'It'll mean a lot' King visits Southport to meet those affected by attack

King Charles was greeted by hundreds of people in Southport yesterday as he visited Merseyside to meet those affected by last month's knife attack.

- Hannah Al-Othman

Members of the crowd, some of whom had been waiting hours for the arrival of the king, cheered and applauded as he arrived at Southport town hall, while some waved union flags or shouted "God save the king".

The monarch stepped out of his car just after 1.30pm before stopping to read some of the hundreds of tributes which lay among flowers, balloons, and cuddly toys left on the fountain outside of the building in memory of Stancombe, Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, who all died in the attack.

The king stopped to talk and shake hands with several members of the public, some of whom were moved to tears. Speaking to one woman, he said: "Look at all the flowers," while Southport resident Linsey Hislop, 43, asked him about his health and how he was feeling after his cancer treatment. "I'm not too bad," he replied.

Hislop, a foster carer, said: "I love the royal family. My son is a police officer who worked during the riots so it's really good of the king to come."