'Nobody is prepared for this': Southport victim's aunt speaks of family's 'immense' pain

The aunt of nine-year-old Alice DaSilva Aguiar, who was killed in the Southport stabbing attack, has spoken of the family's "immense pain".

Speaking to ITV News in Madeira, Albertina Freitas said: "My brother-in-law is in such a state that he can't even talk to the family. We try to talk to him, but he doesn't want to. He just clings to the girl's things.

"We are not going through it directly, but we can imagine the pain my brother is experiencing. It is an immense pain."

Alice was killed while attending a Taylor Swift holiday workshop on Monday morning in Hart Street, Southport. Six-year-old Bebe King and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe were also fatally injured.

Eight other children suffered knife wounds – five of whom are in a critical condition - and two adults were also critically hurt in the attack.

Albertina added: "Nobody expected this, especially the way it happened...Nobody can really be prepared for something like this. This tragedy that happened to our girl... it's so painful."

Of her sister, Alice's mother, she added: "She doesn't speak at all".

The family are planning a mass service on Saturday at Quinta Grande Church in Madeira, where they plan to release balloons, wearing t-shirts with Alice's photo printed on it.

Albertina shared that Alice's grandparents were offered flights to the UK by the Portuguese Consulate to attend her funeral.

'Wherever she is, she is a little angel,' says former neighbour Olívia Batista.

Olívia Batista was a friend and neighbour of Alice's parents when they lived in Madeira. Speaking to ITV News she said the whole village is in shock.

She decribed Alice as a "little Angel" still at school. She added: "We all feel the pain, there are no words. We are all suffering after what happened".

'I hope Alice continues her dance in heaven,' says local Parish Priest, Pedro Nóbrega.

Pedro Nóbrega, is the Priest of the local Quinta Grande Parish. He told ITV News that dedicated services have been held for Alice at the church which her distressed grandmother attended.

He said it was important not to give up and to lead a life Alice would have wanted her family and loved ones to live. He said that in these unexpcted moments of tragedy it was imporant to hold onto all the goodness people leave behind.

Earlier in the week, Alice's mother and father paid tribute to their daughter and said: "Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess, like we said before to you, you're always our princess and no one would change that. Love from Your Hero Daddy and Mummy."

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder following the incident.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Bebe King's family said: "No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as we try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe."

Jenni Stancombe, Elsie's mother, took to social media after disorder broke out on Tuesday night in response to the attack.

She said: "This is the only thing that I will write, but please stop the violence in Southport tonight."

"The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don't need this."

Dozens of police officers were injured and a major incident declared after a mass riot outside a Southport mosque by suspected English Defence League supporters.

Bricks taken from garden walls were used to attack officers and cars belonging to members of the public were set on fire.

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