Police have launched a murder investigation after a man died following a suspected attack by an American XL bully dog. 

Emergency services rushed to an address in Maple Terrace, Shiney Row, in Sunderland following reports a dog had injured a man there, the BBC reports. 

A man held on suspicion of wounding with intent has been re-arrested on suspicion of murder, police said.

It is understood the dog was killed at the scene and a second dog was also seized. 

Officers said they believed both animals were bully XL breeds.

Read more: What is an American XL bully? The dog that will be banned

The ban on American XL bullies 

This incident comes after the UK Government announced plans to ban American XL bully dogs following a series of "horrific attacks". 

The breed is expected to be defined by experts and added to the list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, which includes the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero. 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he shared the nation's "horror" at videos of suspected XL bully attacks circulating social media. 

He said: "It is clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs, it's a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.

"These dogs are dangerous, I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe."

Rishi Sunak said the breed is due to be banned in England by the end of the year. However, there is no current timescale for the ban in Scotland.

Meanwhile, the announcement was met with scepticism by animal charities. 

The RSPCA said at the time: "While we're awaiting details on how this ban will be implemented, we are incredibly disappointed with the decision to add the XL bully to this law.

"We believe focussing on the type of dog, rather than their individual actions, is a flawed and failing approach. Dog aggression is highly complex, and taking a breed-focused approach is fundamentally flawed."