Taylor Swift fans have raised more than £100,000 for the children’s hospital where the young victims of the Southport stabbing were rushed to yesterday afternoon.
Three little girls have now died while five others remain in a critical condition following the horrific attack that took place as they attended a dance class themed around the American superstar’s songs.
Merseyside Police confirmed this morning that a 17-year-old boy remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder and is being questioned following the incident.
Reacting to the news, Swift posted an emotional message this morning where she said she was in complete ‘shock’ over the ‘loss of life and announce, and the horrendous trauma on everyone who was there’.
Now her fanbase, known as Swifties, have begun a fundraiser for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, where many of the youngsters were airlifted to after yesterday’s tragedy.
Earlier today, ‘happy smiley’ Alice Aguiar, nine, was named after she died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday following the attack
Mourners lay followers in Southport after three little girls died and others were injured
‘Swifties for Soutport’ has raised more than £131,000 by 3.30pm today on a Just Giving Site
More than £131, 000 had been raised at 3.30pm today on a Just Giving site called ‘Swifties for Southport’, which was created for those affected.
It comes as the three young girls who sadly died have been named. Bebe King, six, was pronounced dead shortly after the attack. Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was also confirmed to have died on Monday.
And earlier today, ‘happy smiley’ Alice Aguiar, nine, was named after she died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday.
Cristina Jones, from Trowbridge in Wiltshire and Holly Goldring from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, started the JustGiving page to ease the ‘financial burden’ on the families involved.
‘What compelled us was we were thinking about the fact that these families are going through just unimaginable hell right now,’ Ms Jones said. ‘It feels really nice we’ve done something really positive.
‘I firmly believe there’s nothing we can do to make the families feel better because of what they’re going through right now, but if we’ve taken some sort of burden from them, financial or whatever, it’s nice to know that we’ve done what we can do.’
Ms Jones added she is ‘thinking of them and we’re praying for them’ and confirmed all proceeds will go directly to Alder Hey Children’s Charity, in honour of the hospital where the victims are being treated.
‘We just couldn’t sit back and allow more stress onto two families that are going through the worst possible thing you could go through,’ she explained.
‘We have no intentions of reaching out to the families ourselves – it will be Alder Hey who will help in terms of the family getting money, we will keep a respectable distance.’
Swift posted an emotional message this morning where she said she was in complete ‘shock’ over the ‘loss of life and announce, and the horrendous trauma on everyone who was there’
Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was also confirmed to have died on Monday as nine other children and two adult women were rushed to hospital
Six-year-old Bebe King was pronounced dead shortly after the attack in Southport on Monday
Ms Jones said it was ‘really lovely’ to see Swift share a statement: ‘She’s bringing it to attention and letting the families know she’s well aware and is thinking of them.’
Meanwhile, Ms Goldring, 27, said it is ‘within Swifties nature to care and love and support each other’.
The sales manager hopes the fundraiser can offer the family ‘an ounce of comfort’ through the ‘utter turmoil’ of losing their children to Monday’s knife attack.
‘The last thing a family should be worrying about is the how they’re doing to pay for the funeral of their little girl,’ Ms Goldring said.
‘It’s giving the families that relief in a time of complete and utter turmoil. It’s their living nightmare and just knowing they have an entire community standing behind them.
‘We are just sending all of our love, and we are so incredibly sorry for what has happened. Nothing can change what happened , but we just hope that this provides even an ounce of comfort.’
Responding to the stabbing, Swift took her social media accounts to share her condolences to the family’s of the children who lost their lives and those injured.
‘The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I’m just completely in shock,’ she wrote on Instagram today.
Cristina Jones, from Trowbridge in Wiltshire and Holly Goldring (pictured) from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, started the JustGiving page to ease the ‘financial burden’ on the families involved
‘What compelled us was we were thinking about the fact that these families are going through just unimaginable hell right now,’ Ms Jones (pictured) said
Ms Goldring, 27, (pictured at a Swift concert) said it is ‘within Swifties nature to care and love and support each other’
Taylor Swift said she is ‘completely in shock’ after the ‘horror’ of the Southport knife attack
The attack happened at a Taylor Swift themed yoga and dance workshop
‘The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, and first responders.
‘These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.’
Along with the children who were harmed while attending Swift themed yoga and dance workshop two women were also injured after bravely trying to protect them.
Brave Leanne Lucas, 35, who organised the yoga and bracelet making class is among the victims fighting for her life in hospital after the ‘ferocious attack’. She helped save 16 children from the 25-strong class alongside her co-organiser Heidi Barlow.
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 deadly stabbings have said.
Today, flowers, cuddly toys and cards were left at the scene on Hart Street in tribute to the victims.
Amongst those were Swift themed friendship bracelet – often traded at her concert – with the names of her songs written on them.
Brave Leanne Lucas, 35, (pictured) who organised the Taylor Swift-themed workshop, suffered stab injuries after the man entered the venue through the unlocked door, which was left open amid the scorching heat
Floral tributes near the scene in Hart Street, Southport, where two children died and nine were injured in a ‘ferocious’ knife attack
Firefighters from Merseyside joined members of the public in paying tribute to those killed and injured in the stabbings
As well as the Swift fundraiser, children’s entertainer Richard Townes, from Southport, has set up a GoFundMe for families affected by Monday’s knife attack.
A father to a young child, he said parents in the area are now ‘terrified’ of sending their children to summer groups.
‘This is the worst tragedy to happen in Southport’s history, as far as I’m aware,’ the 39-year-old born in Southport said. ‘Everyone has been affected in some way, shape or form – everyone knows someone impacted.
‘This is supposed to be the start of the summer holidays and parents in WhatsApp groups are now terrified of sending their children to summer clubs.
‘I have a five-year-old daughter who could have just as easily been at the class – I feel helpless and like I can’t do anything.
‘This fundraiser is the only thing I can do to help, I want to raise some money to help reduce the financial implications for the families involved.’
Another GoFundMe has also been set up for the family of little Alice, raising £2,360 so far.
