North Yorkshire campaigner calls for more action on knife crime
Christina Gabbitas says she is "horrified" by what has happened in Southport
Campaigners in North Yorkshire are calling for more to be done to tackle knife crime.
Christina Gabbitas is an author from Selby who delivers sessions across the County.
She says early intervention and awareness is key: "It's all around us, it's in the news, it's everywhere and children and young people have access to so much on social media, whether we like it or so because of that we have a duty to educate."
"There isn't a school I've been in to where they aren't concerned about it because they hear it and they see it online. They see things happening online so the object of what we do is to educate as much as we possibly can about the world around them to safeguard themselves."
"I was commissioned in 2019 and I've been doing this work ever since and nothing seems to have changed, I've been to hundreds of schools but we are now in 2024 and I think something needs putting on the curriculum."
It comes as Tributes have been paid to three girls killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club, as hundreds of people gathered at a vigil to pay their respects.
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were all fatally stabbed in Southport, Merseyside, on Monday.
Eight other children suffered stab wounds and five are in a critical condition, alongside two adults who were also critically injured, police said.
Many of those taking part in a vigil on Tuesday evening outside Southport's Atkinson arts venue were in tears as they laid flowers and cards of remembrance.
Earlier, the head of the school trust attended by Alice and Bebe said the girls "will be in our hearts forever".
Endeavour Learning Trust chief executive David Clayton said "no words can do justice to what has happened here in Southport", as he paid tribute to Alice, a year 4 pupil at Churchtown Primary School, and former pupil Bebe.
A spokeswoman for Churchtown Primary said one of the critically injured adults is a current staff member and one is a former member of staff who is still closely associated with the school.
Natasha Sandland, the headteacher at Bebe's school, said "words cannot do justice to describe the grief" and described her as one of Marshside Primary's "brightest and most wonderful shining stars".
Farnborough Road Infant School headteacher Jennifer Sephton said the school was "heartbroken and devastated" by the death of their pupil Elsie.
In a statement, Bebe'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."
Alice's family also paid tribute to their "princess".
They 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 at the dance studio in Hart Street.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited the seaside town on Tuesday and thanked emergency service workers, telling them: "I hope you feel proud of the part that you played in the most difficult circumstances, to do what you could for those young lives."
He laid down his wreath and stood momentarily in silence, but more than one person shouted: "How many more, Starmer? When are you going to do something?"
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper updated MPs on the attack in the House of Commons on Tuesday evening, where she described it as an "unspeakable tragedy".
She told the Commons: "These were young children, dancing to Taylor Swift and celebrating the start of the school holidays.