Hundreds of mourners have lined the streets of Southport for the first of three funerals for the young girls who were killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift dance class.
Dressed in white, Alice da Silva Aguiar’s parents Sergio and Alexandra were joined by up to 300 mourners at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Merseyside on Sunday, including the paramedics, police officers and firefighters who tried to save her life.
Following the service, Alice’s grieving family released a photo of the nine-year-old eagerly waiting to get into the Taylor Swift dance class on 29 July, smiling with a life-size cardboard cut-out of the singer in the doorway of the Hart Space studio on Hart Street.
In a tribute given at her funeral, Alice’s father Sergio and mother Alexandra described the nine-year-old as their “perfect dream child” and “beloved angel” and told of how she was dedicated to dance.
The youngster – who is pictured wearing leggings, trainers and a T-shirt with the slogan Vacay Vibes – was killed alongside Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, near the start of their summer holidays.
Key Points
- Hundreds gather to pay respects at funeral of Alice da Silva Aguiar in Southport
- Alice da Silva Aguiar’s parents pay tribute to their ‘perfect dream child’ at her funeral
- Alice, nine, pictured waiting for Taylor Swift dance class before stabbing
- Alice’s parents condemn UK riots that erupted in name of daughter, says Chief Constable
- Impact of riots to be felt for years, justice secretary warns
- Thousands turn out at anti-racist counter-protests held across UK
Hundreds line Southport streets for funeral of ‘dream child’ Alice da Silva Aguiar
23:00
Tara Cobham
Hundreds of mourners have lined the streets of Southport for the funeral of “dream child” Alice da Silva Aguiar who is one of three young girls killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift dance class.
In the first of three tragic funerals, emotional tributes were paid to the nine-year-old as her parents were joined by up to 300 members of family and friends at St Patrick’s Catholic Church on Sunday, including the paramedics, police officers and firefighters who tried to save her life.
Dressed in white, the nine-year-old’s father Sergio and mother Alexandra praised their “beloved angel” during the service, saying she was dedicated to dance and hoping for her to “keep dancing”, before later releasing a series of photographs of Alice, which included a number relating to her dancing passion.
Read the full report here:
Family of Alice da Silva Aguiar joined by emergency workers for nine-year-old’s funeral
22:00
Tara Cobham
Alice da Silva Aguia’s parents praised for courage in calling for riots to stop
21:00
Tara Cobham
The parents of nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar were praised by a senior police officer for their “courage” in calling for violent riots to stop after their daughter’s death.
Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, was among those who addressed mourners at Alice’s funeral at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Southport on Sunday.
She told of being “ashamed” that Alice’s father Sergio and mother Alexandra had to “consider” the violent disorder while planning the service, saying she hoped those involved are “hanging their head in shame”.
Ted Hennessey reports:
We are letting you go dancing now Alice, headteacher says in tearful tribute
19:00
Tara Cobham
Alice da Silva Aguiar’s headteacher has paid an emotional tribute to the nine-year-old at her funeral, tearfully saying “teach those angels a few dance moves”.
Jinnie Payne, Alice’s headteacher at Churchtown Primary School in Southport, listed the youngster’s smile and enthusiasm for life among her “seven qualities”.
Ms Payne read a poem about her pupil, called Here Comes Alice, in which she mentioned how Alice once decorated a teacher’s pointer to look like a magic wand.
Ted Hennessey reports:
Family release new pictures of ‘dream child’ Alice following funeral
18:13
Tara Cobham
Alice’s parents condemn UK riots that erupted in name of daughter, says Chief Constable
17:38
Tara Cobham
Alice da Silva Aguiar’s parents have condemned the riots that erupted on the streets of the UK in the name of their daughter following the nine-year-old’s killing.
Speaking at Alice’s funeral service in Southport on Sunday, Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, told the congregation: “You (Alice’s parents) have shown great courage in asking me to be here today to give a message from you, Alice’s family, to say that you do not want there to be any more violence on the streets of the United Kingdom in the name of your daughter.
“I am ashamed and I’m so sorry that you had to even consider this in the planning of the funeral of your beautiful daughter, Alice.
“And I hope that anyone who has taken part in the violent disorder on our streets over the past 13 days is hanging their head in shame at the pain that they have caused you, a grieving family.
“I know that you asked that there is no more violence and that you are now given time as a family to grieve in peace, and that our traumatised community is allowed time to heal, the time it needs to start to heal.”
Labour’s Southport MP Patrick Hurley said: “There are no adequate words to express the town’s shock and distress at the atrocity which befell Alice and the other little girls two weeks ago.”
Thanks for the efforts of the UK authorities in response to the tragedy were also offered by Sara Madruga da Costa on behalf of the Portuguese authorities.
Tributes paid to Alice whose smile was ‘more radiant than the sun'
17:22
Tara Cobham
Tributes have been paid to Alice da Silva Aguiar at her funeral service in Southport on Sunday, with the parish priest describing her smile as “more radiant than the sun”.
Fr John Heneghan also said Alice was a regular at Mass at St Patrick’s.
The youngster’s headteacher at Churchtown Primary School, Jinnie Payne, also listed Alice’s smile among her “seven qualities”.
She said: “Number one, to have a big smile. Not to smile big, there is a difference. Alice wore a natural smile every day, it wasn’t forced and it wasn’t put on. It was everywhere she went. It was her best friend.
“Number two, polite and respectful. Alice’s manners took her everywhere. She showed politeness, not just ‘thank you’, but always ‘thank you’ with a reason attached.
“Number three, to have interest in others, genuine interest and being inquisitive. Alice asked lots of questions and she remembered things about you. She remembered the names of your children, she remembered where you went on holiday, so you had to be very careful about what you told Alice.
“Number four, equality, I love this one. This has to be my favourite, how a child at such a young age could not favour one other friend over another. Friends, she played equally with them all. That is so hard to do, and she mastered it.
“(Number five), enthusiasm for life. Alice wanted to do everything there was on offer and she seized those opportunities and you (her parents) provided them for Alice.
“But along with those opportunities is number six. She did support and guide. So if she felt things weren’t up to her standard she would tell you, and she would then help you put it right.
“Finally, the number seven is family. Alice’s words, ‘it doesn’t matter who your family are as long as they love each other’, and Alice did that.”
Hundreds gather to pay respects at funeral of Alice da Silva Aguiar in Southport
17:16
Tara Cobham
Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of “dream child” Alice da Silva Aguiar, who was killed in a mass stabbing at a dance class in Southport.
The nine-year-old’s parents Sergio and Alexandra were joined by family and friends at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in the town.
Among those who also paid their respects were Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, along with uniformed officers from the police and the ambulance and fire services.
Members of the public lined Marshside Road as the funeral cortege arrived, along with about 30 uniformed police officers.
Pink ribbons and balloons were tied to lamp posts and garden walls.
Applause broke out as the carriage, drawn by two white horses sporting orange and white plumes and containing the youngster’s white coffin, approached the church entrance.
Several hundred people packed into the church while more listened outside as the service was relayed on loudspeakers.
Alice’s parents tell of ‘unimaginable pain’ of daughter ‘taken away from us too soon'
17:14
Tara Cobham
Alice da Silva Aguiar’s parents have told of the “unimaginable pain” of their nine-year-old daughter being “taken away from us too soon” at her funeral service in Southport.
Speaking at St Patrick’s Catholic Church on Sunday, her father Sergio and mother Alexandra said: “A day before your final struggle, mummy kept asking if you were okay. So much so that you and daddy asked ‘why?’
“A part of me wondered if I was being too British. But ultimately, I realised I always wanted to know that you were okay. Now, daddy feels sorry for mummy, she has seen things no human should.
“You were taken away from us too soon and we often ask why? Why here? Why us? Why you? We wonder if you ever thought of us. Called for us. We wondered if you felt any pain. We hope not my darling.
“We then question could this have been avoided? Could we have stopped it somehow… we will never get over this pain. We promise to get all the answers. Mummy has seen too much, and we need to know.
“We feel shocked, unimaginable pain, we miss you.
“From time to time, the pin drops. When mommy says ‘good night, Sergio, good night Alice’ and then it hits us all over again. We don’t hear you back.
“Moving forward will be hard. Some days are better than others, but none will be perfect. Some moments we are weak and we say wild things. But we made a promise to always be there for each other in moments of despair, a pinky promise.
“We share a strong bond and we’ll always have each other to rely on. We won’t be alone. We are surrounded by a wonderful community and their full support, family and friends, neighbours, work colleagues, the wonderful servicemen and women who serve the community, your school, your church and all your friends and their parents.
“We have the full support of the country and the privilege of multiplying that by two. For that, we’re thankful.
“For now, our beloved Angel, keep dancing, mummy and daddy will always, always love you.”
Alice da Silva Aguiar’s parents pay tribute to their ‘perfect dream child’ at her funeral
17:11
Tara Cobham
Alice da Silva Aguiar’s parents have described her as their “perfect dream child” and told of how she was dedicated to dance in a tribute given at her funeral service in Southport.
Speaking at St Patrick’s Catholic Church on Sunday, her father Sergio and mother Alexandra said that “everything was idyllic from the moment” the nine-year-old arrived.
They continued: “A good girl, with strong values and kind nature. A lover of animals and an environmentalist in the making. You moved our world with your confidence and empathy. Playful energetic, friendly, and always so respectful.
“A peacemaker of the playground. No shouting is a house rule you applied. A big task for a small girl, especially in a Portuguese household.
“Being around you was a privilege, we cherished every milestone. You completed us.
“In nine short years, we never needed time off from you. We never gave up our time for anything that didn’t involve you too. And if we did, we’d always do it separately so you could have one of us always next to you.”
They went on: “You were born and raised into love and we loved cuddling you every night for almost nine years. Apart from the sleepovers and nights away with your friends, we were never apart. You liked to sleep with mummy and daddy, enjoyed shutting the curtains and watching Disney Plus with popcorn. Our room was your comfort place. You were our comfort and peace.
“As you were growing up from a princess to a pre-teen, we began to notice some changes, seeing your independence take shape. From your skincare regime to playing with makeup, to your dedication to school, to dance and to your faith.
“Your to-do-list was extensive and we were sure that you would achieve it if only you had the time.
“We talked about which high school you might attend, about growing up, having a big house and a garden and having children. Children who we will never help you raise. It hurts. We will never see you grow up.”
In pictures: Emergency services attend Alice da Silva Aguiar’s funeral in Southport
16:58
Tara Cobham
Alice, nine, pictured waiting for Taylor Swift dance class before stabbing
16:32
Tara Cobham
A picture of Alice da Silva Aguiar eagerly waiting to get into the Taylor Swift-themed dance class where she was fatally stabbed has been released by her grieving family.
The nine-year-old is shown smiling with a life-size cardboard cut-out of the singer in the doorway of the Hart Space studio, in Hart Street, Southport.
The youngster – who is pictured wearing leggings, trainers and a T-shirt with the slogan Vacay Vibes – was just starting her school summer holidays.
She was dedicated to dance, her parents said in a tribute given at her funeral at St Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Southport, on Sunday.
Alice’s family also released a number of other images as well as some footage of the nine-year-old following the service.
Horse-drawn hearse carrying Alice da Silva Aguiar’s coffin leaves church after funeral
16:18
Tara Cobham
The horse-drawn hearse carrying the coffin of Alice da Silva Aguiar has left St Patrick's Church in Southport after her funeral.
The nine-year-old was killed alongside two other young girls in a knife attack at a dance class in Southport on 29 July.
Public order has stabilised, NPCC says
15:36
Alexander Butler
Public order has stabilised following a week of far-right unrest that engulfed the country after a stabbing attack in Southport.
“The situation in England, Scotland and Wales has somewhat stabilised over the last few days, but our colleagues in Northern Ireland have overnight experienced awful violence with significant injuries experienced by officers on the front line and we are doing all we can to support them,” the NPCC said.
Pictured: Mourners line streets
15:06
Alexander Butler
Emergency services attend funeral
14:42
Alexander Butler
Applause breaks out as carriage nears church
14:32
Alexander Butler
Applause broke out as the carriage – drawn by two white horses sporting orange and white plumes – containing the youngster’s white coffin approached the church entrance.
Several hundred people packed into the church while more listened outside as the service was relayed on loudspeakers.
Mourners gather for funeral of Southport victim Alice da Silva Aguiar
14:31
Alexander Butler
Hundreds of mourners have gathered for the funeral of nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, who was killed in a mass stabbing at a dance class in Southport.
Her parents Sergio and Alexandra were joined by family and friends at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in the town.
Among those who also gathered to pay their respects were Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, along with uniformed officers from the police and the ambulance and fire services.
Members of the public lined Marshside Road as the funeral cortege arrived, along with about 30 uniformed police officers. Pink ribbons and balloons were tied to lampposts and garden walls.
Pictured: Alice da Silva Aguiar’s funeral
14:27
Alexander Butler
Funeral for Alice da Silva Aguiar being held
14:24
Alexander Butler
The first of three funerals for the young girls fatally stabbed at a dance class in Southport nearly two weeks ago is taking place today.
Nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar is being laid to rest at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Merseyside, where her family were seen dressed in white carrying her coffin into the building.
Described as “amazing, caring and confident”, Alice was killed alongside Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, as they attended a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.
The service and cremation will be followed by a wake at Crossens Community Centre. Her family said both will be private events.
Watch: CCTV footage shows mosque in Newtownards getting petrol-bombed
13:54
Alexander Butler
Tory leadership hopeful James Cleverly tells Farage to choose between ‘serious politician or content creator’
13:30
Alexander Butler
Tory leadership hopeful James Cleverly has slammed Nigel Farage, telling him to choose between being a ‘serious politician or a social media content creator’.
The shadow home secretary accused the Reform UK leader of making statements designed to “generate traffic” as riots erupted across the country.
Mr Farage has been widely criticised for his claims of “two-tier policing”, echoing the language of a right-wing conspiracy theory, and his remarks about the Southport stabbings.
Cabinet minister insists rioters won’t be released early despite prison overcrowding
13:00
Alexander Butler
Rioters will not be freed early despite the chronic overcrowding in the UK’s prisons, a cabinet minister has said.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said they would not be included in the government’s release scheme.
The guarantee came as the Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood warned the impact of the violent scenes on the country’s streets would be felt in the criminal justice system “for months and years”.
Man charged for violent disorder in Bristol
12:27
Alexander Butler
Avon and Somerset Police said Jamie Easterbrook, 43, has been charged with committing violent disorder after he was arrested at his Bristol home on Saturday night.
The force said he remains in police custody until he appears at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Police said 21 people have now been arrested in connection with disorder in Bristol on August 3 and nine have been charged.
Watch: Police attacked with petrol bombs during clashes in Londonderry
11:59
Alexander Butler
Calls to end racially motivated hate crimes after mosque attacked
11:27
Alexander Butler
There have been calls for an end to racially motivated hate crimes after a mosque was attacked over the weekend.
A petrol bomb was thrown at the mosque in Co Down in the early hours of Saturday, while cars were set alight in Belfast, in incidents described by police as racially motivated hate crimes.
The mosque in Newtownards was attacked at around 1am on Saturday, with graffiti sprayed on the front door and walls of the building in Greenwell Street.
Police said the petrol bomb did not ignite. Alistair Cathcart, mayor of Ards and North Down, said the mosque has been in Ards for more than 20 years.
“Its members are our neighbours, friends and colleagues,” he added.
“It is a great relief that the nobody was hurt. There is no justification for racism, violence and intimidation in our communities and like others I would call for it to stop.”
Northumbria Police to ‘relentlessly pursue’ suspects
11:03
Alexander Butler
Northumbria Police will “relentlessly pursue” suspects involved in widespread violence that swept the North East, the force warned.
“I’m sure we’re making it extremely clear by now that we will relentlessly pursue offenders who were involved – as we’ve managed to secure nearly a dozen convictions in a matter of days,” Detective Chief Inspector Graeme Barr said.
“As a force, we are prepared to use every avenue available to us to ensure we identify perpetrators and put them where they belong – before the courts.”
Funeral to be held for nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar who was killed in stabbings
10:50
Alexander Butler
The first of three funerals for the young girls fatally stabbed at a dance classin Southport nearly two weeks ago will take place today.
Nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar will be laid to rest at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Merseyside at 2pm.
Described as “amazing, caring and confident”, Alice was killed alongsideBebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, as they attended a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.
The service and cremation will be followed by a wake at Crossens Community Centre. Her family said both will be private events.
Man arrested over threatening social media video
09:48
Alexander Butler
West Midlands Police (WMP) say they have made an arrest after a video was circulated on social media of a man suspected of making threats to kill.
The force said the video was brought to their attention and officers identified the location and arrested a 30-year-old man in Sparkbrook, Birmingham, on Saturday evening.
“We take swift and effective action against anyone who feels that they can use social media to stir racial hatred or to encourage people to cause violence or take actions into their own hands,” WMP said.
“We would like to thank the public for making us aware of the video and want to reassure people that action has been taken.
“We will not tolerate violence in our towns and cities, or tolerate those who use social media to encourage such violence.
“Our commitment to the safety of all residents remains unwavering and we will continue to work closely with the community to uphold peace and maintain order.”
Minister warns justice system will feel impact of riots for years as offenders risk up to a decade in jail
09:24
Alexander Butler
The impact of the appalling scenes on the country’s streets will be felt in the criminal justice system “for months and years”, a cabinet minister has warned.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the riots would set back Labour’s plans to fix the system, already struggling with a huge backlog of court cases and overcrowding in prisons.
She said the Ministry of Justice has risen to the challenge of “bringing rapid charges against … thugs and hooligans”, in recent days.
Read more here:
Specialist police hunt hundreds of online influencers
09:22
Alexander Butler
Specialist police units are hunting hundreds of online offenders and “so-called influencers” for spreading hate and inciting violence during riots that swept the country.
Teams from across the country working as part of the national network of Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs) have confirmed they are investigating hundreds of leads, the NPCC said.
“It was the result of dozens of so-called influencers, exploiting the outpouring of grief from the tragic loss of three young girls in Southport.
“They knowingly spread misinformation, stoked the flames of hatred and division and incited violence from the comfort of their own homes – causing chaos on other people’s doorsteps,” Chief Constable Chris Haward warned.
Recap: Thousands turn out at anti-racist counter-protests to ‘stop the far right’ across the UK
09:18
Alexander Butler
Thousands of people have responded to a rallying cry to “stop the far right”, turning out at anti-racist counter-protests being held across the UK for a national day of protest.
Anti-fascist group Stand Up to Racism called for demonstrations to take place across the country on Saturday, with huge crowds gathering in towns and cities such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff, following more than a week of nationwide far-right riots.
The police had been braced for further violence ahead of the weekend, but the far-right were outnumbered by anti-racists where they did turn up, according to Stand Up to Racism, with more than 50 rallies taking place nationwide.
Pictured: Police clash in Londonderry as petrol bombs
09:08
Alexander Butler
Petrol bombs thrown in Northern Ireland
08:28
Alexander Butler
Ten police officers have been injured after petrol bombs were thrown during violent disorder in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
The violence - understood to be carried out by nationalist youths - broke out on Saturday afternoon at the end of the Apprentice Boys of Derry parade with people also throwing fireworks and masonry.
William Calderwood, the Superintendent of Derry City and Strabane, called the incident “disgusting”and promised “a robust investigation is underway to bring all those responsible for this violence to justice”.
Afghan asylum seeker ‘lost’ after Rotherham hotel attack
08:04
Alexander Butler
An Afghan asylum seeker who was inside a hotel targeted by rioters said people are “traumatised” by what happened and described feeling “lost” when it comes to what his future might hold in the UK.
The 29-year-old was in the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham when people smashed the windows of the building before starting fires.
Masked men hurled wood, chairs and bottles with some spraying fire extinguishers at police officers amid the 700-strong crowd, and at least 10 officers were injured, with one knocked unconscious.
The asylum seeker, who did not want to be identified amid concerns for his safety, said the trouble had been preceded a day earlier with people passing by the hotel and shouting “F*** you! Rwanda! Go to your country!”
The man, who had been in the hotel for two months while he awaits his asylum claim being processed, described the fear and panic when the attack began.
He said: “They entered from the back/kitchen to the dining area and broke the windows from the inside. From the inside they threw chairs and tables onto the police and were throwing other things at the police.
“And then they started the fire. People were really scared inside the hotel.I am pretty sure most of the people who were in the hotel are still in a kind of panic,” he said.
“They are traumatised, they are not in a good situation.”
Southport victim’s funeral to take place today
07:45
Alexander Butler
The first of three funerals for the young girl’s fatally stabbed at a dance class in Southport nearly two weeks ago will take place today.
Nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar will be laid to rest at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Merseyside at 2pm later today.
Described as “amazing, caring and confident”, Alice was killed alongside Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
Suspect Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, has been charged three counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder in connection with the tragedy.
Impact of riots to be felt for years, justice secretary warns
07:24
Alexander Butler
The impact of far-right violence that engulfed the country last week will be felt for years to come, the justice secretary warned.
Condemning “thugs and hooligans”, Shabana Mahmood said rebuilding the justice system would now be made harder, with the impact of riots lasting for years.
“The impact of these days of disorder will be felt for months and years to come. They make the job of rebuilding the justice system harder,” Ms Mahmood wrote in The Observer.
Thousands turn out at anti-racist counter-protests to ‘stop the far-right’ across the UK
07:00
Tara Cobham
Thousands of people have responded to a rallying cry to “stop the far-right”, turning out at anti-racist counter-protests being held across the UK for a national day of protest.
Anti-fascist group Stand Up to Racism called for around 45 demonstrations to take place across the country on Saturday, with huge crowds gathering in towns and cities such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff, following more than a week of nationwide far-right riots.
With police braced for further violence ahead of the weekend, the far-right ended up being outnumbered by anti-racists everywhere, according to Stand Up to Racism, with more than 50 rallies where the far-right did not appear at all taking place nationwide.
Read the full report here:
