Southport victims and survivors remembered two years on

Eleanor Barlow, Press Association

Victims and survivors of the attack on a Southport dance class will be remembered two years on.

Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29 2024.

Eight other children, dance teacher Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes were physically injured in the attack.

Wednesday marks two years from the incident and a three-minute silence will be held in the town at 3pm.

The silence will be observed by public bodies including Sefton Council and members of the public are invited to join in, wherever they are at the time.

People have been encouraged not to leave floral tributes but instead to donate to local causes.

Following their deaths, foundations were set up in memory of Alice, Bebe and Elsie.

Alice’s WonderDance Foundation aims to “spread Alice’s magic” by supporting young dancers and Elsie’s Story hopes to continue her legacy by supporting young people and children.

Bebe’s Hive was launched to support grieving children with creative sessions.

In an open letter to the community last week, Sefton Council said local spaces had been identified for residents to go to “say a prayer, light a candle, speak to someone or spend a quiet moment reflecting”.

The council said: “We fully understand that many of us still need to grieve and to acknowledge the day and there is no right or wrong way to do this.

“Whether you choose to attend a reflective space, observe the silence, spend time with loved ones, or simply take a quiet moment to yourself, we encourage everyone to do whatever feels most appropriate to you.”

Earlier this year, a public inquiry into the attack, carried out by Axel Rudakubana, found it “could and should have been prevented” if steps had been taken by agencies and his parents.

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