Southport seeks normality but set to remain in headlines
Andrew Misra
Reporter
Southport would love to get back to normal. The reality is that it will remain in the headlines for the foreseeable future, with the attacks now set to be the focus of a public inquiry.
4mNo matter who you speak to in Southport, it seems everybody has been impacted by the horrific events of last summer. Being in the town in the week of the sentencing reminded me of something said at the funeral of Elsie Dot Stancombe, one of the three girls killed in the attacks.
The vicar talked about Southport’s “healing journey” and it’s clear that is very much ongoing. Although there has been some light in the darkness, from fundraising to countless acts of kindness, there is an underlying sense now that the town may never fully recover.
The prime minister has spoken about the Southport attacks being a “line in the sand” that will “change the country”. We’ll have to wait to see whether that happens or not. What’s clear is that Southport, a coastal holiday destination, is not the town it was before.
Axel Rudakubana has been given 13 life sentences with a minimum term of 52 years for the murder of three girls in Southport – Elsie, Anna and Bebe. Meanwhile the community have been trying to move forward. pic.twitter.com/vkCtYv7Jlu
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) January 23, 2025
Southport would love to get back to normal. The reality is that it will remain in the headlines for the foreseeable future, with the attacks now set to be the focus of a public inquiry – and they tend to take years to get started, let alone complete.