Fathers of two of the three girls murdered in the Southport attack have become "like brothers" and are set to run the London Marathon together in memory of their daughters.
Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe lost their girls, Alice Da Silva Aguiar, nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, in the July 2024 attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.
They died alongside six-year-old Bebe King when an attacker targeted the dance class, leaving three families and an entire community devastated.
Both fathers ran last year's London Marathon separately in memory of their daughters, but this year they will take on the 26.2 mile course side by side.
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David said: "Last year we ran it as two dads, and this time around we're running it as two friends.
"We wanted to run it together because of how close we've got."
The pair described running as a form of therapy - a way to process the unimaginable grief.
Sergio told the BBC: "You have these kind of days you don't want to wake up and as soon as I go out running afterwards I feel much better - so running for me has helped me a lot.
Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe after they ran the London marathon last year - this year they will do it together
|GETTY
"I'm not running to get faster. I'm just running to get better."
Sergio said running alongside David had become "very important" to him, describing the bond they had formed as something deeper than friendship.
"He is like a brother," Sergio said.
David responded: "I feel the same. I say the exact same."
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Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine and Bebe King, six, were all killed in the attack on July 29, 2024
|FAMILY HANDOUTS
Sergio said he felt a strong bond with David from the first moment they met and hoped their friendship would last for the rest of his life.
David told Sergio directly: "I don't think you realise how much you have helped me."
Last year, Sergio ran the London Marathon to raise money for a new playground at Alice's school, while David ran in support of Elsie's Story, the charity set up in his daughter's name.
After completing London in 2025, Sergio set himself the extraordinary challenge of running all six of the world's major marathons within 12 months for Alice's WonderDance, the foundation he established in her honour.
He has since completed marathons in Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo and Boston, with London this weekend completing the set.
David said he was in awe of everything Sergio had achieved, adding: "I think what he's done is incredible. I certainly couldn't do it, going from one marathon to another. When Sergio gets his sixth major medal, I'll be the first one to clap."
With Sergio the more experienced runner of the two, the pair were asked whether David would be able to keep pace.
Sergio joked that he would hold David back if he went ahead.
Inspired by the two fathers, the schools attended by Alice and Elsie will also be taking part in a mini marathon in London on Saturday.
David said he hoped it showed the positive impact running could have on children and communities alike.
Bebe King's family will also be on the sidelines to cheer them on, with both men drawing comfort from knowing they will have each other's families around them throughout the day.
Sergio said that no matter how many marathons he runs, his thoughts are always with Alice, wishing he could see her one more time.
David said that every time he laces up his trainers, he does it for Elsie, and that crossing the finish line in London would bring with it a profound sense of achievement — not just for himself, but for both fathers and their daughters.