The final picture ever taken of nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar before she was stabbed to death in the Southport rampage shows her smiling next to a cut-out of Taylor Swift just hours before her death.
Alice died from her injuries in hospital a day after a knifeman entered a Taylor Swift-themed event on Hart Street on July 29 and carried out a terrifying stabbing spree.
She was killed alongside Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven. Ten others were seriously injured.
Alice’s family have released a collection of photos showing the child throughout her tragically short life, one of which was taken just hours before she was killed.
The little girl looked delighted as she posed next to a cardboard cut-out of her idol Swift while excitedly waiting for the dance class to start.
Another image shows Alice as a toddler during one of her first ballet classes, to which she wore a pink tutu and ballet shoes.
Alice was a dedicated dancer, her parents said in a tribute given at her funeral service at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Southport today.
Photos from the nine-year-old’s funeral today show hundreds of devastated mourners arriving outside the church. The little girl’s parents Sergio and Alexandra were joined by hundreds of family members and friends who packed out the church.
Alice da Silva Aguiar pictured on the day she died next to a cardboard cut out of Taylor Swift – she was eager and ready to get into the dance class
Alice da Silva Aguiar had been dancing and performing from a young age
Alice as a toddler in one of her first ballet classes
Alice Da Silva Aguiar’s coffin was decorated with pink roses for her funeral today
A horse-drawn carriage carrying the coffin of nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, (pictured) was one of three little girls to be stabbed to death by a knifeman at a Taylor Swift themed dance class on July 29
The coffin of Southport attack victim Alice da Silva Aguiar is carried on a carriage during her funeral at St Patrick’s Catholic Church
The coffin of nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar is carried into her funeral
People dressed in light colours for nine-year-old Alice’s funeral today
The horse-drawn carriage carrying the coffin of Southport stabbing victim Alice
A horse and carriage carrying the coffin of nine-year-old Alice
Mourners attending the funeral of Southport stabbing victim Alice da Silva Aguiar
The grieving crowd can be seen carrying flowers and are predominantly dressed in light colours
A beautiful pink and white, horse-drawn carriage carried Alice’s coffin to the church surrounded by those lining the streets to pay their respects
A paramedic carries flowers, ahead of the funeral of Southport stabbing victim Alice
Pall bearers carry the coffin for the funeral of Southport stabbing victim Alice da Silva Aguiar
Mourners hold hands as the funeral cortege arrives for the funeral today
Among those who also gathered to pay their respects were Serena Kennedy, Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, alongside uniformed officers from the police, ambulance and fire services.
The grieving crowd could be seen carrying flowers and pink balloons and were dressed in light colours.
A white coffin decorated with pink roses was carried into the church for the funeral which began at 2pm. Pink ribbons and balloons were tied to lampposts and garden walls.
A beautiful pink and white, horse-drawn carriage carried Alice’s coffin to the church.
About 300 members of the public lined Marshside Road as the funeral cortege arrived, along with about 30 uniformed police officers.
Applause broke out as the carriage containing the coffin approached the church entrance.
Several hundred people gathered in the church while more listened outside as the service was relayed on loudspeakers.
The stabbing suspect is Axel Rudakubana, who turned 18 this month, and who was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff in 2006 before moving to the village of Banks in Lancashire in 2013.
Alice’s aunt, Albertina Freitas, told ITV News in Madeira, Portugal, that the little girl’s father has been left paralysed by his grief.
‘We are not going through it directly, but we can imagine the pain my brother is experiencing. It is an immense pain.’
Hundreds of mourners came out to honour Alice da Silva today
Alice’s parents said in a tribute: ‘Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do, our princess’
Little Alice pictured here in her school uniform, she was killed in Southport alongside Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven
Alice pictured with her Wednesday Addams hat on at Halloween
Alice had been dancing from a young age, she is pictured here in her ballet outfit
Talking about her sister, Ms Freitas added: ‘She doesn’t speak at all.’
She said: ‘My brother-in-law is in such a state that he can’t even talk to the family. We try to talk to him but he doesn’t want to. He just clings to the girl’s things.’
In an earlier tribute, Alice’s parents 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.’
The family, who is Portuguese, attended a celebration of her life on Tuesday, which is traditional in Portugal one week after a person has died.
Liverpool players observed a minute’s silence before their pre-season friendly match against Sevilla at Anfield stadium today, in memory of Alice, Bebe and Elsie.
Players could be seen linking arms as they dropped their heads to remember the victims, while the coaches and substitutes did the same.
Fans in the stadium also joined in with the minute silence.
Players observe a minute’s silence for the victims of the Southport attack before the pre-season friendly football match between Liverpool and Sevilla
Liverpool manager Arne Slot takes part in a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the Southport attacks
St Patrick’s Church, Southport, today ahead of the funeral of Southport stabbing victim Alice, nine
A woman holds a celebration of life programme dedicated to nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar
Police officers outside St Patrick’s Church, Southport, ahead of the funeral of stabbing victim Alice
Police officers outside St Patrick’s Church ahead of nine-year-old Alice’s funeral today
A paramedic carries flowers, ahead of the funeral of Southport stabbing victim Alice
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy outside St Patrick’s Church ahead of the funeral of Alice
Paramedics outside St Patrick’s Church ahead of the funeral of nine-year-old Alice
Police officers secure the area for the devastating funeral today
Leading the service at St Patrick’s Church, Father John Heneghan previously told BBC Radio Merseyside that Alice was a ‘wonderfully happy girl’ who brought ‘joy to her mum and dad’.
He said the town’s residents were ‘very bruised’ and would remain that way for a long time following the attack.
In recent days, violent riots have exploded across several cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Plymouth and Birmingham following the Southport knife rampage which claimed the lives of the three girls.
False speculation online that the teenage suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK on a boat has fuelled the unrest which started outside a mosque in Southport and has since spread across the UK.
The misinformation is believed to have originated from a Russian-linked fake news website.
Right-wing groups have organised dozens of protests from Liverpool to Hull and Middlesbrough to Plymouth – with many filled with anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Riots have seen hotels housing migrants set on fire and police attacked with bricks or glass bottles.
The Prime Minister told Cabinet that ‘people across the country want their streets to be safe and to feel safe in their communities, and we will take all necessary action to bring the disorder to an end’.
