Elsie, Bebe and Alice – The three victims have been named following yesterday’s attack in Southport

The three children killed in yesterday’s knife attack in Southport have been named.

Merseyside Police confirmed the names of the three girls who were tragically killed in Southport on Monday (29 July).

The three girls who were killed in the deadly knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club have been named by police, as families paid tribute to their “little girl” and “princess”.

Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were all fatally stabbed in the incident in Southport on Monday.

Their families, who are being supported by specialist officers, have issued photographs and have asked that their privacy is respected at this time.

Bebe King’s family have shared the following tribute: “No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.”

The family of Alice Dasilva Aguiar paid this tribute: “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.”

Eight other children suffered stab wounds and five are in a critical condition, alongside two adults who were critically injured, police said.

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.

The Portuguese Secretary of State for Communities, Jose Cesario, said Alice was originally from the Madeira region and that her parents were in a state of shock.

The fully booked club for children, which was advertised as a dance and yoga workshop as well as bracelet-making, quickly became something “like a horror movie”, witnesses to the deadly stabbings have said.

US singer Taylor Swift said she is “completely in shock” after the “horror” of the knife attack.

Fans of the popstar had raised more than £103,000 by Tuesday afternoon via their Swifties for Southport online fundraiser.

Tributes have been paid on social media to the bravery of dance and yoga teacher Leanne Lucas after she was attacked in the incident.

Ms Lucas was named as an organiser of the event run by Southport-based business Enlighten in a post on Facebook.

Visit the Merseyside Police website HERE.

Get the latest about the Southport knife attack here.