A hero window cleaner who tackled the Southport stabber targeting young girls in Taylor Swift dance class has revealed he wanted to ‘hurt him so bad’.

Joel Verite stopped at the scene of Monday’s savage attack, which has so far claimed the lives of three children, with seven more people left in a critical condition.

The 25-year-old rushed headlong into the carnage after coming to the aid of a screaming woman – who then demanded: ‘Forget about me, there’s a fella in there stabbing kids’.

Mr Verite said he sprinted into the building where the mayhem was taking place and saw children and adults covered in blood – before then ‘locking eyes’ with the knifeman at the top of the stairs. 

The young father, who is also a personal trainer, then charged at the attacker, wrestling with him before later carrying stabbed girls away from the scene. 

Speaking out for the first time about the ordeal, Mr Verite told Sky News: ‘I look up and there’s this guy with a knife. I just wanted to hurt him so bad. But I was scared for myself and I wanted to help people.’

The window cleaner was on his lunch break when a crazed knifeman launched a ‘ferocious attack’ at the holiday club dance workshop which was being held at The Hart Space studio in Southport, Merseyside.

Three children have died, eight others injured and two adults were also wounded as they ‘bravely’ tried to intervene. 

The child victims have today been named as six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar. 

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.  

Joel Verite (pictured) stopped at the scene of Monday’s savage attack, which has so far claimed the lives of three children, with seven more people left in a critical condition