Southport was sent reeling by the horrific killing of three young girls and the violent disturbance that followed. But in the wake of the tragic events, the community has come together in a spirit of solidarity, empathy and love.
Children in Southport have returned to school this month knowing three of their fellow pupils will no longer be there.
The horrific attack in Churchtown which claimed the lives of three young girls at a summer holiday dance event left a town heartbroken. And the violence that erupted on the streets the following day compounded the feelings of shock and disgust.
But amid the tears and the trauma, there have been countless examples across the town of kindness, support and solidarity.
When we returned for this month’s magazine, after the tragic deaths of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar, the atmosphere around town was understandably very different.
We spoke to a lot of people – some agreed to appear in print, others did not, but all were adamant that these horrific incidents will not be allowed to define Southport.
‘This isn’t what Southport is about,’ said a mum we met outside the Atkinson with her young daughter. ‘I shouldn’t be here putting flowers down for those three young girls. We shouldn’t have had to hide inside when those people were fighting and starting fires.
‘But look how many people have come here. See how many were at the vigil. See how everyone came out to clear up after the riot. That’s what Southport is about.’
‘Love will always conquer,’ said Julie who travelled from her home in Liverpool and spent nine hours a day for days on end to help look after the floral tributes on Lord Street.
‘I saw the news and I was horrified and just wanted to do whatever I could to help. The grief this town is feeling is overwhelming but there is so much love here.’
No-one knows the positive things about Southport quite like Andrew Brown. The journalist launched Stand Up For Southport a decade ago to celebrate good news around the town.
A veteran of Southport media, his site is dedicated to sharing positive news but since the attack, he has faced the heartbreak of having to explain the tragedy to his young daughter who attends the same school as one of the girls who was killed.
‘I was in Ainsdale on that Monday afternoon with the Britain in Bloom judges. It was a beautiful day,’ he said. ‘After that I went into town and took some pictures of boats on the Marine Lake and people enjoying Southport in the sun but I never posted those pictures.
‘When I got home I received a message from a friend saying some children had been stabbed. I thought “That can’t be right” but then more messages started coming through and there was so much speculation.
‘There was just a feeling of numbness. It’s been like living through a nightmare ever since. It’s hard to believe it’s real.
‘There is a real concern that people will think Southport isn’t safe and be put off coming but we have nine million visitors a year and this is such a safe, welcoming, friendly and diverse town.
‘But now people searching Southport online will see a very different picture and everyone in Southport has a responsibility to share positive things about the town.
‘I set up Stand Up For Southport as a community news site to present the good side of Southport.
‘This is a small town where everyone know someone who has been affected. My eight-year-old daughter goes to the same as one of the girls who was killed. I took her to the remembrance garden and she asked my why it happened. It’s the sort of conversation no parent ever wants to have, especially about their home town and people they know.
‘You want them to keep their innocence. It has been very difficult for families across Southport to rationalise what went on and to explain to their children.’
And he added: ‘So many people have wanted to show their love and support and have wanted to do something – we saw that in the numbers who were out tidying up and repairing things after the violence. One act of evil has been followed by thousands of acts of kindness. There does seem to be a different atmosphere around the town – there is a sense that we are all here for one another.’
Rev Martin Abrams delivered the vigil from the town hall steps the day after the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event.
In 30 years as a minister he has experienced nothing quite like the town-wide shock and grief that Southport is now living with.
He now works as a hospital chaplain at Southport and Formby District General Hospital and he said: ‘I have seen tragedy before but this has been different. The atmosphere around the hospital and around the town after the attack was one of numbness
‘I thought maybe there would be 50 or 100 people at the vigil and I put together something to say very quickly. I hadn’t processed how much media interest there would be and I had no idea there would be so many people there.
‘Southport is not used to that level of media focus and nothing can prepare you for dealing with something like this. You just have to rely on your own resources.
‘The overwhelming thing about the vigil was how impeccably those thousands of people observed the minute’s silence. That was one of the most moving things I have encountered – the quality of Southport shone through there.
‘It’s impossible for a community to know how to express its feelings at a time like this – people have wanted to pay respects and to come together.
‘In what happened to those girls and what followed with the rioting we saw the very worst of humanity but we saw the very best of humanity when the community came together.
‘Something like this makes you feel a bit more vulnerable and makes you treasure those you have who are precious to you.
‘The way people came together to re-build walls and fix what had been broken and show solidarity with the Muslim community here and everyone else who was affected and the overwhelming desire to be kind and supportive didn’t surprise me, but it heartened me. ‘
And fellow hospital chaplain Jan Fraser added: ‘People talk about six degrees of separation but in a town like Southport there are just three degrees. Everyone seems to know someone who has been affected.
‘So many people were touched by this tragedy but there has been a fantastic response from people and businesses across the town. That humanity, support, care and decency is bringing the town together.’
Lancashire Life columnist Kerri Cunningham has created a special artwork in the wake of the tragedy. All profits from sales of the print – which is available at Tiny Treasures of Churchtown – will go towards the Southport Swifties in partnership with the Alder Hey fund. Kerri, who works under the name Murphy’s Sketches, said: ‘I just wanted to do whatever I could to help. It was such an awful thing to happen but the people of Southport are wonderful and they have really pulled together.’
Solace through song
A Southport singer-songwriter is bringing together musicians from across the town to record a charity single to raise money for the families of the stabbing victims.
Jenny Wren has written a song called Dancing in the Stars which will be recorded by a group called Southport Sings.
Jenny, a part-time primary school teacher in two Southport schools who also works for the schools’ music service, has previously written two charity songs – one for NHS workers during Covid and one in support of musicians during the pandemic.
The mum-of-two said: ‘I wrote the song as a way of trying to understand the emotions – I was just trying to put into words what we were all going through. I co-wrote the lyrics with a friend and then reached out to see if musicians would like to be involved.
‘The response was overwhelming but it didn’t surprise me at all. Southport isn’t a small town but it’s very close knit and everyone knows someone connected with the tragedy and everyone has been very keen to help.
‘We have more than 100 musicians and vocalists who have expressed an interest and we want to get local choirs and community groups involved as well. It’s important to me that it’s a local project.
‘It’s a musical message of unity – we are all in this together and we all need to support each other through the grief and show that we are standing with the families who have been directly affected.’
And she added: ‘People are upset at the thought that the riot and the violence are what will be remembered. The response the morning after was phenomenal – there was a real sense that people were saying “Not in our town” and wanted it cleared up quickly so we can all try to move forward.
‘The image of Southport that has been portrayed in the national media isn’t right. Southport has always been a very safe town. I have two teenage children and I wanted them to grow up here – it's a fantastic place and I am sure it will continue to be.’
