Church vigils held for 12-year-old Leo Ross

Two prayer vigils for 12-year-old Leo Ross have taken place at churches in Birmingham.

Hundreds attended the services at Christ Church in Yardley Wood and St Peter's Church in nearby Hall Green.

The vigils come a day after a 14-year-old was charged with Leo's murder as well as six unconnected assaults and possession of a bladed article

West Midlands Police confirmed on Saturday that Leo's alleged killer, who cannot be named due to his age, was remanded in custody to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Sunday's services were an opportunity for the churches to "unite with the whole community to surround Leo and his family and friends with our love and prayers", according to a social media post issued by St Peter's.

They provided well-wishers the opportunity to lay flowers and light candles in memory of Leo.

• Community heartbroken at loss of one of their own

Speaking at a Sunday service held before the prayer vigil, St Peter's vicar Martin Stephenson said: "There is a certain solemnity in our community at this time, after the tragic and appalling killing of Leo Ross.

"Our hearts, and our prayers, our love pours out for his family and friends."

Leo, described as a "lovely and bright" pupil at the Christ Church, Christ Church C of E Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood, died in hospital on Tuesday after being stabbed in The Shire Country Park as he walked home.

The school confirmed that the boy charged with murder was not among its pupils and had not studied there previously.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe fundraising page set up by a relative of Leo's foster carers to raise funds for The Daniel Baird Foundation, an anti-knife crime charity, has attracted donations of almost £10,000.

The foundation was set up after Mr Baird, 26, was fatally stabbed in the Digbeth area in 2017.

It works to raise awareness of the importance of publicly accessible bleeding control packs.

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