Southport stabbing latest: All three children killed in knife attack named

Three young girls tragically killed in Southport following a ‘ferocious’ knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class for children have been named by Merseyside Police.

Bebe King, aged six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, were killed on the day of Monday’s attack on Hart Street, while nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning as a result of her injuries.

Eight other children suffered stab wounds during the attack, and five of them are currently in a critical condition in hospital. Two adults were also seriously injured after ‘bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked’.

A 17-year-old boy, who was born in Cardiff and lives in Banks near Southport, has been arrested on suspicion or murder and attempted murder. Merseyside Police say that a name shared on social media in connection with the suspected attacker is ‘incorrect’.

The heartbroken family of six-year-old Bebe King shared the following tribute: "No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss of our little girl." Natasha Sandland, head teacher of Marshside Primary School, said they had lost ‘one of our brightest and most wonderful shining stars’.

The family of Alice Dasilva Aguiar paid this tribute: "Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess, like we said before to you, you're always our princess and no one would change that. Love from Your Hero Daddy and Mummy." Jinnie Payne, the head teacher of Churchtown Primary School where Alice was a pupil, told BBC News she was ‘the happiest of souls and a true ray of sunshine’.

Seven-year-old Elsie attended Farnborough Road Infant School, head teacher Jennifer Sephton said she was: “A loving and bright member of our wonderful community since first being brought here on her father’s shoulders.”

Emergency services were called to the dance studio on Hart Street at 11.47am on Monday morning after a man armed with a knife, walked into the premises and started attacking the people inside.

Chief Constable Kennedy said when officers arrived ‘they were shocked to find that multiple people, many of whom were children, had been subjected to a ferocious attack’. Witnesses said they saw injured children fleeing the venue.

Thirteen ambulances and a helicopter attended the scene as casualties were treated for stab wounds. The North West Ambulance Service said patients were taken to three hospitals in Merseyside and Lancashire, including Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

Residents said they were alerted that something was wrong when they heard a woman in the street, shouting for help. Debrah Parker, 57, told The Guardian she heard a girl come out of the building saying: “Mum, I’ve been stabbed, I’ve been stabbed. She [the mother] bundled her in the car as fast as she could, she was screaming: ‘Help me, help me.’ She was covered in blood.”

One local said one of the two adults injured in the attack locked herself in a room with children to protect them as eyewitnesses reported hearing screaming and seeing children 'covered' in blood, suffering stab wounds.

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 stabbings.

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'. 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'.

"I went out and there's two or three kids just lying on the floor. I mean, it's a frenzied attack," he said. "It's not one stab. He's gone crazy, the lad's gone crazy."

The class was fully booked and was attended by 25 youngsters and included a dance and yoga workshop plus bracelet making.  Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, said: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the appalling attack in Southport. Our hearts go out to all the families who have lost loved ones and who are caught up in this terrible incident. Our thoughts are also with the wider community on Merseyside who now have to try and come to terms with what has happened.

“For any child directly or indirectly impacted by the awful events in Southport our Childline service is here for them whenever they need it. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or via childline.org.uk.”