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Hundreds of people lined the streets of a UK town Friday for the funeral of one of the three girls stabbed to death during a Taylor Swift-themed event — ending with the 7-year-old Swiftie’s favorite song, “Love Story.”
The moving ceremony for Elsie Dot Stancombe was the last to be held for the three victims of last month’s shocking attack in Southport — with her parents, David and Jenni, asking for Friday to be known as “Elsie’s special day,” according to the BBC.
Her coffin, topped with a blue cuddle toy and flowers, was followed by a convoy of bright red postal trucks driven by her father’s colleagues at the Royal Mail before it was carried up a pink carpet towards a balloon arch at the church entrance.
Members of the youngster’s cheerleading squad, Vortex Cheer, formed a guard of honor — many in tears — as her dog, Bobby, also stood watching by the church door.
The congregation wore pastels and floral prints after Elsie’s parents asked attendees to wear bright colors to celebrate a day with “positivity, hope and love” for the daughter who “brought them nothing but happiness,” the BBC noted.
Katie Sykes, one of the Elsie’s teachers, told the ceremony that the youngster’s vivacious spirit “quickly made an impression.”
“She wasn’t just Elsie, she was Elsie Dot. With her hands on her hips and her usual sassy shimmer she explained, ‘That’s my name because my mommy says I’m just like a little dot,’” the teacher recalled touchingly.
The service ended with someone singing one of Elsie’s favorite songs – “Love Story” by Taylor Swift, who was the inspiration for the dance event where the three girls were shockingly stabbed to death last month.
The 7-year-old was a “devoted Swiftie,” her family said.
Alice Aguiar, 9, and Bebe King, 6, were also killed in the July 29 attack, while several others were injured — including two hero adults who tried to stop the stabber. Axel Rudakubana, 17, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
Swift said at the time that she’d been left “completely in shock” at “the loss of life and innocence and the horrendous trauma inflicted.” She reportedly reached out to the families of the victims ahead of her Aug 15 London concert at Wembley Stadium.
With Post wires
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