An army of local heroes have taken to the streets of Southport today (31 July) after riots erupted in the seaside town following a deadly incident at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event.
Three young girls - Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9 - tragically passed away following a horrific knife attack on Monday (29 July), Merseyside Police said.
Another five children remain in a critical condition in wake of the heinous act which has rocked the UK, while two adults who were also present are also still in a serious condition.
Armed police swooped the scene in Merseyside along with 13 ambulances and the fire service, before a major incident was declared by the force.
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A 17-year-old suspect is currently in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Tensions then boiled over in Southport last night (30 July), as hundreds of rioters took to the streets.
Footage shared on social media shows how cars were set alight, wheelie bins were torched, local businesses were damaged and bricks were hurled at a mosque in the area.
According to police, 53 officers were injured in the disturbance while four men were arrested.
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Three police dogs, Zoe, Ike and Quga, were also hurt, chief constable Serena Kennedy said.
She said that the rioters were motivated 'purely for hooliganism and thuggery' and suggested that up to 300 people had been involved in the incident.
Jenni Stancombe, who is the mother of seven-year-old victim Elsie, shared a Facebook post calling for calm, urging people to 'please stop the violence'.
"The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don’t need this," she wrote.
Now, in heartwarming scenes, the community has incredibly come together to support one another and clean up the chaos which rioters left in their tracks.
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Clutching brushes and shovels, gangs of locals were seen scooping up debris and rubbish from the roads.
Touchingly, residents rallied together to neaten up a damaged brick wall at a nearby mosque - with mosque chair Ibrahim Hussein saying he was left 'humbled' by the generosity he had received.
The fire service have helped to replace smashed windows at the mosque today too, the BBC reported.
Local companies have also been pitching in with the mammoth clean up and repairs throughout the day on Wednesday, while residents of all ages have been offering their assistance.
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Youngster Sebastian Taylor, 10, joined in on the clean-up with his younger sister and mum Gemma after witnessing the chaos unfold close to their home as rioters run amok.
He said: "Last night was just horrible, so we were like, 'You know what, we should help'. Because everyone was helping.
"We were sweeping up bricks and metal and bottles, and we were sweeping up burnt pieces of bins which had been on fire. It was really scary."
According to local news outlet On The Spot (OTS) News, one local said of their motivations for the clean up: "We’re fixing the damage that these scumbags did."
The publication reported that around 100 people turned up to lend a hand at the mosque and that crowds continued to swell throughout the day, so much so, that latecomers were informed that 'much of the work has already been done'.
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Locals have also launched a fundraiser for the owner of Windsor Mini Mart, Chanaka Balasuryla, after it was allegedly looted last night for £10,000 of stock.
A 'peaceful, solemn and respectful' vigil for those who lost their lives in the tragedy has reportedly since been held today.
Praising locals for their assistance in restoring the area, chief constable Kennedy said their actions depicted 'the very best of the communities of Southport'.
Health secretary Wes Streeting added: "This is who we are as a country."
Olivia Burke