Church leaders from different denominations and traditions have issued a joint statement expressing their "shock, sadness and horror" at a deadly knife attack on a children's dance class on Monday.
The tragedy at the Taylor Swift-themed class in Southport, outside Liverpool, claimed the lives of three children, Bebe King aged six, 7-year-old Elsie Stancombe, and 9-year-old Alice Aguiar. Another eight children were injured, five critically. A 17-year-old boy is being held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
The Church leaders said they were holding all those affected by the "horrific" attack in their prayers, and called on "people of all faiths and none to come together to support them in whatever way we can".
"Life is a precious gift, and for it to be taken from children so young is truly heartbreaking," they said.
"We offer our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of all of those whose lives have been lost. We pray for those who remain critically ill and injured."
They added, "We commit ourselves afresh to standing against brutality and violence in every form and doing all we can to build safe, caring and strong communities."
Signatories of the letter include the Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, Dr John Perumbalath, the Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool, Most Rev Malcolm McMahon, Chair of the Liverpool Methodist District, Dr Sheryl Anderson, and Regional Minister of the North West Baptist Association, Rev Phil Jump.
They have released a special prayer for Southport:
Gracious God,
Words alone cannot express our sadness and disbelief
Our heartbreak and anguish
When such precious lives are so brutally stolen.
We offer to you the cries of our own hearts
And pray for those families whose grief and loss
Is impossible to comprehend.
Help us all to cling to hope
Even amidst this senseless brutality.
Be close to all whose lives have been so cruelly scarred;
Surround them with your love;
Hold them fast in their sorrow,
And grant them strength amidst their unbearable pain.
We cannot escape our anger and devastation,
But choose to seek hope even amidst this darkness.
For all its horror, may it spur us even more
To never surrender to despair,
But build a world where peace, hope and love prevail.
AMEN
