Lilia Valutyte: Boston memorial plan for stabbed girl

Friends of a nine-year-old girl who was fatally stabbed in a Lincolnshire street have said they hope to build a memorial to commemorate her life.

Lilia Valutyte was found with a stab wound in Fountain Lane in Boston on 28 July.

Jurate Matulioniene said local residents wanted to create an "angel memorial" as a tribute to Lilia.

"She was a shy, lovely girl who had lots of beautiful dreams," she said.

"We would like that this memorial would be a symbol of peace and light and that everybody could come and remember how valuable is the person's life.

"How we have to support each other, how we have to love each other, care about each other."

Meanwhile, new video footage has been released showing Lilia dancing, something Ms Matulioniene said the nine-year-old girl had always loved to do.

Lilia's dance teacher Mantas Grauzinis said it was hard to understand what had happened.

"I feel like I've lost my child. I don't have any children, but she felt like my own child," he said.

Local businessman Alistair Arundell has offered to place a memorial on unused land he owns near to where Lilia died, subject to planning permission.

"As a father of two girls myself, I cannot begin to imagine the pain that Lilia's family is going through right now, and to be able to offer this land for the official memorial is the least we can do," he said.

A Boston Borough Council spokesperson said the community had been "united in grief" since Lilia's death.

"It is clear from all the floral tributes, candles, toys and other acts of remembrance which have taken place in Boston since the tragedy just over a week ago that everyone in the town has been affected in some way following the death of a very popular and much-loved school girl," they said.

"If Lilia's family decide they would like a public memorial, the council will be happy to advise on the options."

Deividas Skebas, 22, of Thorold Street, Boston, has been charged with Lilia's murder and is next due to appear in court on 19 September.