Mothers heard screaming after Taylor Swift dance class turned into horror knife attack in Southport
‘She was horrified, like she had seen a monster’
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Normally a place of rest and relaxation, the Hart Space is set back from an unassuming residential street in Southport.
Often hosting events for mothers and babies, the community venue in Hart Street was holding a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Monday morning.
But what was meant to be a happy school holiday event turned to horror - with two children killed and nine others injured in a knife attack at the property.
Six children remain in a critical condition in hospital alongside two adults, who are believed to have suffered their injuries while bravely trying to protect the younger victims.
Merseyside Police said a boy aged 17, from nearby Banks, was arrested in connection with the stabbings and the incident is not being treated as terror-related.
Local residents reported hearing shouting and screaming at the time of the incident.
Delivery driver Yanis Vlastaris, 49, said he arrived five minutes after the attack.
He told The Independent: “I saw a mother in tears, she was devastated. She was crying at a police officer saying she saw a man running in the middle of the street with a knife.
“She was horrified, like she had seen a monster.
“My partner went and saw a child outside in a very bad situation. They’ve already taken them away in an ambulance.”
He added: “I’m working as a delivery driver and the city is falling apart - it is well known. I’ve seen a lot of violence in the city.”
Ryan Carney, who lives with his mother Hayley on Hart Street, said he rushed home from work to be with her after she saw the incident.
Speaking to reporters at the police cordon, he said: “She went out to see what was going on, because she could hear screaming and crying, so she goes out.
“All she said was she saw members of, I don’t know, either police or ambulance, carrying out a few bodies of girls.
“They were in white, but covered in red, covered in blood. She said she could see the stab wounds in the backs of the children. That’s what she saw.
“My brother’s been with her, he’s 13, he’s witnessed it. She’s gone in the house and made cups of coffee and stuff for the fire service and everything like that.
“She came out and there was a woman who was screaming, saying she can’t find her child.
“They let her into the cordon and she ran down and all she could hear was screaming and crying, saying, ‘That’s my child! That’s my child!’
“She’s gone inside to the house, I’ve called her, she’s in a terrible, terrible way.”
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.
He said: “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.
“I helped to get her back up 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.”
Police and vehicles can be seen from a distance inside the cordon, including officers in white boiler suits. A large and growing media presence with reporters, photographers and TV crews assembled at the police tape.
Dozens of police cars, vans, fire engines and ambulances were also parked up a short distance away.
A Merseyside Police statement said: “We can confirm that a 17-year-old male from Banks, who was arrested in connection to the stabbing in Southport this morning, Monday 29 July, remains in police custody and will be questioned about the incident.
“At this early stage, enquiries are ongoing to establish the motive for this tragic incident and we would urge people not to speculate while the investigation is ongoing.
“We can also confirm that the incident is not currently being treated as terror-related and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
“Any updates will be provided to the public when available.
“Communities can also follow Merseyside Police on social media for updates and if they want to submit information, they can do so on the Merseyside Police website or Crimestoppers.”