The parents of the nine-year-old girl killed in a stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop have released an image of her at the event on the day of the attack.
The image shows Alice da Silva Aguiar next to a cardboard cutout of Swift at the Hart Space community centre on the morning of Monday 29 July.
She was one of three girls who died after several children were injured in the attack.
Alice’s parents Sergio and Alexandra have released the photo as hundreds gathered for the girl’s funeral at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Southport today.
Members of the public lined a street in the Merseyside town to honour Alice as the funeral procession arrived.
They were joined by around 30 uniformed police officers and Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy.
Pic: PA
Pic: PA
‘We loved cuddling you every night’
In a statement read out on their behalf at the service, Alice’s parents said: “You were our perfect dreamchild, everything was perfect from the moment you arrived. A good girl, with strong values and a kind nature, a lover of animals and an environmentalist in the making.
“You moved our world with your confidence and empathy. Playful, energetic, friendly and always so respectful… no shouting is a house rule you applied, a big task for a small girl, especially in a Portuguese household.
“Being around you was a privilege, we cherished every milestone, you completed us… we loved cuddling you every night for almost nine years, apart from sleepovers and nights away with your friends, we were never apart.”
Alice Da Silva Aguiar
Alice Da Silva Aguiar
The grieving parents added that their daughter was committed to her dancing and her schoolwork, and continued: “Your to do list was extensive and we were sure that you would achieve it, if only you had the time.
“It hurts, we will never see you grow up.”
Sergio and Alexandra also said they have been asking themselves whether they could have done anything to prevent her death, adding: “We will never get over this pain.”
The parents released the last photo and statement along with other images of their daughter from throughout her short life.
Some show her as a much younger girl at ballet classes while another shows her outside school.
Alice Da Silva Aguiar
Alice Da Silva Aguiar
Applause had broken out from the crowd as the carriage containing Alice’s white coffin approached the entrance of the church before the service.
The carriage was drawn by two white horses sporting orange and white plumes.
Pic: PA
Alice’s parents were joined by family and friends for the service, while several hundred people listened outside as it was relayed on loudspeakers.
Pink ribbons and balloons were tied to lampposts and garden walls in the town.
Pic: PA
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy outside St Patrick’s Church, Southport. Pic: PA
Alice died along with six-year-old Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, in the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on 29 July.
On Saturday, Bebe’s parents Lauren and Ben described their daughter as “full of joy, light, and love”.
“She will always remain in our hearts as the sweet, kind, and spirited girl we adore,” the couple said.
They also revealed Bebe’s nine-year-old sister Genie witnessed the attack and managed to escape.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
(L-R) Southport victims Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King and Alice Dasilva Aguiar
The incident sparked nationwide disorder after misinformation spread online that the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said 779 people have been arrested over rioting, of whom 349 have been charged.