Rioters prevented us from going to Southport vigil, say local family

A Southport family has said they were deterred from going to a vigil for the young victims of a stabbing attack due to violence from suspected far-right rioters in the local area.

Gemma Taylor and her children Sebastian, 10, and Evelyn, seven, helped clear up debris near the mosque a day after the disorder.

The family said they live a short distance from where the violence erupted.

Sebastian said: “We were sweeping up bricks and metal and bottles and we were sweeping up burnt pieces of bins which had been on fire.”