Stourbridge stabbings: Love will beat evil says reverend ahead of victims' funeral

The funeral of a mother and son who were killed at their home in Stourbridge was taking place today, as the reverend leading the service spoke of the impact the deaths have had in the community.

Tracey Wilkinson, 50, and son Pierce, 13, were killed in a horrific stabbing at their home in Greyhound Lane in March.

Husband and father Peter Wilkinson, 47, was left fighting for his life.

Today, the funerals of Mrs Wilkinson and Pierce were being held at St Mary's Church in Oldswinford.

Lydia Wilkinson was at university during the attack while Peter was critically injured

The Rev Stephen Agnew, who was leading the service, told BBC WM this morning: “It’s going to be very hard for a lot of people, but for the whole community as well.

“I think the overriding question from people I’ve heard is; Why, if somebody is so good, so caring as was clearly the case with the Wilkinson family, why should that be repaid by such an evil act?

“It is an act of a person. Not everybody in society is totally good and motivated by love and compassion.

“There are other sides as well. We have to come to terms with that.

“The way to defeat that is to express love, and love as we’ve seen in Manchester and London recently, people are saying that love and being together is ultimately stronger than the destructive nature of the individual who will commit heinous acts.

Tributes outside the family home in Greyhound Lane where the attack took place

“There will be many people attending, addresses by family friends and also members of the family themselves.

“There will be a choir and singing, there will be readings and poems and we will all join together in singing hymns as a sign of praise as a sign of shared sadness as well.

“We get through it, it’s not easy, but you have to steel yourselves to get through it.

“My thoughts will be with the family. They are the ones who have the difficult task.

“I’m privileged to be alongside them in preparing for this.

“I will continue to be alongside them during the service and beyond."

Aaron Barley has admitted the attempted murder of Mr Wilkinson.

Barley, 23, of no fixed address, has not yet been asked to enter pleas to murder charges relating to Mrs Wilkinson and her son, who went to Redhill School.