Riot-hit library lights up in march to mark relaunch

A street where rioters set fire to a library has been lit up with lanterns as part of a special solidarity march to mark its reopening.

Spellow Library in Walton, Liverpool, was torched in the violence that swept across towns and cities in England over the summer.

Hundreds of people joined the lantern parade ahead of its official reopening on Thursday, following a £250,000 fundraising campaign which attracted royal and national support.

As Spellow Library lit up for the first time in months, libraries across the country also shone a light to show Liverpool their support.

Violent clashes erupted between crowds of people and police forces in towns and cities across England after the Southport knife attack on 29 July.

Bebe King, six, Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, died in the attack.

On Wednesday, some 300 adults and schoolchildren took part in the lantern parade, led by fundraiser Alex McCormack, who earned widespread praise for spearheading the campaign.

Starting from Goodison Park, at the junction of Spellow Library and Goodison Road, the library lit up with a beam of light shooting into the sky in a symbolic switch-on, following live music performances.

Children from Gwladys Street Primary School in Everton helped make some of the lanterns in the parade, with children from neighbouring Arnot St Mary School also taking part.

Infinity symbol lights were shone in the sky above the library, with the theme of light used to highlight libraries acting as a place of sanctuary, knowledge and community.

More than 135 libraries lit up in support, including the British Library in London, 10 libraries in Lancashire, others in Wirral, Cheshire, Knowsley, Manchester and Oldham.

Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson said the big switch-on was "an opportunity to show that hate will never win in our communities".

He added: "Spellow Library's rebirth is testament to the spirit not only of this city, but to the people across the country and beyond who reached out in support.

"I know that the library staff can't wait to welcome back the local community and show them the work that has been done to restore this valuable resource".

The head teacher of Gwladys Street Primary School, Nicola Booth, said the library's destruction had had a massive impact on the school, who regularly used the library.

She said: "It was absolutely devastating what happened."

One Year 3 pupil said the library was vital because it helped him with his spelling, while another added: "When I read books, I will now know things and I'll be cleverer than everyone."

The campaign attracted attention from Queen Camilla, TV chef Nigella Lawson and children's laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

Additional reporting by Andy Gill.

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