Southport stabbing latest updates: King Charles says he is ‘profoundly shocked’ after two children are killed and 11 other people injured in knife attack at Taylor Swift dance event

• Two children have been tragically been killed
• A total of 11 people stabbed – nine children and two adults
• Six of the children and both adults – who were bravely trying to protect the kids – are in a critical condition.
• A 17-year-old boy, originally from Cardiff but living in Banks, Lancashire, was arrested in connection to the Southport attack and is in police custody.
• ‘Ferocious’ knife attack took place at at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop
• The force said that the incident was not being treated as ‘terror-related’ and that they are ‘not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident’.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have sent ‘love, thoughts and prayers’ to the victims of the ‘heinous’ attack in Southport.

In a statement, the royal couple said: ‘As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through.’

Rebecca Armstrong, who laid flowers at the scene of the incident, told the Liverpool Echo: ‘I felt I had to come here. We had to show we care for the kids and their families. That we’re also suffering. It’s heartbreaking.’

Sisters, Kayla and Belinda also went to lay flowers and pay their respects.

Belinda said: ‘When I heard what happened I was in absolute shock. I had to stop what I was doing at work and get home. I couldn’t focus. Those poor kids. It’s beyond belief.’

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell spoke to the Liverpool Echo about today’s attack.

She said: ‘It’s been hard to find the words to react to what’s happened. It’s obviously an incredibly distressing incident.

‘My heart goes out to all the families and friends, and the whole community who are going to be deeply affected by what’s happened today.’

Dave Kitchin, Head of Operations for North West Ambulance Service read out the following statement at this evening’s press conference:

‘We would like to offer our sincere condolences to those families who have tragically lost loved ones today and the wider community. Our thoughts are with you.

‘I can confirm that we were called to Hart Street in Southport just before lunchtime today to an incident of reported multiple stabbings.

‘We declared this as a major incident due to the number of casualties and types of injuries sustained. A substantial number of ambulances and specialised resources were dispatched to the scene, including our Hazardous Area Response Team, air ambulance and merit doctors.

‘Tragically, we can confirm that sadly two lives have been cut short. We treated 11 casualties on scene who were conveyed by emergency ambulance and helimed to Alder Hey and Royal Manchester Children’s hospitals, along with Aintree, Southport and Formby District General and Ormskirk General hospitals.

‘I would like to thank our staff who worked incredibly hard caring for the victims, in what was a devastating scene. We would like to also thank our blue light and NHS colleagues for all their support during this incident.

‘Again, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the loved ones of those affected. No doubt this incident will have a lasting impact on the whole community and our thoughts are very much with them at this difficult time.’

In a statement made this evening, the King said: ‘My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport today.

‘We send our most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack.’

Councillor Marion Atkinson, Leader of Sefton Council, said in a statement: ‘We are deeply shocked and saddened at the tragic events, which unfolded earlier today. Our thoughts are with all the victims of this attack and their families.

‘I’d like to thank all those who responded to the incident and helped in any way they could in what must have been extremely difficult circumstances.

‘We know this has caused concern and upset in the local community and while there is no immediate threat to the public we will be providing help and support in the coming days and weeks.

‘We are working closely with our partners, including the police, and further updates will be issued in due course. We’d ask people not to speculate on social media as this may hamper the investigation and any future court proceedings and provide further distress to those affected.’

Liverpool FC and Everton FC have come together to send their support to those affected by a mass stabbing in Southport.

The two football clubs posted on X: ‘Everton and Liverpool Football Clubs come together to send our love and support to all those affected by today’s tragic events in Southport. You are in our thoughts and prayers.’

‘It is with great sadness that today I am here to advise that two young children have died as a result of injuries sustained in a knife attack this morning.

‘Nine other children have been injured, and six of them are in a critical condition, all those injured have suffered stab wounds sustained during the attack. Two adults are also in a critical condition after being injured during the incident.

‘A 17-year-old male from Banks in Lancashire, who is originally from Cardiff, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and has been taken to a police station where he will be interviewed by detectives.

‘My officers were called to reports of a stabbing at 11.47am at an address Southport. When they arrived they were shocked to find that multiple people, many of whom were children, had been subjected to a ferocious attack and had suffered serious injuries.

‘It is understood that the children were attending a Taylor Swift event at a dance school when the offender, who was armed with a knife, walked into the premises and started to attack those inside. We believe that the adults who were injured were trying to protect the children at the time they were attacked.

‘As a mum of two daughters, and the nanna of a five-year-old granddaughter, I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering the families of the victims are currently going through and I want to send them our heartfelt condolences and sympathies.

‘Our specialist Family Liaison Officers are providing support to the families at this terrible time.

‘I would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything, or who has information that could help our investigation or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

‘Anyone who has been affected by this incident, can contact our Victim Care Merseyside service for help and support. Our hub of local, trained staff is here to provide free, emotional and practical support tailored to your needs.

‘You can contact Victim Care Merseyside for help whether you have reported a crime to the police or not by calling Freephone 0808 175 3080 on weekdays between 8am and 6pm or request support online at any time at www.victimcaremerseyside.org.’

Speaking during this evening’s press conference, Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said: ‘As a mum and a nanna, I can’t begin to imagine the pain and suffering that the families of the victims are going through at this moment in time.

‘I wish to send my heartfelt condolences to them.’

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said the children attacked in Southport had been attending a Taylor Swift event at a dance hall.

Two adults were also injured in the stabbings and Ms Kennedy said they had tried to protect the children.

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

‘We believe that the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked.’

In a press conference this evening, police confirmed that there were a total of 11 people stabbed – nine children and two adults.

Six of the children and both adults – who were bravely trying to protect the kids – are in a critical condition.

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy saying: ‘We believe that the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked’

Merseyside Police confirmed that a 17-year-old boy, originally from Cardiff but living in Banks, Lancashire, was arrested in connection to the Southport attack and is in police custody.

The force said that the incident was not being treated as ‘terror-related’ and that they are ‘not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident’.

Two children have died and nine have been injured, including six who are in a critical condition, following the stabbings in Southport.

Two adults are also in a critical coniditon.

A 17-year-old boy, from the nearby village of Banks in Lancashire, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Local resident Joanne Newman said her elder daughter – who had been taking her younger sister to a friend’s house – heard a ‘sinister scream’ around the same time of the stabbing.

She told BBC News: ‘She said she heard quite a sinister scream and literally she’d got back from taking my daughter – we don’t know roughly what time it was but it was similar timing, and then all the commotion had gone on, so looking back at the timescales that potentially could have been – but she said it was a very untoward, unusual scream, so we don’t know.’

Merseyside Police will hold a press conference on the Southport stabbings at 6.30pm.

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, MFRS Chief Fire Officer Phil Garrigan and NWAS Cheshire and Merseyside Head of Service Dave Kitchin will be speaking to media.

Police have cordoned off a street with officers stationed outside a house in the village of Banks, about three miles from the stabbing incident.

It is not yet clear if the two incidents are linked.

Two police cars are stationed on Old School Close, with more police vehicles and officers behind the cordon.

Locals said Matrix police, the armed unit of Merseyside Police, descended on the address shortly after the incident in Southport.

A helicopter is reportedly still circling in the area and the road remains closed off

A local resident said she left work immediately to check on her daughters when she heard news of the attack in Southport, adding that parents have been checking in with one another.

Joanne Newman told BBC News: ‘I got a call from a very, very good friend of mine, I was in work completely oblivious to it and as soon as she told me I literally ran out of work.

‘I don’t know how I managed to drive back to be fair – my priority was just my girls, my girls, my girls.’

‘I knew my eldest daughter was taking her to a friend’s house and I’m just so thankful to God that they’re safe.’

She continued: ‘Nobody can believe it, all the local mums have checked in with one another – I’m sure we’re all going to know somebody from that awful, that poor group. But the parents I checked in on, my girls and I just ran to the crowd because I just thought, you put your NHS head on don’t you?

‘The mother that I was just consoling, just the look on her face because she knew something had happened to her child, it’s like ‘oh my gosh’, how do you even comprehend – there’s nothing you can do.’

Police have confirmed that a 17-year-old male has been arrested in connection to the stabbing in Southport this morning.

The teenager remains in police custody and will be questioned about the incident.

The force say enquiries are ongoing to establish the motive for this incident and urges people not to speculate while their investigation is ongoing.

Merseyside Police also confirmed the incident is not being treated as terror-related and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Shocked neighbours at the scene on Tithebarne Road have said they ‘can’t believe’ what has happened this afternoon.

One woman described it as ‘bedlam’, telling the Liverpool Echo: ‘I’ve lived here 37 years and can’t believe it. We never see police here. It’s a safe area.’

The Bishop of Liverpool has released a statement reacting to the stabbing of at least seven people in Southport.

Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop of Liverpool, said: ‘Like so many, I am shocked and saddened by the news from Southport. My prayers are, and will remain, with all those affected by this tragedy.

‘I am deeply grateful for the quick response of all the emergency services and pray for all those called to care for the victims and support those affected by this incident.

‘I know events such as this are unsettling for the community and I pray for peace, calm and reassurance for all affected.’

The Liverpool ECHO are reporting that a home on Old School Close in Banks – on the outskirts of Southport.

The house cordoned off by multiple police officers is a 15 minute drive away from Hart Street. The Liverpool ECHO reports that this operation is in connection with the Southport stabbing.

Eyewitnesses have recalled the traumatic events that unfolded on the streets of Southport this afternoon.

A man working on a nearby house said: ‘I heard the kids playing and then I heard swearing and shouting. I came outside to see what was happening – I thought it was a fight. I’ve heard two different screams and mothers crying. These things will live with you forever.’

Alaina Riley, 18, told the Liverpool Echo: ‘Those kids will be traumatised for life. They went to go for a Taylor Swift workshop. Those kids are on holiday – they’re living their lives and doing what they love to do.

‘My thoughts go out to the kids and their families. It’s horrific to hear. The local community will be devastated. Knife crime is a big thing now. A man has gone out and ruined those kids lives.’

Locals in Southport are working together to coodinate donations of food and water for the victims’ families.

Speaking to the BBC Dave, a man who lives in the area, said supermarket staff were paying for stock with their own money to to make sure families had enough.

He said: ‘I saw the news and I knew immediately I had to help.

‘Things like this never happen in Southport and I think we’re all in shock. We just wanted to do something to help.’

This follows reports from an eyewitness that a neighbour living nearby took 10 children in off the street to safety.

The eyewitness told Radio 5 LIVE: ‘The community was coming together, everyone was trying to help. ‘Everyone was trying to save the young kids.’

One child has reportedly been killed and at least seven others have been injured after a mass knife attack in Southport.

Merseyside Police are yet to issue any update following a statement just after 1pm but here’s everything you need to know.

• One child was reportedly killed and at least seven others injured after a knifeman attacked children taking part in a Taylor Swift-themed workshop in Southport.
• Armed police have detained a man and seized a knife following reports of a stabbing at around 11.50am in Hart Street
• Alder Hey Children’s Hospital has declared a major incident with parents told to only bring their children if they require urgent care.
• Horrified witnesses told how neighbours and paramedics were left in tears as a sea of emergency vehicles cordoned off the road.
• Sir Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper have released statements and are receiving regular updates on the attack.

One resident, who lives on Hart Street but did not want to be named, said he was at home about midday when a woman pulled up outside in her car, screaming.

She was screaming ‘my daughter’s been stabbed’.

The woman was in hysterics. Then two police cars rushed up the street the other way. It was a mum with her 10-year-old daughter who had been stabbed.

He said he helped the mother get to where the police cars and ambulances were.

She didn’t look great but my focus was on getting her back up the street to get help.

When I got back up the street there were a couple of kids on the floor being seen to by paramedics and, as I came back, more police cars were going down and more ambulances gradually started to arrive.

Employees at Hart Space where a knifeman attacked at least eight children, reportedly killing one of them, has been described as a ‘lovely and relaxing’ space by one of its workers.

The unnamed employee said the front door to the property was usually left unlocked as there was no other way out of the address in case of a fire.

We’ve just been told that the door was open downstairs but it’s always open because there’s no alternative exit from that room. There’s no fire door.

Also we have to keep it open as the children want to go to the toilet constantly and it’s just outside the door – the toilets. t’s a lock with a key – you’d have to keep all the kids locked in with a key.

The Hart Space is the most lovely, lovely relaxing place. Usually, it’s for babies. It’s a holistic kind of thing – for yoga and all that type of thing. For babies and pregnant women.

The mayor of Liverpool has asked the public not to spread false information and wait for official updates as the horrifying incident continues to unfold.

In the last hour, Steve Rotheram posted this statement on X.

by Chris Matthews and Emily Jane-Davies

One child is reportedly dead and at least seven other people injured after a knifeman rampaged through a Taylor Swift-themed children’s workshop in Southport.

Armed police officers swooped on Hart Street in Merseyside, at 11.50am this morning after the stabbing spree at the children’s dance and yoga workshop which locals said is usually the ‘most lovely, lovely relaxing place’.

Merseyside Police officers detained a man and seized a knife after the attack. The force urged people to avoid the area but said there was ‘no wider threat’ to the public.

The spree left one child dead, the Liverpool Echo reported. Around 25 youngsters were believed to have been taking part in the event when the horror unfolded at the hypnobirthing centre.

Eyewitnesses said they saw a hooded man arrive in a taxi with a knife before the attack which left children running from the building following the horrific ordeal, with people on the street ‘in tears’.

An onlooker has described how he saw a group of injured children running from the holiday club after a mass stabbing in Southport.

Eye-witness Bare Varathan, 35, who owns a corner shop on Hart Street, said he was called by a staff member who told him, ‘Boss, get to the shop!’

I saw seven to ten kids outside the nursery. They were injured, bleeding. They were in the road, running from the nursery.

They were all aged about ten. One of them was really seriously injured.

I hope they will be OK. Only two police jeeps and ambulances arrived, then armed police came and took him out of the nursery.

Somebody told me he had arrived in a taxi and had a knife.

We can now bring you Yvette Cooper’s remarks from Parliament as she updates MPs on the latest situation in Southport.

Ms Cooper said she is in contact with the Merseyside police and crime commissioner Emily Spurrell.

A staff member at the Hart Space, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she heard from onlookers that children had been spotted running from the building covered in blood following the horrific ordeal.

The knife attack had taken place during a Taylor Swift-themed workshop at a summer holiday club.

The staff member told SWNS press agency:

There were probably 25 children there because that’s the max we have there and they had reached the max.

“I don’t even know if the teachers are ok, they posted the other day that they were full for this Taylor Swift holiday club this morning. The police had said [to me] there was one deceased.

When I got there, there was a guy who was absolutely distraught, in a mess. He’d seen two children run out of The Hart Space, and he thought they had got hit by a car because the car was just full of blood at the side of the car.

But it was actually that the children who had been stabbed had fallen into the car.

The major incident was declared after a child was killed during a stabbing frenzy at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop at summer holiday club, it has been reported.

The unnamed child was among eight people stabbed at the event being held for primary school children at The Hart Space in Southport, Merseyside.

Around 25 youngsters were believed to have been taking part in the event when the horror unfolded at the hypnobirthing centre in the street around 11.50am.

The business runs kids clubs during the holidays allowing children to take part in dance and craft classes.

Forensic investigators have been pictured at the scene of a major incident in Southport where at least eight people, including children, have been stabbed.

Local media are reporting at least one child has been killed but authorities are yet to confirm this.

The Prime Minister said he is receiving regular updates as he thanked police and emergency services for its response to the mass stabbing.

A local journalist has described how neighbours and paramedics were in tears after the stabbing unfolded.

Tim Johnson of Eye on Southport told the BBC the incident happened at the Hope of Hart children’s club, which is housed in a former warehouse building.

Mr Johnson said he arrived on the scene 20 minutes after police were called and described how he saw one girl on a stretcher covered in blood

Her parents were running after her. It was horrendous. I’ve never seen anything like it.

There were so many police cars. It was a mass of blue lights.

I saw ambulance men and women in tears. People were in tears in the streets.

Merseyside Police were called to Hart Street in Southport where at least eight people, including children, have been injured in a mass stabbing.

Southport is a coastal town in the borough of Sefton and is 17 miles north of Liverpool and 12 miles south-west of Preston.

The Liverpool Echo is reporting one child has died and multiple victims are in a critical condition following a mass stabbing in Southport.

The newspaper’s editor Maria Breslin tweeted:

Dreadful news from Southport where we understand a child has died and a number of other people are critically injured after a mass stabbing. Our thoughts with everbody involved

Merseyside Police are yet to confirm any fatalites. We will continue to bring you the latest developments as and when we can.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she is ‘deeply concerned’ after at least eight patients were taken to hospital with stab injuries following a ‘major incident’ in Southport.

Southport MP Patrick Hurley said he was ‘deeply concerned’ by the reports coming from Merseyside Police.

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, he said:

I am deeply concerned by the reports coming from Merseyside Police about a major incident on Hart Street in Southport today.

I am hoping for the best possible outcomes to the casualties affected.

My thoughts go out to all those affected, their loved ones and to the entire community.

The police have confirmed that an individual involved in the attack has now been detained.

I am repeating the advice of the police to avoid the area whilst the police and ambulance teams support this incident.

If you’re just joining us we are providing live updates of a major incident in Southport where eight people, some understood to be children, have been injured following reports of a mass stabbing.

Here’s what you need to know

• Eight patients, some understood to be children, have been taken to hospital with stab injuries following an attack at a property in Hart Street
• Armed police say a man has been detained and a knife has been seized
• Thirteen ambulances and multiple police and fire vehicles have been deployed to the residential street where it is reported residents have locked themselves in their bedrooms
• Alder Hey Children’s Hospital has declared a major incident and asked parents only to bring children if require urgent care.
• One businessman who called the police described the scene as ‘like a horror movie’

We can now bring you footage of the moment ambulances arrived at Hart Street in Southport where eight people have been injured in a mass stabbing.

Thirteen ambulances in total were dispatched to the scene.

Alder Hey’s Children Hospital has declared a major incident after a mass stabbing in Southport.

It is understood children have been injured in the attack but it is not known how many at this stage.

In a statement, the hospital said:

The Trust is working with other emergency services to respond to this incident and our Emergency Department is currently extremely busy.

We ask parents to only bring their children to the Emergency Department if it is urgent.

All other appointments and services are running as normal.

A local businessman, who was one of the people who called the police, said the incident in Southport was like a ‘scene in a horror movie.’

Colin Parry, owner of Masters Vehicle Body Repairs on Hart Street, said he believed six or seven ‘young girls’ had been stabbed.

He told the PA news agency:

The mothers are coming here now and screaming.

It is like a scene from a horror movie.

It’s like something from America, not like sunny Southport.

More pictures have emerged of the major incident in Southport where North West Ambulance Service has confirmed eight people have been taken to hospital with stab injuries.

It is understood children are among the victims with some casualties taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

North West Ambulance Service has confirmed eight people have been treated for stab injuries

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) is responding to a major incident following a call at 11:48am to Hart Street in Southport following reports of multiple stabbings.

We have dispatched 13 ambulances along with specialised resources of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), Air Ambulance and Merit Doctors to the scene.

So far, NWAS has treated eight patients with stab injuries who have been taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Southport and Formby hospital.

Merseyide’s police and crime commissioner Emily Spurrell has urged the public not to speculate about a major incident in Southport.

She said she was ‘deeply shocked’ and ‘concerned’ in a statement on X.

Neighbours in Southport have told how they were urged to lock their doors and windows amid reports of a mass stabbing.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, one woman, who lives near Hart Street, said:

It was about 20 past 12 I think and we heard loads of sirens and then there was a helicopter circling above.

Then the messages started to go around the local WhatsApp groups, saying ‘lock your windows, lock your doors’, we were told a man was running around stabbing people.

We are all absolutely terrified, panicking and sick with worry – everyone is trying to reach anyone they know in the area. I don’t know how this can happen on a Monday lunchtime.

The woman added one of her neighbours had barricaded herself and her children in their bedroom.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said its paramedics were responding to reports of ‘multiple stabbings’ in Southport.

An NWAS statement on social media said:

We’re attending a major incident on Hart Street, Southport following reports of multiple stabbings in which we have dispatched multiple resources.

We’re assessing the situation and working with emergency partners.

Please follow our channels and @MerseyPolice for further updates.

We can now bring you footage of an air ambulance that has been called to reports of a stabbing in Southport.

The exact number of casulaties is not yet known.

As many as six children are feared to be seriously hurt after a knifeman ‘stabbed multiple people at a holiday club’.

This is a breaking news story. More updates to follow.

As we await further details on the major incident in Southport, we can show you some pictures of emergency services at the scene with a street cordoned off.

Here are the latest images:

Police tape has been put in place in Hart Street

Multiple police vehicles are now stationed in the road

An air ambulance has also been pictured nearby

A man has been detained after reports of a stabbing in Southport, in Merseyside, which has left a number of people injured.

A Merseyside Police statement said:

We can confirm that emergency services are in Southport following a major incident this morning, Monday July 29.

At around 11.50am, we were called to a property on Hart Street to reports of a stabbing.

There are a number of reported casualties and more details will be confirmed when possible.

Armed police have detained a male and seized a knife. He has been taken to a police station.

Please avoid the area while we deal with this incident. There is no wider threat to the public.

Hello and welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage amid reports multiple people have been injured in a stabbing near Liverpool.

Merseyside Police have confirmed emergency services are at the scene of a ‘major incident’ at a house in Southport where it is understood there are a number of casualties.

We will bring you the latest details of the incident as and when we get them.