'Hero' window cleaner tackled Southport stabbing perpetrator as he stabbed kids at dance class

A window cleaner has been hailed as a "true hero" for his courageous actions during a horrific knife attack at a children's Taylor Swift dance party. Joel Verite, 25, didn't hesitate to rush toward danger when he heard a woman's plea: "forget about me, there's a fella in there stabbing kids".

Joel, who recently became a father and is also a 6ft personal trainer, was commended by his colleagues for fearlessly tackling the assailant alongside police officers and then carrying injured girls to safety.

Kyle Shaw, 20, a colleague at Level Up Gym in Southport where Joel works, spoke to the Mirror, saying: "He's been a true hero shown nothing but fearlessness and in that second reacted in the best way we could hope for. I think he's truly displayed how much of a fantastic person he is, within that split second he's decided what he's going to do."

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Shaw continued, expressing his concern for Joel's well-being: "I sent him a message to say I hope he was ok, he said on Instagram he was a little bit overwhelmed. He said it was a traumatic experience. He was one of the first on the scene. He went in with the police and helped to detain the man and then helped to carry a child out. I don't even have words for it, what a hero to pick the kids up and carry them out. He took himself to a different place and did what he had to do."

Danny Noble, 28, co-owner of the gym, recounted the moment Joel sprang into action: "Joel was driving down the road and there was a woman on the floor and he's gone over to her. She said forget about me, there's a fella stabbing kids in there. He went in and the fella was in there with a knife or whatever he had," reports the Mirror .

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"It was just Joel and just one other police officer. Another police officer turned up and the three of them went in and tackled him to the ground. Apparently one of the police officers Tasered the man and then they just all jumped on him."

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Chloe Skelton, 24, fellow co-owner of Level Up said Joel, a former rugby player for Salford and Wigan, was the kind of man you would want in such an unthinkable situation. She told the Mirror that Joel was working in his second job as a window cleaner when he heard the screams from the Hart Space, where nine children were attacked, six critically and three were left dead.

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Chloe added: "Joel is traumatized. He's dad to a young baby and he's got another little girl on the way. He heard the screams and ran to help. Joel is strong he is the kind of person you would want there in that situation. He's a hero, I think everyone should know how brave he is and what he has done. He's a big lad, the guy would have been scared of him when he saw Joel."

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