Attack in Southport
On Monday 29th July, a knife attack hurt and killed people in Southport. Some of those people were children.
A 17 year old boy from the Southport area was arrested. He is with the police.
The police are still investigating what happened. They are not looking for anyone else.
Some people are very upset and feeling scared and worried.
Please only listen to official information from Merseyside Police as there is lots of false information being shared.
If you are worried tell someone. Sefton in Mind has lots of information of organisations who can help. Look on www.seftoninmind.org.uk.
You can call or ask someone to help you. You can call the Samaritans on 116 123 for free.
The police said if you were in the area and seen anything, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
| Information About The Southport Attack |  (pdf 735KB) |
Remembering the people killed and hurt in Southport attack
A book of condolence has blank pages where people can sign their name and leave a short message to tell people how they feel.
You can sign this book of condolence in:
- Bootle Town Hall. Oriel Road in Bootle.
Open Monday to Friday.
8.30am – 6pm. - The Atkinson on Lord Street in Southport. Open Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm.
There is an official place you can give money to help the people and their families if you would like to.
This has been set up with Sefton CVS and Sefton Council.
| Remembering Southport | (pdf 402KB) |
Looking after yourself after a scary or upsetting event
After scary or upsetting news, it’s normal to feel different emotions.
At first, you might not need help from a doctor or therapist. Acting too soon can sometimes be unhelpful.
You might feel:
- Scared.
- Sad.
- Angry.
- Confused.
- Tired.
- Helpless.
- Jumpy or on edge.
- You could have bad dreams or trouble sleeping.
These feelings are normal and are part of understanding what happened.
Not everyone feels this way, but many people do.
What to do.
In the first days and weeks, take care of yourself and each other.
You should:
- Eat.
- Drink water.
- Sleep.
- Rest.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol.
- Be kind to yourself and try to do normal things with others.
- Get support from people you trust.
- Talk about what happened if you want to, but don’t force it.
Who to talk to.
If it's been less than four weeks, talk to family, friends, or workmates. Share as much or as little as you feel comfortable.
If you want to talk to someone else, you can call Samaritans for free at 116 123.
When you should get more help.
Most people start to feel better over the next few weeks. It's normal to have ups and downs.
You should speak to your GP or health professional if, after a month, you still feel:
- Very upset.
- Scared.
- You can’t stop thinking about the event.
- Have bad dreams.
- Feel jumpy.
- Struggle to look after yourself.
- Are using drugs and alcohol more.
If you can't keep yourself safe, call a crisis service.
If you live in Sefton or Liverpool call 0800 145 6570.
If you live in Halton, Knowsley, St Helens or Warrington call 0800 051 1508.
You can also call NHS111 by dialling 111 and choosing option 2 to talk to a mental health team member.
You can find more information in the NHS leaflet on coping with stress after a major incident.
| Looking After Yourself After A Scary Or Upsetting Event. | (pdf 1.98MB) |