Leanne Lucas, a yoga teacher hailed as a hero, was fatally injured attempting to protect two little girls during the Southport knife attack, according to her cousin. Ms Lucas helped usher children into a storage room and shielded two girls from the attacker when she was thought to have received her injuries. She is believed to have been one of the organisers of the Taylor Swift-themed dance class where the attack left three children dead.
Chris Rimmer, Ms Lucas’s cousin, said the family had been “torn apart” by the incident, and although Ms Lucas remains in hospital, she is awake and has spoken for the first time. Rimmer said she was “not out of the woods yet” but was doing OK. He added that the family wanted to keep Leanne and the other victims of the attack at the forefront of people’s minds.
Eight children, Ms Lucas and other adult Jonathan Hayes, were also injured, with several in critical condition. Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar died in the attack, which took place at the Hart Space, a local community hub. In total, 53 police officers were also injured after violence broke out in the city. The unrest was believed to have been involved with English Defence League supporters.
Fans of Taylor Swift have so far raised over £310,000 for the victims and their families. The group, working with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, originally aimed to raise £13,000.
The 17-year-old boy who cannot be named due to his age was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and remains in custody. He was born in Cardiff and later moved to Banks, just outside Southport. The attack is not being treated as terror-related.
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