Taylor Swift spoke privately to victims of Southport attack before Wembley gig last night

Taylor Swift is said to have spoken privately to victims of the Southport attack before her concert at Wembley stadium last night.

The global star has returned to London for a second run of shows in the city for her Eras Tour, with her first concert kicking off last night (15 August).

But this time it’s said to have been ‘the hardest concert of her career’ as it’s the first time she’s back in the UK following the tragic death of the three young girls in Southport.

On 29 July, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were stabbed to death with 10 others injured when they were taking part in a Swift-themed dance class.

The 34-year-old did not address the tragedy on stage last night, but is believed to have reached out to the affected families.

Taylor Swift returned to Wembley last night. (Kate Green/Getty Images)

A source told The Sun: “Taylor may not have spoken about Elsie Dot, Alice and Bebe on stage but she has reached out to their families.

“It is something that has weighed heavily on her mind.”

The ‘Love Story’ singer shared a heartbreaking statement following the horrific incident.

“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock...” she wrote on Instagram.

"The loss of life and innocence, the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, the first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families."

Fans told the PA News agency they weren't surprised Swift didn't mention the tragedies last night.

Lotty Evans said: "I think it’s really difficult to discuss events like that especially in the context of somewhere like Wembley.

Bebe King was one of the little girls who died in the Southport attack. (PA)

"I can totally understand why she didn’t talk about that, having talked about it on social media, it must be a really difficult thing for her as well, that she’s associated with such a tragedy. I can totally understand why she didn’t, for sure."

Swift was recently forced to cancel her shows in Vienna with a 19-year-old was suspected of planning an attack.

The three shows at Austria’s Ernst Happel Stadium were called off last week after police uncovered an alleged plot by suspected terrorists. At the time, London Mayor Sadiq Khan promised the city would ‘carry on’ hosting Swift’s concerts, despite the threat.

For the ‘Shake It Off’ singer’s return to Wembley, security outside the stadium has been ramped up, with hundreds of security guards surrounding the area.