A yoga instructor who was left injured during a stabbing rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport has been readmitted to hospital after suffering breathing problems.
Leanne Lucas, 35, who had arranged the workshop and was believed to be leading the class, was seriously wounded as she tried to protect two children after ushering others into a cupboard.
Three children were killed and eight injured after a knifeman launched an attack at the dance studio in the Merseyside seaside town on July 29. Earlier this month, friends of Leanne revealed she had been released from hospital but faced a lengthy recovery, warning she was "not out of the woods yet".
But in a devastating new update, they shared that the 35-year-old is now back in hospital.
Posting to a GoFundMe page set up to support the yoga instructor on her journey towards recovery, a friend wrote: "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."
The update continued: "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."
More than £22,000 has been raised so far from 906 donations.
It comes amid reports that Leanne had "bravely tried to protect" the children who were targeted by the attacker.
She reportedly planned the two-hour dance and yoga session to coincide with the school holidays, and taught the class alongside Heidi Barlow. Heidi was also injured in the attack, but not as seriously as Ms Lucas.
Six-year-old Bebe King was killed in the attack alongside Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.Another GoFundMe page has raised over £70,000 for Bebe's family and the dementia home where Alice's mother worked has raised £44,000 so far.
More than £68,000 has been donated to Elsie's mother and father, Jennifer and David, who "need time to grieve and support their other daughter, Rosie".
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a knife.
