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Two children have been killed while six others remain in a critical condition after a “horrendous” stabbing at a Taylor Swift themed dance workshop in Southport.
Two adults also remain critically ill in hospital with knife injuries after “bravely” trying to protect the young victims.
A 17-year-old boy from Banks has been arrested in connection with the stabbings, which is not suspected to be terror-related. Merseyside Police said the motive is currently unclear, and the teenager remains in custody.
Armed police detained him and seized a knife after officers were called to reports of a stabbing at a property on Hart Street on Monday.
Members of the public have been urged to avoid the area around the street after the force was alerted to the incident at around 11.50am.
Witnesses described hearing “screaming” and seeing bleeding children running from the scene.
Colin Parry, owner of Masters Vehicle Body Repairs, said he believed that six or seven “young girls” had been stabbed. He went on: “The mothers are coming here now and screaming.
“It is like a scene from a horror movie.”
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‘It was one of those screams where it just hits you – it echoed,’ says local mother
The Independent’s Tara Cobham reports from the scene:
A local mother has told of her and her young son hearing “horrendous” screams echoing throughout her neighbourhood as she prepared a picnic in the garden with him.
Sandy Oakley, 41, lives near the police cordon on Hart Street with her children, aged 6, 9, and 17.
“I’m feeling really anxious. Me and my nine year old heard the screams. We were making a picnic,” she told The Independent, wiping away tears. “We were in the back garden. The screams – just thinking about it now, horrendous.
“When we heard the screams, it was one of those scream where it just hits you. I thought ‘what’s happened?’ Within minutes, everyone was here, all emergency services. I thought it was just a crash, but when you saw the amount of people running… I phoned my 17 year old and he said he was on Hart Street – he was walking from the gym and someone told him you can’t come up here.
“Those screams – it echoed.”
She described a tight-knit, “lovely”, “quiet” community pulling together in the aftermath of the tragedy, with neighbours checking in on each other.
Ms Oakley said: “Everyone is looking in on everyone, it’s a big community feel. It’s such a quiet area. We moved up here from London because it was so quiet, such a lovely community. You just can’t get your head around it.”
Six children remain in critical condition
Six children and two adults remain in critical after a knife attack at a children’s dance class yesterday.
Two children died in the attack, Merseyside Police confirmed. A further three children were injured in the attack, but are not in critical condition.
Vigil to be held tonight
A vigil to pay tribute to the victims of yesterday’s stabbing attack will be held in Southport tonight.
Patrick Hurley MP described the attack as a “uniquely horrific event” as the Southport MP said the area was waking up in “shock and grief”
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he warned against speculation online and encourages people with any information to inform the police.
They’re just kids for god’s sake’: Local residents reel from news of tragedy
The Independent’s Tara Cobham reports from the scene:
A local resident has added a bouquet to the floral tributes piling up at the quiet scene this morning, as two police officers stand at the top of the cordon on Hart Street.
Mark Sims, 65, said he was working nearby when his wife phoned him to tell him an incident was unfolding in their “ordinary” area.
“It’s just terrible, it’s shocking,” he told The Independent. “You never thought it would happen here. It’s just an ordinary town. I saw the helicopters and that yesterday. My wife phoned me to say something had happened. They’re just kids for gods sake. Terrible.”
Local footballer offering free Football Camp for affected children
A local footballer says he has received hundreds of messages after offering a free football holiday camp by children affected by yesterday’s stabbing.
“If there are any parents on here from Southport who’s children are distressed after todays events. Please DM me,” he wrote on X yesterday evening.
“I am hosting a Football Camp this week and your children can attend free of charge.”
The Marine AFC player then posted an update this morning: “The power of social media I’ve had hundreds of messages off people asking how they can help. I have a few ideas to try and help our community get through this.”
Police not looking for other suspects
The Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner has confirmed authorities are not looking for any other suspects in connection to a knife attack in Southport yesterday.
Emily Spurrell told BBC Breakfast that police will now take time to figure out what happened and why.
A 17-year-old boy from Banks has been arrested in connection with the stabbings, which is not suspected to be terror-related. Merseyside Police said the motive is currently unclear, and the teenager remains in custody.
Local residents leaving flowers this morning
A local resident is among those arriving early this morning to leave flowers at the scene at the top of Hart Road.
The woman, who did not want to give her name, described her shock and horror at what unfolded in her neighbourhood yesterday.
“You don’t hear anything like that round here – it’s shocking,” she told The Independent. “I just feel so dreadfully sorry for the families involved in this. It’s just awful. It’s horrible.”
Starmer could visit Southport in wake of attack
Sir Keir Starmer could visit the community reeling from the Southport knife attack on Tuesday, the chancellor has suggested.
Asked whether the PM will be in the northwest seaside town, Rachel Reeves told Sky News: “I’m sure he will be and I know that the home secretary is already there.”
Reacting to the attack, she said: “Beyond the worst nightmare of any parent what’s unfolding in Southport. And my thoughts and prayers are with all of those families affected.
“And I also just pay tribute to the emergency services, particularly at Alder Hey Hospital having to treat the children and families who have been impacted by what happened yesterday.
“Nothing can prepare you for something like this. And I think everybody across our country today is thinking of that community and those families.”
Road closures remain in place as floral tributes laid in Southport
Road closures remain in place in Southport following yesterday’s knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, as well-wishers left floral tributes close to the scene.
Local business owner believes he may have argued with attacker moments before fatal incident
Colin Parry, the owner of the Masters Vehicle Body Repairs 50 metres or so from the scene of the attack, told The Guardian he had a heated exchange with a young man he believed to be the attacker moments before the attack.
He said: “He came down our driveway in a taxi and didn’t pay for the taxi, so I confronted him at that point. He was quite aggressive he said: ‘What are you gonna do about it?’.”
Mr Parry said the man he now believes was the attacker then turned and walked out of the driveway of his business. Moments later, Mr Parry said he received a phone call from a colleague who had run to the dance studio after he heard “screaming that wasn’t normal”, he added.
Mr Parry said a member of staff saw “about 10 kids go running past him, all bleeding, and one of them collapsed on the floor outside the neighbour next door”.
Source: independent.co.uk
