Football match cancelled and club opened for mourners after Southport stabbings

Southport FC have cancelled tonight’s match out of respect to those who “so tragically lost their lives” in a knife attack in the seaside town in which two children were killed and nine other people injured.

Six of the children and two of the adults who were attacked at Taylor Swift yoga and dance workshop in Hart Street are still in a critical condition in hospital.

The exact conditions of the three other children injured are not known – but they are all being treated in hospitals across Liverpool and Manchester, Merseyside Police said.

A 17-year-old boy from Banks in Lancashire was arrested and is being held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, the force added. An area in the village, which is outside Southport, was cordoned off by police on Monday.

Taylor Swift said she is “completely in shock” on Instagram, and that the “horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously”.

Southport FC was due to take on Morecambe FC in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday evening.

However, the club said in a post on X on Monday night: “Given the tragic events of today and following extensive engagement with relevant local stakeholders we have taken the decision to cancel tomorrow night’s pre-season friendly with Morecambe FC out of respect to those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to those who will be deeply impacted by this horrible tragedy.”

The club’s lounge is being opened between 10am and 3pm today “for those who wish to gather”, Southport FC added.

Labour MP for Southport Patrick Hurley also confirmed a vigil will take place in the town on Tuesday evening.

Local footballer Jordan Lussey offered free places on his football camp for any children distressed by the incident.

A cordon is still in place at the scene of the attack, where those killed and injured were attending the Taylor-Swift themed holiday club for six to 11-year-olds.

Tens of thousands have been raised by a “Swifties for Southport” JustGiving page launched by Taylor Swift fans.

The money will go to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where some of the victims are being treated and has been organised by the Taylor Swift UK & EU Facebook group.

Flowers and teddies have been left near the scene.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who laid flowers at the police cordon in Southport on Tuesday, described the incident as “utterly heartbreaking”.

The King and Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales were among those who sent their “deepest sympathies” and “love, thoughts and prayers” to the families of those affected.

Witnesses have told of their distress in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

Some described the attack as “like a horror movie”, and others spoke of hearing “screaming” and seeing bleeding children running from the incident.

One parent – who did not want to be named – said his daughter managed to escape.

“My daughter was in it and she was traumatised. She ran away and she’s safe,” he said.

Emergency services said the scene was “horrific” and “chaotic” as they arrived at the children’s club.

Police were called to reports of a knife attack at 11.47am on Monday morning.

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Merseyside Police’s Chief Constable Kennedy said when officers arrived they were “shocked to find” several children had been “subjected to a ferocious attack and had suffered serious injuries”.

She added: “It is understood that the children were attending a Taylor Swift event at a dance school when the offender, armed with a knife, walked into the premises and started to attack the children inside.”

The chief constable said the suspect’s motive is unclear at this stage but the investigation is not being treated as terror-related.

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