Children and trainer hospitalised in Southport horror discharged
All the children rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital after the horror stabbings in Southport last week have now been discharged, as has a hero dance teacher who used her own body as a shield to save lives.
Leanne Lucas, 35, was stabbed in the back, arms and neck in the harrowing knife attack at a summer holiday Taylor Swift dance workshop she was leading.
The former primary school teacher underwent life-saving surgery in the wake of the carnage at the Hart Space centre in the town.
Friends revealed Ms Lucas has now been released from hospital but faces a lengthy recovery.
The majority of the eight children who were injured in the attack were taken to Alder Hey for emergency care, and all but one have now been discharged, police said today.
Leanne Lucas, 35, was knifed in the back, arms and neck in the harrowing knife attack at a summer holiday Taylor Swift dance workshop she was leading
Two adults, including teacher Ms Lucas, were critically injured in the attack and required surgery
Bebe King, six, was one of the victims of a knife attack during a Taylor Swift dance workshop in Southport
Elsie Stancombe, seven, was killed in the knife attack – her mother previously called for calm amid riots across the country
Alice Aguiar, nine, died in hospital after being fatally injured at the holiday club
Initially five of the eight children were described as being in a critical condition. All of those being looked after at Alder Hey have recovered from their injuries and have now been discharged.
In a statement today, the hospital said: ‘We are really pleased to be able to share that all the children involved in last Monday’s awful incident in Southport who were under our care have now been safely discharged from Alder Hey.
‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in responding to the incident or caring for anyone affected by it, especially our colleagues in the NHS, Merseyside Police and North West Ambulance Service.
‘We also want to say thank you to all who sent well wishes to Alder hey and to the families affected. Our heartfelt sympathies remain with all those affected by last Monday’s tragic incident.’
Merseyside Police said all of the casualties of Monday’s attack have left hospital, with the exception of one child, who is being cared for at a different hospital.
Friend of Ms Lucas Esther Shahroodi, who has launched a fundraising drive to support Lucas, told followers on Facebook: ‘We can confirm that Leanne has been discharged from hospital; and will have regular visits from specialists, she continues to be in a lot of pain.
‘Now the longest road to recovery will begin both physically and mentally.
‘Let’s continue to support her with your heartfelt donations at this time so she doesn’t have the added stress of finances.’
Alice Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Stancombe, seven, were killed in the attack on Monday, July 29.
Eight children and two adults were also seriously injured in the attack. All of the casualties have now been discharged with the exception of one child.
Two adults, including Ms Lucas, were also critically injured.
Ms Lucas, a former teacher at Churchtown Primary School, bundled children into a storage room to protect them from alleged killer, Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17.
In shielding children to protect them, she received the brunt of the attackers’ blows.
Ms Lucas’s cousin, Chris Rimmer, 41, said she has no recollection of the tragedy but the family have pieced together a sequence of events from accounts given by first responders at the scene.
BELFAST: Disorder continued last night in Northern Ireland, with this video showing a petrol bomb being hurled at police
PLYMOUTH: Police were out in force in Plymouth last night, where a rally turned ugly
ROTHERHAM: A police dog handler during the far-right demonstration outside the Holiday Inn Express
Riots spread from Southport across the country last week in horror scenes that have terrified communities
Mr Rimmer today told the BBC that the teacher would be ‘mad’ at the far-right riots triggered across the country by the Southport attacks.
He said: ‘I really don’t understand why it even occurred. And then to see more and more – Middlesborough, Newcastle – I don’t understand it. I really don’t.’
The GoFundMe appeal for Lucas has raised more than £12,000.
Ms Shahroodi wrote on the page: ‘Dear friends, family, and kind-hearted strangers, thank you so much for your well wishes, they mean the world to Leanne.
‘Our thoughts are with all the children and families who have been affected as well as our beloved Southport community.
‘We are reaching out to you today to raise funds on behalf of our dear friend Leanne, who demonstrated immense courage during the tragic event in Southport this past Monday.
‘As a result of the incident, Leanne has suffered serious injuries.
‘We want to ensure that she can focus on healing without the added stress of financial burdens and be able to receive any specialist support she needs. Leanne is a self-employed, dedicated and compassionate individual who will be ever so grateful for your support.’
Hundreds of families yesterday filled the Town Hall Gardens in Southport to blow ‘kisses to heaven’ in memory of the young girls killed in the attack.
Members of the local community were invited to come together and release bubbles.
Rudakubana, from Banks, Lancashire, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
