Dozens of applications have been approved to keep a dangerous breed of dog in Brighton and Hove.

The Spectator has mapped the approved applications for certificates of exemption to keep an XL bully dog by postcode district in England and Wales.

The information was compiled by the newspaper after it a submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Across England and Wales there are 50,000 registered XL bully dogs.

From February 1, it became a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.

Anyone who owns one of the dogs must have had the animal neutered, have it microchipped and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.

The government's move to ban XL bullies followed a series of attacks.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 16 deaths due to dog attacks in 2023, a sharp rise from preceding years when the number had been in single figures.

As of late 2023, around 60 per cent of dogs held in police kennels were a bull breed of some kind.

In the BN2 postcode district, encompassing addresses in Brighton, Bevendean, Brighton Marina, Kemptown, Moulsecoomb, Ovingdean, Rottingdean, Saltdean and Woodingdean, there were 109 applications approved.

BN2 was the 34th highest district, out of 2,424, for the number of approved applications in England and Wales.

In the BN41 district, which covers Fishersgate and Portslade, there were 21 approved applications.

The BN3 postcode district, covering addresses in Hove, Hangleton and West Blatchington, had 19.

BN1, with addresses in Brighton, Coldean, Falmer, Hollingsbury, Patcham, Preston, Stanmer and Withdean, had 40.

In April, a woman was walking her dog Rolo who was attacked by an XL bully that escaped from a house in Mackie Avenue, Patcham.

The owner of the two XL bullies agreed for them to be put down following the attack.

A witness told The Argus a man got the dog off but a second larger dog came out and “clamped on” to Rolo, who died from his injuries.

They said there was “blood everywhere” and said the smaller dog looked “like a rag on the floor” after the attack.