'Forget about me, there’s a fella in there stabbing kids': Rugby player hailed hero for tackling Southport knifeman during deadly attack

Joel Verite, 25, rushed to the aid of a woman who screamed “forget about me, there’s a fella in there stabbing kids".

The young dad has since been reported to have been “traumatised” by his involvement in the ordeal.

Merseyside Police were called to reports of a stabbing at Hart Space on Hart Street, Southport at around 11.50am on Monday July 29.

A "Taylor Swift Yoga and Dance Workshop" aimed at children aged between primary school years two and six was taking place at the time.

Three children aged six, seven and nine have died and several other people remain in hospital, some in critical condition.

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Police said he is from the nearby village of Banks in Lancashire but was born in Cardiff.

Colleagues of Joel, a young new dad and a 6ft personal trainer, told The Mirror how he bravely jumped on the killer with police officers before carrying stabbed young girls away from the scene.

Kyle Shaw, who works at Level Up Gym in Southport with Joel said: “He’s been a true hero shown nothing but fearlessness and in that second reacted in the best way we could hope for.

"I think he’s truly displayed how much of a fantastic person he is, within that split second he’s decided what he’s going to do.”

“I sent him a message to say I hope he was ok, he said on Instagram he was a little bit overwhelmed.

"He said it was a traumatic experience. He was one of the first on the scene. He went in with the police and helped to detain the man and then helped to carry a child out.

"I don’t even have words for it, what a hero to pick the kids up and carry them out. He took himself to a different place and did what he had to do.”

Danny Noble, co owner of the gym added: “Joel was driving down the road and there was a woman on the floor and he’s gone over to her.

"She said ‘forget about me, there’s a fella stabbing kids in there’. He went in and the fella was in there with a knife or whatever he had.

“It was just Joel and just one other police officer.

"Another police officer turned up and the three of them went in and tackled him to the ground. Apparently one of the police officers tasered the man and then they just all jumped on him.”

Joel was working his second job as a window cleaner at the time of the attack.

Chloe Skelton, fellow co-owner of Level Up said the former rugby player for Salford and Wigan, was the kind of man you would want in such an unthinkable situation.

She added: “Joel is traumatised. He’s dad to a young baby and he’s got another little girl on the way.

“He heard the screams and ran to help. Joel is strong he’s the kind of person you would want there in that situation.

"He’s a hero, I think everyone should know how brave he is and what he’s done.

"He’s a big lad, the guy would have been scared of him when he saw Joel.”