THE NUMBER of approved exception applications for XL Bullies in Worcestershire has been revealed.

Exemptions allow owners to keep the dog after a government ban and it is illegal to own the breed without one. 

Application deadlines closed in January this year and it is now illegal to breed, rehome or own an XL Bully in the UK without an exemption.

The data, presented by postcode, has been revealed by The Spectator following a series of freedom of information requests. 

WR5 which covers a large area of the city including Ronkswood, St Peters, Battenhall and Nunnery has been revealed as having the most XL bullies in Worcester. 

The area has 27 approved exemption applications. 

Louis Stephen, Worcester City Council councillor for Battenhall, said: "The figure is quite surprising although WR5 covers a large area of Worcester including Battenhall, St Peters and quite a lot of Nunnery. 

"I can't say that I have seen a lot of XL bullies around Battenhall but they could be in other parts of the postcode. 

"The thing that is always really important is for people to be conscious when walking their dog. 

"If the dog is aggressive or boisterous, the owner should be responsible and keep it under control. 

"We have had a few dog attacks and complaints in the past and it's usually when the owner lets the dog off the lead."

XL Bullies are the largest breed of the American Bully and can weigh more than nine stone.  

The dogs were added to the list of banned dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 earlier this year in February. 

Approved exemption applications in Worcestershire, by postcode, are as follows:

-WR1: <10

-WR2: 22

-WR3: 14

-WR4: 22

-WR5: 27

-WR6: <10

-WR7: <10

-WR8: <10

-WR9: 25

-WR10: 10 

-WR11: 32 

-WR12: <10

-WR13: <10

-WR14: 29

-WR15: <10

Amie Jones, operations manager at Worcestershire Animal Rescue Centre said: "We cover quite a large area and before the ban we had a lot more relinquish forms from Birmingham, but we did have one or two from Worcester. 

"When they were being banned we had a lot of talks for advice, rehoming and exemptions.

"We haven't seen any since the ban as it's obviously illegal to rehome them and we can't legally take them in."