Minister pledges support on visit to riot-hit library

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds visited Walton in Liverpool

The business secretary has said the government will support businesses affected by the riots which have taken place across the country after three girls were stabbed to death in Southport.

Jonathan Reynolds visited Spellow Library in Walton, Liverpool which was set alight amid violence and disorder last Saturday.

He said one the main issues businesses affected by the riots had raised with him was around insurance.

The library on County Road was also looted while rioters threw fireworks at police officers outside and burned wheelie bins.

Spellow Library was set on fire during rioting on Saturday

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were stabbed to death at a holiday club in Southport on 29 July.

Widespread unrest followed after misinformation was shared online about the suspect.

Mr Reynolds said the government would be "working with the insurance industry where people have been affected and need to get their claims processed as soon as possible and get that redress that they need".

"Local businesses are at the heart of the community," he said.

"I want them to know the government are behind them."

Spellow Library manager Deborah Moore described the situation on Saturday night as “dire” and said seeing the destruction at the hub was heartbreaking.

"To see videos online of the place burning, we were so shocked and so hurt," she said.

"There is so much engagement here, why would you do this mindless act? And to burn books? Why? I just hope that’s the end of it."

Following the attack, celebrities, authors and members of the public rallied around to support the library.

Ms Moore said she was optimistic that the goodwill of the community along with significant funds raised by donations would see the service reopen soon.

Library manager Deborah Moore described the situation at Spellow library as dire

Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson said he was heartened by the number of people who offered money and time to help rebuild the library.

"I like to say that's the real spirit of Liverpool, the amount of local people who have been offering their time, their expertise their work to be part of the rebuild and renovation we'll be doing," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"I think that is testament to what our city is about, rallying around, particularly when things are tough."

A 69-year-old man, who armed himself with a wooden cosh and joined a "mob" which took part in the destruction of the library, was jailed on Thursday for two years and eight months.