UPDATE: |Dads of Southport victim recalls daughter’s emotional wish ahead of London Marathon News

David Stancombe and Sergio Aguiar are running the 2025 London Marathon to raise funds for causes honouring their late daughters

Two fathers who tragically lost their daughters in the Southport stabbings are preparing to run the London Marathon in their memory.

David Stancombe and Sergio Aguiar are set to take on the gruelling 26.2-mile challenge this Sunday (27 April) to raise funds for initiatives honouring their children.

In a devastating incident in July 2024, Alice Aguiar, nine, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Bebe King, six, were fatally stabbed during a dance workshop in Southport.

David is running to support Elsie’s Story, a trust set up to provide grants for young people and community support in Southport.

In an emotional pre-recorded interview on BBC Breakfast, David expressed how “proud” his daughter Elsie would have been to see him finish the marathon, reports the Express.

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“Elsie would be so happy to see me cross the finish line, especially for the London Marathon,” he said. “She’d just be so proud.”

He recalled watching last year’s marathon with Elsie, who had encouraged him to run it one day in tribute to her grandmother.

“A little bit of me was like, ‘Oh yeah, alright, Els,'” David admitted. “I just never thought I would be running it for these reasons.”

David will have the support of around 40 family members and friends as he takes on the marathon. He shared his anticipation for the emotional finish: “I’ve seen so many videos of people crying at the end of the London marathon, and I can’t imagine what that will be like. But I want to enjoy the day. I want to do it for me and I want to do it for Elsie.”

Sergio is embarking on a fundraising mission to build a new playground at Churchtown Primary School, dedicated to Alice and Bebe, who both attended the school. He will be joined at the London Marathon by Jinnie Payne, the headteacher of the school.

Sergio expressed his drive to tackle the marathon challenge: “Twenty-six miles, I’ve never done anything like that before. But for my girl, I would do 26 or 50—whatever. The pain doesn’t matter; I’m going to do it.”

Bebe’s parents, Lauren and Ben King, will stand among the supporters at the London Marathon cheering on David and Sergio.

“It is just incredible what they are both doing. And we want to be a part of it every step of the way,” Lauren said.

She also reflected further on the children’s characters: “They were such wonderful, caring little children. Even though none of them knew each other, they were all so similar. And I reckon they are just up there watching over us and looking out for us.”

The London Marathon will be live on BBC One and iPlayer from 8:30am on Sunday, 27 April. BBC Breakfast airs on weekdays from 6am on BBC One.