Leanne Lucas, who was stabbed five times during the attack, recounted to BBC Panorama how she managed to call 999 while being chased by the attacker. "I just knew that if I didn't get out, everyone was going to die," she recalled.

Among the survivors was a 14-year-old girl, known as Sarah due to a court order protecting her identity. Despite being seriously wounded, she displayed remarkable courage by leading several other children, including her younger sister, to safety.

Sarah also shared how another young girl, estimated to be around 10 years old, played a crucial role in calming others, reassuring them with words of comfort: "Don't worry, your parents are going to be here, everything's going to be OK."

The attack occurred at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga workshop, where both Leanne and Sarah bravely helped others flee. Local residents also stepped in to assist those injured in the chaos.

However, both survivors were shocked by the spread of misinformation following the tragedy, including social media claims falsely blaming Leanne for the deaths. They also criticized authorities for failing to prevent the attack despite clear warning signs about the perpetrator.

"It's so shocking how much evidence they had on him, how he slipped through the net," Leanne stated.

Sarah reflected on the contrast between the horror of the event and the community’s response: "You see the best and the worst at the same time," she said. "The evil side of people" in the attack, but also "all the good of all the community coming together as well to help everyone."

The attacker, Axel Rudakubana, was described by Sarah as looking "possessed" as he carried out the stabbings. She was assisting with the class at just 13 years old when she was attacked.

Leanne and Sarah are the first survivors who managed to escape to speak publicly about the incident. Ten people were injured, and three children tragically lost their lives in the attack last July.

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