Father of Southport attack victim helps raise £125k for commemorative playground

The father of Southport attack victim Alice da Silva Aguiar has been “overwhelmed” by support after a London Marathon fundraiser for a commemorative playground approached £125,000.

Sergio Aguiar, whose nine-year-old daughter Alice was one of the three girls murdered in the Southport attack on July 29 last year, is helping raise £250,000 for a new playground at Churchtown Primary School, which Alice attended.

Mr Aguiar will be running the London Marathon in April alongside Jinnie Payne, the headteacher of Churchtown Primary, as well as other members of staff.

The playground will also commemorate fellow Churchtown student Bebe King who, aged six, was the youngest victim of the attack by Axel Rudakubana.

Mr Aguiar said: “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the local community so far, not to mention the support across the country.

“Our serious training is ramping up now, and we’re determined to get this done.”

The new playground, which was proposed by Alice’s parents, will contain a dedicated performance space and an indoor/outdoor library.

There are also plans to revitalise the early years’ playground with a den-building area.

Ms Payne said the playground will be “a lasting monument” to Alice and Bebe’s “amazing personalities”.

“The amount we have raised so far is phenomenal, but we still have a long way to go,” she said.

Rudakubana, who killed Alice, Bebe, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, was jailed for a minimum of 52 years in January.