The funeral of Elsie Dot Stancombe, who died in the Southport attack, has taken place as her parents paid tribute to their “truly unforgettable” daughter.
The seven-year-old was one of three girls killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last month.
Her family said they wanted today to be known as “Elsie’s Special Day” and a celebration of her life.
Elsie’s coffin was carried to St John’s Church in Birkdale on a horse-drawn carriage – with mourners asked to wear pastel or bright colours and the streets adorned with pink ribbons.
Image: Elsie’s parents walked behind the horse-drawn carriage. Pic: PA
Image: Pic: PA
Image: Members of Elsie’s cheerleading squad formed a guard of honour. Pic: PA
A choir and soloist performed songs including Wind Beneath My Wings and Fleetwood Mac’s Songbird as they waited for the cortege to arrive.
Elsie’s cheerleading group formed a guard of honour, while the family’s dog was also outside the church.
Image: Elsie with her mum Jenni, dad David and three-year-old sister Rosie. Pic: Mersyside Police
Image: (L-R) Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King.
Pic: Merseyside Police
At the end of the service, a singer performed Taylor Swift’s Love Story – one of Elsie’s favourite songs – as her coffin was carried out through an archway of balloons.
The church was full to capacity and featured a number of moving tributes and readings.
Reverend Jennie Hardy remembered how Elsie was “a little girl who loved a big party” while teacher Katie Sykes said she “made everybody smile just by being her”.
A tribute – entitled Elsie Dot by Mum and Dad – was also read out.
‘An amazing little girl’
It recalled how the seven-year-old “brought them nothing but happiness” and that her proudest moment was becoming a big sister.
“Her story does not end here today. Her story will be told every single day by those who loved her,” it said.
In a statement before the service, the family said their daughter lived every day with “determination, persistence, love and kindness”.
“Elsie was an amazing little girl. She had the ability to light up any room that she entered, she was truly unforgettable,” they said.
Image: Members of the emergency services were at the service. Pic: PA
Image: Pic: PA
Image: Pic: PA
The family also released a new image showing her with mum Jenni, dad David – a postman, and three-year-old sister Rosie.
Her family said Elsie loved to dance and was “a devoted Swifie” – but that her big passion was cheerleading.
“Her persistence was admirable, from completing a 3k run and 10k charity walk for her local hospice, as well as moving up books bands in school, everything she did she gave 100% and would never give up,” said the family.
‘Always showed kindness’
Teacher Katie Sykes told Friday’s service Elsie “always showed kindness to everyone around her” and read out memories from her classmates.
A tribute by Farnborough Road School in the days after the attack said Elsie was “adored” by her friends.
Her family said the “overwhelming response” since her death showed the “light, love and joy” their daughter brought to people.
They also thanked the community for their support and said they were proud to live in Southport.
Image: The King visited Southport earlier this week. Pic: PA
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
He also looked at the sea of tributes outside the town hall and thanked emergency services who responded.
The tragedy sparked anti-immigration protests, riots and counter-protests in town and cities after false information circulated that the attacker was an illegal immigrant.
The first known victim of serial paedophile Richard Burrows has told Sky News he regrets not reporting his assault at the time to save others from “falling into the same trap”.
Burrows, 81, will learn his sentence at Chester Crown Court today after being convicted last month of dozens of sexual offences against young boys.
The judge told him it is “inevitable” he might never be released.
The former scout master had spent 27 years on the run, living in what he called “paradise” in Thailand, after stealing the identity of a friend and fleeing the UK when he was due in court in 1997.
Image: A police photo of Burrows from the 1990s. Pic: Cheshire Police
He was arrested when he arrived at Heathrow in March last year.
The trial heard that Burrows had obtained positions of authority and systematically abused boys from the 1960s to the mid-1990s.
He had worked as a housemaster at a school for troubled boys and befriended other youngsters through amateur radio clubs.
One of those was his first victim, aged 14 at the time in the late 1960s, and now 71.
He told Sky News: “It’s been an awfully long time and after 57 years I’ve got to see the results at the end of it.
“It does actually feel like a weight’s been lifted. You hear that expression all through life, but it’s the first time ever really felt it.”
He described Burrows as a “devious, nasty creature”.
The man, who cannot be identified as he is the victim of a sexual offence, attended Burrows’s trial and delivered a victim impact statement at his sentencing.
He said he wanted to do this because of the regret he carries to this day.
“I wish I’d said something when it happened because I feel that, in retrospect, if I would have said something, then maybe it would have stopped other people from falling into the same trap that I did,” he added.
“But at that time, at that age, I thought I probably wouldn’t have been believed, and I felt too ashamed and embarrassed and even guilty to even mention it to anybody else. So, I didn’t, and I regret not doing that.”
Image: Photos of Burrows in Thailand. Pic: Cheshire Police
The man contacted police after seeing an appeal for help in finding the fugitive Burrows on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme in 2011. It would be another decade before he was arrested.
He said: “I really begrudge him those 27 years. It’s 27 years and he’s just left a trail of wreckage behind him while he’s enjoying himself.
“It’s a shame he’s not got another 27 years to look forward to in jail.”
Although he was the earliest victim on the indictment at Burrows’s trial, like detectives from Cheshire Police, he believes there could be other victims who have not come forward.
He said: “Personally, I don’t think I was the first victim. I think that he was probably fairly well practiced in the art of what he was doing prior to my meeting him.”
Image: Burrows being met by police at Heathrow. Pic: Cheshire Police
Burrows was initially charged in May 1997 but failed to attend a hearing later that year.
He remained on the wanted list until police using facial recognition software matched him to a man using the name Peter Smith. He had stolen the identity of a terminally ill friend to obtain a passport.
After his conviction in March, judge Steven Everett told Burrows he had caused “untold distress and trauma to the victims and their families”.
The UK has joined US forces in attacking a Houthi target in Yemen for the first time since Donald Trump was re-elected.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed the strikes took place on Tuesday as part of the government’s response to Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The ministry said careful intelligence analysis identified a cluster of buildings used by the Houthis to manufacture the sort of drones used to attack ships, located 15 miles south of the capital Sanaa.
RAF Typhoon FGR4s conducted strikes on several buildings using Paveway IV precision-guided bombs.
The planes had air refuelling support from Voyager tankers.
The ministry said the strike was conducted after dark to reduce the likelihood of civilians being in the area.
All the aircraft returned safely.
Image: John Healey. Pic: Reuters
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “This government will always act in the interests of our national and economic security.
“Royal Air Force Typhoons have successfully conducted strikes against a Houthi military target in Yemen and all UK aircraft and personnel have returned safely to base.
“We conducted these strikes, supported by the US, to degrade Houthi capabilities and prevent further attacks against UK and international shipping.”
Houthis a ‘persistent threat’ to ‘freedom of navigation’
Mr Healey said Houthi activities in the Red Sea are a “persistent threat” to “freedom of navigation”.
“A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fuelling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the UK,” he said.
“The government is steadfast in our commitment to reinforcing global stability and protecting British working people. I am proud of the dedication and professionalism shown by the service men and women involved in this operation.”
Follow The World
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
The group began launching attacks on shipping routes in November 2023 saying they were in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
0:31
Footage showing people being pulled from rubble has been released by Houthi rebels in Yemen