Balloons, toys and flowers left as Southport honours stabbing victims at vigil as girls 'taken too soon' remembered

5 August 2024, 19:32 | Updated: 5 August 2024, 20:13

Balloons have been released and thousands of flowers have been left at a vigil to remember three young girls who were killed in a stabbing attack in Southport last week.

Bebe, 6, Elsie, 7, and Alice, 9, tragically died at a Taylor Swift themed dance club in the seaside town on Monday.

Eight other children were hurt, one of whom remains in a critical condition in hospital. Two other adults were also injured.

At the vigil on Monday evening, hundreds gathered to remember the girls "taken too soon".

Children blew bubbles as others placed cards and heart or pony shaped balloons in front of The Atkinson arts centre.

Chalk messages and candles were also left on the pavement in remembrance of the three.

Hundreds of bubbles were donated by local shops, arcades, charities and families of the victims, the event's organiser said.

Teddy bears and toys were among the other gifts left in memory of the victims at the "Swifties Bubble Blow - Kisses To Heaven" event.

Many young children who attended the event were dressed in pink.

Event organiser Kylie Clift said: "I organised this event as I feel a great importance in our children being able to grieve too.

"They can express so much emotion through fun yet sensitive activities, like bubble blowing.

"I have been donated hundreds of bubbles from various local shops, arcades, charities and even from families of the victims themselves.

"There will be time to take a moment and remember those we've lost and those who still continue to fight.

"We have the amazing Wendy Chalke singing a heartfelt song whilst we all come together as a community and blow as many bubbles as we can, blowing them 'kisses' to heaven."

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The fully booked club for children, which was advertised as a dance and yoga workshop as well as bracelet-making, quickly became something "like a horror movie", witnesses to the stabbings have said.

US singer Swift said she is "completely in shock" after the "horror" of the knife attack.

Fans of the pop star had raised hundreds of thousands of pounds through an online fundraiser.

'Hijacked'

A spokesman for Merseyside Police said one child remained in hospital after the Southport attack and all other patients have been discharged.

Disorder and violence broke out in parts of the UK after last week's knife attack.

Hundreds of people took part in a peaceful vigil for the stabbing victims on July 30 outside The Atkinson venue, with many in tears as they laid flowers and cards the day after the attack.

That vigil was followed by a separate protest on the same day outside a local mosque as demonstrators chanted far-right slogans and clashed with police in St Luke's Road.

The Prime Minister subsequently said rioters in Southport had "hijacked" the vigil and would "feel the full force of the law".

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