Tommy Fleetwood says Olympics pale in face of Southport families’ pain

‘First thoughts are with the families where they’ve tragically lost someone,’ Tommy Fleetwood said of Monday’s stabbings in his home town of Southport. Photograph: George Walker IV/AP

Tommy Fleetwood has promised to do everything he can to assist people in Southport after the knife attack and subsequent rioting which has shocked the golfer’s home town.

Fleetwood was on his way to represent Team GB at the Olympic Games in the company of his putting coach and fellow Southport native Phil Kenyon when news broke of multiple stabbings at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class for children. Three children have died as a result. There followed violent scenes at the Merseyside town on Tuesday evening when 39 police officers were seriously injured amid the unrest.