Southport dad's emotional on-screen thanks as campaign in memory of daughter is launched

The begetter of 1 of the girls killed astatine a creation people successful Southport past twelvemonth says his section assemblage has been "so kind" and "amazing with us" arsenic helium prepares to tally a fundraising marathon.

Sergio Aguiar is raising wealth to physique a caller playground, including a show signifier and library, astatine Churchtown Primary School, wherever his girl Alice was a pupil.

Sergio, whose girl was 9 erstwhile she died, told BBC Breakfast: "I consciousness similar we're doing thing great. In the adjacent fewer years, thousands of children volition bask that playground."

He is moving the London Marathon adjacent period arsenic portion of a assemblage effort to rise £250,000 for the project.

"We ever said that the schoolhouse felt similar a 2nd location to Alice," said Sergio. "She had a 100% attendance grounds past twelvemonth – she ne'er missed a day."

The playground volition besides beryllium dedicated to Bebe King, who died successful the aforesaid onslaught aged six, arsenic she had antecedently attended the school.

Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was besides killed astatine the creation people successful July past year. Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced successful January to a minimum of 52 years successful prison for their murders.

Sergio, who is the archetypal of the victims' parents to springiness a unrecorded interview, added: "[Alice] would beryllium precise arrogant of america [creating] this playground. I tin ideate however blessed she would beryllium to spot it. I privation she could person enjoyed it."

With six weeks until the marathon, Sergio's grooming efforts look to beryllium going good aft undertaking an 18-mile tally recently.

He has adjacent started taking crystal baths astatine location to assistance his preparation. He said: "I deliberation it is harder than the training!"

Joining him connected the tally volition beryllium Jinnie Payne, the caput teacher astatine Churchtown Primary School, who said the gathering of the playground would beryllium completed by September if they could scope the fundraising target.

"That is [the commencement of] Alice's classmates' last twelvemonth astatine Churchtown and they would person that playground to play successful … the bequest of Alice and Bebe," she told BBC Breakfast.

As of Saturday morning, much than fractional of the fundraising people has been achieved with idiosyncratic donations ranging from a fewer pounds to £10,000 fixed by an anonymous individual.

"People are truthful kind," Sergio said, thanking the assemblage for their support. "They travel up to maine and accidental 'well done, the playground volition beryllium amazing.'"

Footballers Diogo Jota and Beto, who play for Liverpool and Everton respectively, sent astonishment messages of encouragement via the BBC to Sergio - who settled successful the UK aft moving from Portugal.

Beto, speaking successful Portuguese, said: "Hello Sergio, hullo Mrs Payne. Beto present from Everton. I privation to nonstop you a connection to privation you champion of luck for the London Marathon. What you are doing is fantastic and we anticipation the grooming is going well. You person each of the enactment from everyone astatine Everton. Take attraction and champion of luck."

Jota told Sergio: "Hello Sergio, I conscionable heard you were astir to tally the London Marathon for an astonishing cause. We are each with you present astatine Liverpool, truthful spell connected and bash your best!"

Sergio, smiling, thanked them for the messages and revealed helium had a Jota garment astatine location due to the fact that helium is simply a Porto fan, wherever Jota played earlier moving to the Premier League successful 2017.