Dance Teacher Heidi Liddle Reveals Ongoing Trauma from Southport Tragedy in Emotional Inquiry Testimony

A Teacher’s Haunting Memory

Heidi Liddle, a guest dance teacher, has provided emotional testimony to the public inquiry regarding the Southport stabbings, where she helped save children’s lives by locking them in a toilet as an attacker attempted to break in.

Liddle, who was returning to work after the birth of her first child, found herself in an unimaginable situation when attacker Axel Rudakubana entered the classroom where children were making bracelets. She had to act instantly, focusing solely on getting as many children as possible away from danger.

The Tragic Incident

The devastating attack on July 29, 2024, resulted in the deaths of three young girls: Alice da Silva Aguiar (9), Bebe King (6), and Elsie Dot Stancombe (7). The incident also saw the attacker attempting to murder ten others.

During her testimony, Liddle described how she noticed one of the girls running towards the toilet instead of the stairwell. Acting quickly, she pushed the child inside and locked the door, trying to keep her quiet. The perpetrator then began banging and rattling the door, only stopping when police arrived.

Ongoing Impact

In her testimony, Liddle revealed she experiences daily flashbacks and still ‘sees’ the attacker at various points throughout the day. She stated, “This is just how my life is now.” She expressed grief not only for the victims and their families but also for her former self, saying she cannot remember her life before the incident and constantly relives the events while dealing with overwhelming emotions and fears.

The trauma has affected every aspect of her life – even when she discovered she was expecting her second child, she experienced fear of judgment and guilt, feeling undeserving of happiness while other parents had lost their children.

Public Inquiry

The public inquiry, being held at Liverpool Town Hall, aims to examine Axel Rudakubana’s interactions with relevant agencies before he carried out the violent attack. Liddle expressed hope that the inquiry will ensure that “no one – neither adults or innocent children – ever have to go through the life-changing devastation that this evil individual was able to inflict on us that day.”