pet dogs turned on the two

girls, savaging Kelly.

Lorraine ran for assistance, and a local woman came to the girl's aid

but it was too late.

Mr Simpson, Lorraine, and the local woman, who has not been named by

police, were also taken to the local hospital for treatment for shock,

but were later released.

The woman who had bravely tried to calm down the dogs suffered cuts to

her hands. It is believed she works at the Cot House Inn.

Police said inquiries were continuing and a report would be submitted

to the procurator-fiscal.

The two dogs were later put down by Dunoon vet Mr Tony Black.

He said: ''Most Rottweilers that I know I have never had any trouble

with.

''But every vet in the country knows that with Rottweilers, Dobermans

and Alsatians, and guard dogs in general, you always have to be a bit

careful because you know what they can do.

''Most such dogs don't give you any hassle, but you are always that

bit wary.

''It is the first time I have been involved in anything like this in

the area. I am shattered, and everybody in the whole area is

shattered.''

It is understood that Kelly and Lorraine were on holiday at the hotel.

Mr Simpson has owned the small hotel for several years and breeds

Rottweilers in kennels nearby.

Mr Simpson is estranged from his wife, who lives in Dundee with their

son Brian and Lorraine, who was visiting him.

Last night Mr Simpson was under sedation. A family friend, who met

callers at the door, said: ''He is absolutely shattered by all of this.

It is too awful to understand how these two pet dogs who had never shown

any signs of temper should turn on the two girls.

''They had been out for a walk, had gone to buy sweeties and then gone

over by the river. It seems that they were attacked near an old gravel

pit which is about a mile from the hotel.

''No one can understand it. I have never seen the dogs showing any

signs of temper. My children were playing with them this morning.''

Kelly, a pupil of Our Lady's Primary School in the Hilltown area of

Dundee was described as a ''cute, popular'' girl.

A shopkeeper near the family home in Dundee said: ''She used to come

in here every day at 4pm after school. Everybody liked her, and we are

all desperately shocked.''

She and Lorraine were due to return to Dundee this weekend to start

school on Monday.

Kelly's father was last night travelling to Dunoon, while her mother

was under sedation at the family home. Kelly was one of three children,

with brothers Kevin, 17, and Craig, seven.

Relatives were last night arriving at the family home to offer comfort

to her distraught mother.

At Kilmun, villagers expressed shock at the incident.

A local hotelier said: ''As far as we know, the girls were exercising

the dogs. One of the girls stopped for a short time.

''The other girl ran for help and a woman heard them and went to help.

Everyone is shocked.''

A shopkeeper in Sandbank added: ''I had seen the little girls earlier

on in the day walking with the two big dogs. They had come in to buy

some sweeties and they seemed quite happy.

''It is hard to understand how this awful thing could have happened

during a walk like this.''

Rottweilers are large, strongly built dogs, which are popular guard

dogs, and in some countries have been used as police dogs.

The RSPCA last night warned parents of the dangers of owning powerful

dogs like Rottweilers.

''Rottweilers are big and powerful dogs and can be very dangerous in

the hands of inexperienced people. Parents should be aware of how strong

these animals can be,'' said RSPCA spokesman Mr Gavin Grant.

In 1987, there were reports of a 13-year-old boy who underwent

emergency surgery after being bitten by a Rottweiler, and in another

incident, a 10-year-old girl was badly injured in a Rottweiler attack in

Aberdeen.

Last year, the owner of two Rottweilers was jailed for four months

after being convicted at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of assaulting a barmaid

and bar manager by ordering the dogs to bite them.

Meanwhile, it was disclosed yesterday that officials from the RSPCA

have held talks with the Home Office in an attempt to ban the aggressive

American-bred Pit Bull Terrier in Britain.

Pit Bull Terriers have been used in illegal dog fighting since they

were introduced in the UK 10 years ago.