�* coming together. they are, already coming together. they are, we are hearing _ already coming together. they are, we are hearing it _ already coming together. they are, we are hearing it will— already coming together. they are, we are hearing it will be _ already coming together. they are, we are hearing it will be the - we are hearing it will be the hottest day of the year. these officers have been out yet rotating on shift patterns all night. they have been here since i arrived very early this morning. people were coming out down the road offering journalists and the police breakfast, making them drinks, bacon sandwiches. that was quite overwhelming for me for that to happen, because often i think media can be seen as intrusive in something like this. but today, everything has been treated very respectfully and local people are relieved in a sense the police present is here and the media attention is here, for all the wrong reasons, but that respect being paid and that concern that people have for the families is very significant today. for the families is very significant toda . �* for the families is very significant toda .�* . , today. and southport football club,

the 've today. and southport football club, they've cancelled _ today. and southport football club, they've cancelled their— today. and southport football club, they've cancelled their preseason l they've cancelled their preseason friendly but open their doors for people to comment. there will be a vigil tonight. this is where the local authorities coming to provide the support. local authorities coming to provide the smart-— local authorities coming to provide the support. yes, southport public club is one — the support. yes, southport public club is one of— the support. yes, southport public club is one of the _ the support. yes, southport public club is one of the local _ the support. yes, southport public club is one of the local groups - club is one of the local groups which is doing something, there is a charity down the road opening its doors for people to come in and want somebody to talk to, have a cup of tea. there is the local church, holy trinity church, opening its doors all day, it held a surface area. we are hearing there will be a vigil later today. we are expecting a statement from the home secretary today, i'd no doubt more details from merseyside police about the ongoing investigation. although flowers are being laid ongoing investigation. although flowers are being [aid and the tributes, it is still an active crime scene, as indicated by the sheer amount of police officers. the forensic teams will be working at the property. on that investigation,

what are we being told about the 17—year—old who has been arrested? we know the police were called here at around 1150 yesterday at a report of a stabbing and a male was detained, 17 years old. originally from cardiff. he's been questioned on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. an address was cordoned of an search in a village three or four miles away from here in southport. the police say the motive for this attack is unclear. they aren't treating it as terror —related, but the police and crime commissioner is urging people not to speculate. she posted on social media, there are questions understandably, but she is urging people not to speculate and give the police the time they need to piece it together. there will be a lot of people wanting to give their version of what they saw.

there were many eyewitnesses and there will be a lot of evidence to collect as part of the evidence. lauren, thank you for your time. lauren, thank you for your time. lauren has been here all morning, as i have, and we were struck by how quiet this area is, this street when i arrived, it was a couple of early—morning joggers out. we saw a couple, a young father pushing a buggy with a young child in. and then slowly more and more people have left floral treatments to the two children who died, and of course we still have nine children in hospital, six of those in a critical condition, and also to adults in a critical condition. talking to lauren about the police investigation, as she said, a 17—year—old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. he was from a nearby

village, a few miles away from here, originally from cardiff. the police will now try to piece together what happened here yesterday with the forensic evidence, but also looking at the picture up to that point when the attack happened and seeing if they can find cctv footage and asking members of the public with any information if they can come forward. we know the 17—year—old was brought here in a taxi, there seemed to be some altercation with the taxi driver about paying for the cab fare. that is what police will be trying to work out, the events that led up to this and what caused it, because the question everyone is asking at the moment, long with the grief isjust a asking at the moment, long with the grief is just a single word —— why did it happen in this quiet area of

the seaside town of southport. starting the family holidays, the summer holidays, the first full week of the summer holidays in england. people will have come to southport for a holiday, and this area of course we know the event was taking place as part of those summer holiday activities. a dance, taylor swift themes event for children aged between six and 11. police do have that 17—year—old boy in custody. they will be investigating what happened. earlier on, to get more of an insight into what the police will be doing now, i spoke to david spencer, a former metropolitan police officer, and he gave me an idea of what will be going on behind scenes with the merseyside police officers at the moment. this

scenes with the merseyside police officers at the moment.— scenes with the merseyside police officers at the moment. this will be a meticulous _ officers at the moment. this will be a meticulous investigation, - officers at the moment. this will be a meticulous investigation, it- officers at the moment. this will be a meticulous investigation, it will. a meticulous investigation, it will have gone through the night. you have gone through the night. you have talked about the huge forensic examination going on. what they will try to do is piece together what happened in the minutes, hours, days and weeks leading up to it, the horrible event. and trying to understand what has gone on and why. they have a suspect in custody. i assume now that is the time when they will be looking into the background of suspect and may be things like his mental health. that is riaht, things like his mental health. that is right. that _ things like his mental health. that is right, that will _ things like his mental health. twat is right, that will be one line of inquiry the police will follow. as is the way of every investigation, there will be forensically examination of electronic devices, of his home. there will be a very detailed investigation going on to understand as far as humanly

possible the background and motivation the person responsible has. one of the things which is interesting is the police come under criticism of the, we hear it frequently, one of the things that is important to do is british policing really does excel at this sort of incident and investigating these matters seriously. british policing is amongst the best in the world at it. i have no doubt this investigation will be thorough and meticulous and that will no doubt, we will no doubt find more as it progresses. we will no doubt find more as it progresses-— we will no doubt find more as it progresses. we will no doubt find more as it rouresses. ~ , ., ., progresses. and we should say, of course, progresses. and we should say, of course. that _ progresses. and we should say, of course, that incidents _ progresses. and we should say, of course, that incidents like - progresses. and we should say, of course, that incidents like this - progresses. and we should say, of course, that incidents like this are | course, that incidents like this are extremely rare, aren't they? that is riaht, and extremely rare, aren't they? that is right. and it — extremely rare, aren't they? that is right. and it is _ extremely rare, aren't they? that is right, and it is cold _ extremely rare, aren't they? that is right, and it is cold comfort, - extremely rare, aren't they? that is right, and it is cold comfort, no - right, and it is cold comfort, no comfort at all to the families and people living in southport, but they are very rare indeed. many of us

will remember the tragedy in dunblane or involve hampton, but these incidents stick in the mind and we remember them because they are also incredibly rare. that is different to the crime more generally, which is tragically not rare. these incidents where children and young children are targeted are mercifully rare indeed. fight! and young children are targeted are mercifully rare indeed.— mercifully rare indeed. and the olice in mercifully rare indeed. and the police in this _ mercifully rare indeed. and the police in this country, - mercifully rare indeed. and the police in this country, they - mercifully rare indeed. and the | police in this country, they have the expertise to be able to try and investigate now exactly what happened, don't they? filth. investigate now exactly what happened, don't they? oh, the exertise happened, don't they? oh, the expertise which _ happened, don't they? oh, the expertise which british - happened, don't they? oh, the expertise which british policing| happened, don't they? oh, the - expertise which british policing can bring to bear on these huge and very serious investigations is world—class. the chief constable herself in her career was a detective chief inspector running a major incident team. the expertise she and her team will bring to bear she and her team will bring to hear from forces all over the country is

absolutely significant. it really is not overplaying it to say it is amongst the best in the world. i have no doubt at all this investigation will be thorough, meticulous and when the time is right, the details will become public. i can't possibly not be here and say as well that the response by the emergency services, all of them, the emergency services, all of them, the police officers, the ambulance and fire service, from what i have seen, it was exceptional. all of the people involved will have demonstrated remarkable courage in terms of dealing with this ad will have to live with the consequences in their own buying for many years to come, i am sure. == in their own buying for many years to come, i am sure.— to come, i am sure. -- their own mind. to come, i am sure. -- their own mind- that _ to come, i am sure. -- their own mind- that is— to come, i am sure. -- their own mind. that is something - to come, i am sure. -- their own mind. that is something we - to come, i am sure. -- their own mind. that is something we may| mind. that is something we may forget, the emergency services, they turn up not knowing what they will see and greeted with that horrific

scene. in the ends they are human beings often having families with young children, children aged between six and 11 who were involved in this incident. that between six and 11 who were involved in this incident.— in this incident. that is right. it is inescapable _ in this incident. that is right. it is inescapable the _ in this incident. that is right. it is inescapable the horror - in this incident. that is right. it is inescapable the horror what | in this incident. that is right. it - is inescapable the horror what they have dealt with, and they would have had to put it to one side, deal with it professionally and efficiently at the scene when they were confronted by it. these things stay in the mind and just hearing about these awful events yesterday and today, they strike all of us, but those professionals on the scene, it will be a very tough experience for them to go through, no doubt at all. that is david spencer, _ to go through, no doubt at all. that is david spencer, a _ to go through, no doubt at all. that is david spencer, a former metropolitan police officer, giving us an insight into what the investigation team will be looking at and the impact on the officers involved. it was a horrific scene

that people came to hear almost 24—hours ago, when the emergency services were confronted by a multiple stabbing incident involving children aged between six and 11. merseyside police and crime commissioner has been talking about the incident. she said they aren't looking for anyone else in connection with this incident, but she is also urging people not to speculate on social media. there's been a lot of speculation, almost started immediately after this incident happened yesterday, with conspiracy theories flying around. but she has urged people not to speculate. let's listen to what she told my colleagues this morning. there is still a lot to be told my colleagues this morning. there is still a lot to he figured out, the police have said they arrested 117—year—old individual. they aren't currently looking for anybody else, they don't believe

there is anyone related —— a 17—year—old. they will have to take the time to figure out what has happened, why it happened, what motivated him to commit these acts. and i would encourage everybody to give them the space to do it and not speculate about why or who it happened. speculate about why or who it happened-— speculate about why or who it ha ened, ., , ~ , i, happened. that is the merseyside police and crime _ happened. that is the merseyside police and crime commissioner. happened. that is the merseyside - police and crime commissioner urging people not to speculate on social media. you can see behind me the cording is in place, but the flowers, the numbers of flowers that have appeared over the morning has grown and grown and indeed in the last hour, one of those bunches of flowers was from the home secretary. she came here with the local mp and also members of the police force, merseyside police, and they laid flowers. there weren't any questions for yvette cooper, it was very quiet

from the journalist, for yvette cooper, it was very quiet from thejournalist, over for yvette cooper, it was very quiet from the journalist, over than the noise of the camera going off. but yvette cooper has gone away now and done an interview with the media on the incident, and i want to play you what yvette cooper has been saying about this incident of this multiple stabbing yesterday. t about this incident of this multiple stabbing yesterday.— stabbing yesterday. i think it is 'ust stabbing yesterday. i think it is just unimaginable _ stabbing yesterday. i think it is just unimaginable what - stabbing yesterday. i think it is just unimaginable what has - stabbing yesterday. i think it is - just unimaginable what has happened, this devastating and horrific attack. all of our thoughts will be with the families who have been affected, loved ones who have been lost and the children who are injured. and it is really important they get all the support they need. i've been meeting with some of the first responders, the emergency services, the police, fire service and paramedics who were there yesterday and you had to respond with great bravery to make sure more lives weren't lost, and i thank them

for the work they did. there is also a serious criminal investigation under way now. everyone's thoughts will be with those injured children, just praying for them. we will be with those injured children, just praying for them.— will be with those injured children, just praying for them. we heard from the olice just praying for them. we heard from the police yesterday _ just praying for them. we heard from the police yesterday that _ just praying for them. we heard from the police yesterday that it _ just praying for them. we heard from the police yesterday that it isn't - the police yesterday that it isn't being _ the police yesterday that it isn't being considered a terror —related incident — being considered a terror —related incident. how do we know it isn't? there _ incident. how do we know it isn't? there is— incident. how do we know it isn't? there is a — incident. how do we know it isn't? there is a series investigation under way because it was an horrific attack. it is important the police pursue every avenue and that is what mrs i police are now doing. i support them in that work —— merseyside police. they need to be able to continue it. they will provide updates. you will understand i won't say anything which will cut across their investigation or prejudice it as i take that investigation immensely seriously into this truly horrific attack. the knife crime _ into this truly horrific attack. the knife crime epidemic, you can't listen _ knife crime epidemic, you can't listen to—

knife crime epidemic, you can't listen to the news more than a week without_ listen to the news more than a week without hearing from an attack. what is your— without hearing from an attack. what is your government doing to tackle the issue _ is your government doing to tackle the issue and prevent attacks? there will be deep — the issue and prevent attacks? there will be deep distress _ the issue and prevent attacks? there will be deep distress across - the issue and prevent attacks? ii—urr will be deep distress across the country as well as here in southport for this appalling, truly horrific attack. it is beyond every parent's worst nightmare. you had what should have been a children's party, having fun, which turned into something so devastating. obviously concern about knife attacks across the country, and that is why the prime minister has said it is a moral mission to address it. but for today, the issue is about southport and the families who have been affected in this case and all others praying for the injured children and for the little children who have been lost. t injured children and for the little children who have been lost. i want to cuickl children who have been lost. i want to quickly ask _ children who have been lost. i want to quickly ask you, _ children who have been lost. i want to quickly ask you, is _ children who have been lost. i want to quickly ask you, is there - to quickly ask you, is there anything _ to quickly ask you, is there anything else you can tell us about

the perpetrator? were