A heroic dance teacher who was seriously injured after a horrific stabbing attack in Southport that left three young girls dead was stabbed in the arms, back and neck as she shielded children with her body, it was revealed today.
Leanne Lucas, who hosted the Taylor Swift vacation club, has undergone life-saving surgery and is now awake, her family said Wednesday.
A family member described Mrs Lucas’ actions after the man with the knife entered the classroom through an open door and began attacking children. She stood over two little girls, shielding them with her own body, while she was repeatedly struck from behind.
The 35-year-old had managed to cram several people into a storage cupboard to protect them and then bravely stepped inside as the attacker approached two young children, the Time defeated.
Her cousin Chris Rimmer, 41, said she sounded “broken”.
Leanne Lucas, who hosted the Taylor Swift-themed holiday club, has undergone life-saving surgery and is now awake, her family said Wednesday.
Bebe King, aged six, was the youngest child murdered at the holiday club in Southport, Merseyside
Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was also killed in the attack – her grieving mother has since appealed for calm
Alice, nine, died in the early hours of Tuesday after a masked knifeman entered the Taylor Swift-themed holiday club and began stabbing the children present
Friendship bracelets reading ‘Beautiful Swifties’ are seen alongside electric tea lights amid floral tributes for the victims of a fatal knife attack at Atkinson Hospital in Southport.
Alice Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Stancombe, seven, were killed in the classroom when a hooded man with a knife burst in and began stabbing the children inside.
A 17-year-old boy, whose name cannot be released for legal reasons, remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Officers have given him extra time to question him.
Police say they are not looking for other perpetrators and that the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
Five other children remain in critical condition in hospital, along with two adults, one of whom is believed to be Mrs Lucas.
She and her fellow teacher Heidi Barlow, who led the class, which also included yoga and friendship bracelet making, bravely tried to save as many children in their care as possible.
Mrs Barlow, 35, is said to have locked herself in a toilet with several children, saving their lives.
Emergency workers at the scene told Ms Lucas’s family how she pushed two people into a storage room, then “stood over two little girls” and used her body as a shield to protect them.
“She’s got her arms up, all her arms are cut off,” Mr Rimmer said.
He added that Mrs Lucas’s courage was all the more remarkable because of her small stature: ‘She is small and as thin as a rake.’
Mr Rimmer said his niece ‘only worries about others’ and that she ‘always thinks of others before she thinks of herself’.
He told the newspaper that online rumours about Ms Lucas’ death only made the wait for news more difficult.
And after attending the peaceful vigil in memory of the three murdered girls, the landscaping company he works for is helping with the clean-up today.
Today flowers, balloons and cuddly toys covered the street at the police cordon
Police officers and forensic experts have been on site for the past three days
The attack took place during a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop
During a vigil held in the city last night, sympathizers left candles, flowers and stuffed animals
Her courage was also praised by her relatives, who hope for more good news.
“She’s only little, she wouldn’t stand a chance against a man with a knife, but she just wanted to protect those children,” said her aunt, Pauline Bennett, 64.
I can’t imagine what she must have thought when he walked through the door.
‘It all happened so fast, she just did what she could. Her sister stayed by her bedside all night and her parents are with her now.
“We just hope and pray that she is okay. Leanne loves teaching children, it’s all she has ever wanted.
“She just loves children. It’s just heartbreaking that someone could do something like that.”
A former school friend said: ‘As far as I know, she was the one who organised it. She used to be a primary school teacher at a local school.’
‘She was really sweet. I only knew her from high school. Quite quiet, she was a primary school teacher, she wanted to help people.
“That’s why you go into it, to do everything you can, and that’s what she did.”
A neighbor of her parents John and Allison said, “It’s really awful, they’re a lovely family.”
“We’re all too angry to say anything about it now.”
English flags were seen flying as riots broke out in Southport last night
Rioters wearing masks fire missiles at police officers in Southport
Hundreds of people, many of them masked, fought with riot police for hours on Tuesday
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy gave a press conference this afternoon about the riots
She was seen helping to repair a wall that had been destroyed by rioters, who used the bricks as missiles against officers
The case comes after Merseyside Police reported that four people have been arrested over last night’s riots, which followed a moving vigil for the victims.
About 300 people are said to have been involved. Cars and garbage bins were set on fire, rockets were thrown at police and a mosque was attacked.
Police officers suspect that most of those involved were not from Stockport, but were supporters of the English Defence League.
An update released this afternoon revealed that 54 officers were injured and 27 were taken to hospital.
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said this afternoon that ‘around 70 people walked away from the vigil and headed towards the mosque.
‘Suddenly there were about 200 and then more were added.’
Riot police with shields and helmets hold back protesters after disorder breaks out
In stark contrast to the riots on the streets, there was a sense of calm at the site of the vigil as night fell
The riots took place just an hour after thousands of mourners gathered for a vigil at Atkinson Hospital in Southport
In a statement issued shortly afterwards, Merseyside Police said a 31-year-old man from St Helens, a 31-year-old man from West Derby and a 39-year-old man from Southport had been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.
A 32-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of affray and possession of a stabbing weapon.
A spokesman said: ‘The perpetrators destroyed garden walls to use the stones as projectiles to attack officers and randomly set fire to members of the public’s cars.
Those involved also threw stones at the local mosque, vandalised a local supermarket and set fire to rubbish bins.
‘Three police dogs were also injured. After rocks were thrown at them, police dog Zoe suffered a cut to her leg, has stitches and is resting, and PD Ike is recovering from a cut to his mouth and swelling to his front leg.
‘PD Quga suffered burns to her back leg. A fourth dog, PD Repo, was spared from injury after their handler kicked gasoline away.’
