Chapter 3: The victims and the impact of the attack

Introduction

¶1. This chapter of the report is dedicated to the voices of those most profoundly affected by the events of 29 July 2024. It contains a summary of the commemorative and impact evidence provided by the victims and their families. These statements were testimonies to courage, resilience, and the enduring consequences of a day that irrevocably changed lives. I stress at the outset, however, that no written summary can adequately convey how moving it was to hear the first-hand accounts from the victims and their families at the start of the Inquiry’s evidence.

¶2. The Inquiry wishes to acknowledge the immeasurable impact on the bereaved families – the parents of Elsie, Alice and Bebe – whose loss cannot be captured in words. Their grief and strength have been central to this Inquiry, and their statements remind us of the human cost of systemic failings.

¶3. The purpose of including a summary of this evidence is twofold. First, it ensures that the human dimension of this tragedy is fully recognised in the Inquiry’s work. Behind every fact and finding lies a child, a family and a community whose lives have been devastated and disrupted in ways that should not be forgotten. Second, it serves as a call for accountability and change. Many of those who delivered their evidence expressed the hope that their experiences will lead to meaningful reforms, so that no child or family ever faces similar horrors again.

¶4. The statements reflect a range of experiences: from the devastating grief of those who were bereaved, the children and adults who sustained catastrophic injuries and underwent life-saving surgery, to those who escaped physical harm but live with deep psychological trauma. They also convey the impact on parents, siblings, and extended families, whose lives have been marked by grief, anxiety, and a loss of trust in systems intended to protect them. Despite these challenges, themes of bravery, compassion and solidarity recur throughout these accounts.

¶5. The Inquiry acknowledges the courage it took for each individual to share their story. These statements are central to understanding the impact of what occurred on 29 July 2024 and why change is imperative. A Restriction Order remains in place prohibiting the identification of the child victims and survivors of the attack.⁴⁹⁴⁹ Restriction Order, ‘Anonymity and related protections for victims of the Southport attack pursuant to Section 19 of the Inquiries Act 2005’, available at: https://southport-prod. s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/2025/07/2025.07.06-Restriction-Order-Anonymity-Related-Protections.pdf Nothing in this report should be read as permitting any publication or disclosure that could lead, directly or indirectly, to their identification.