Nottingham attack – latest: Man charged with murder after brutal knife attack

Ian Coates’s son James promised support to the families of Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber as they paid tribute to their father.

Addressing the families, he said: “Obviously they are going through the same thing that we are, anything they need from us we’re happy to support you.”

He thanked everybody for the “kind words” that have poured in about his father.

“It feels like he’s touched a lot of hearts over the years, more than what we assumed and knew that he had, so it’s been really nice and heartwarming to see the messages and people come out and talk about how he was when they were younger and how he’s helped them,” he went on.

Speaking through tears, the father of one of those killed said: “We were four and now we are three. The same for Barney’s family. They were four and they were three.

Sanjoy Kumar said: “I love my Grace more than anything and I’m trying to be as strong as I can.

“There are people in hospital who are injured in this attack and as a family, our thoughts are with them.”

He thanked the emergency services before adding: “She absolutely adored her friends and her family. This is a great university town and this is a great university.”

He concluded: “Imagine a world of just love and no violence. Just imagine that world.”

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “It’s really important at times like this we come together as a city and the vigils held across Nottingham show that community is united.”

She said everyone at the vigil on Wednesday night at the university stood so silent “you could hear a pin drop”.

“Last night the only noise that punctuated the sound of silence was a police siren sounding in the distance as our hard-working, professional police team still continue to deliver their round-the-clock public service to keep people safe.”

She said her message to the public was to “have faith” in the police.

Many people had tears in their eyes as Barnaby Webber’s mother said he was “so proud” of his brother.

Emma Webber thanked the crowd for a cricket ball that had been placed in the tributes and smiled as she said he would be pleased.

Grace’s mother could be seen in an embrace as Mrs Webber delivered her speech to the thousands in attendance, and Barnaby’s emotional brother held a photo of him as she spoke.

His father, David Webber, placed his hand on his his wife’s shoulder and the crowd cheered loudly as she invited them to give a big round of applause for all those affected by the attacks.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said there was “no place for hate” in the healing process and people must remain united.

Ms Henry told the vigil the city was renowned for its “welcoming, friendly and warm” people before adding: “It was particularly poignant when I attended an attestation of university students on Tuesday night this week. It was at our headquarters.

“Seven budding volunteer special police constables pledged to join and serve Nottinghamshire police, and actually they couldn’t wait to join our force and to serve the public in coming days.”

Grace O’Malley-Kumar’s mother Sinead said the magnitude of the grief for her daughter reflected the magnitude of the love she and her family had for her.

Addressing the crowd, she said: “My beautiful baby girl, she wasn’t just beautiful on the outside, you must have seen her pictures, she was so beautiful on the inside. She was a treasure, an adored child.

“She wanted very few things in life, she wanted to be a doctor, she wanted to play hockey with her pals, she wanted to have fun.”

She added: “All they were doing was walking home, were just walking home after a night-out and, like Emma Webber says, this person must face justice.

“It just is truly so unfair but I’ll echo what my husband said yesterday - be kind to each other, look after each other, don’t have hate in your hearts. Say prayers for my baby girl.”

She added that neither her daughter nor Barnaby Webber were from Nottingham, and that the city was not the only place grieving.

“The magnitude of the grief reflects the magnitude of the love,” she said. “The love we had for her.”

Grace O’Malley-Kumar’s brother James urged people to “cherish every moment” spent with loved ones in a heart-wrenching address.

He told the crowd: “Grace wasn’t only just a sister to me, she was a best friend of mine, my mother, my father, all her friends and all her family.

“If there’s only one message that comes out of this, I urge you all to cherish every moment you spend with your loved ones as you just never know when it will end.”

Barnaby Webber’s mother Emma tearfully addressed her son during her speech at a vigil in his memory.

She said: “My beautiful, beautiful boy, you have mine, your dad and your brother’s heart for ever.”

Earlier, she told the crowd her son’s birthday and said: “I want you to know that because he is more than a victim of a senseless murder.

“He loved pesto pasta, but he hated cottage pie.

“He was obsessed with aeroplanes and he still carried a dream of being a pilot in the RAF one day.”

The emotional vigil ended with a musical item from University of Nottingham students.

In the crowd, parents held their children in their arms, some held flowers and many used tissues to wipe away tears as the seven students sang to the thousands in attendance.

The crowd dispersed to the haunting sound of Samuel Barber’s Adagio.

Footage appears to show the moment the suspected attacker was caught, tasered and arrested by police: