Teacher who shielded kids from knifeman during Southport attack readmitted to hospital

The 35-year-old is thought to have saved the lives of several children

Leanne Lucas, the instructor who was running the class is believed to have saved the lives of more than a dozen children as a knifeman killed three.

Lucas was left in a critical condition in hospital after the incident on July 29 and underwent life-saving surgery.

The attacker entered the community centre on Hart Street via a door that had been propped open due to the heat and the former primary school teacher suffered serious stab injuries as she put herself between the knifeman and her pupils.

Friends of the 35-year-old had issued an update earlier this month saying Lucas had been discharged from hospital but faced a lengthy recovery. Now, in a devastating update, they shared that she was now back in hospital.

Posting to a GoFundMe page set up to support the teacher in her recovery, a friend said: “Unfortunately this week Leanne was readmitted to hospital due struggling with her breathing. She is waiting for an operation for another drain on her lung due to infection.

“Leanne had barely begun her road to recovery. Please keep her in your thoughts and continue supporting her as you have been by sharing the page & donating anything you can. Thank you all from the Lucas family & friends.”

Lucas planned the two-hour class alongside fellow dance teacher Heidi Barlow who reportedly rushed to usher as many children out of the building as she could and even locked children in a toilet to try and keep them safe from the attacker.

Three young girls, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, and Bebe King, 6, tragically died of their injuries following the attack.