Vigils in honour of the slain teenager have spread across the country

London (AFP) - UK police said on Wednesday that two teenagers had been charged with the weekend murder of a 16-year-old transgender girl, in a case that has drawn national concern.

Brianna Ghey was fatally stabbed in Warrington, northwest England, on Saturday. Members of the public found her on a path in a park that afternoon.

Cheshire Police on Sunday arrested two 15-year-olds, a boy and a girl, from nearby Leigh and on Wednesday charged them with her murder.

They are set to appear in court at a later date.

The force had previously said it was exploring whether Ghey was the victim of an anti-transgender hate crime.

The case has prompted candle-lit vigils across the country in memory of Ghey, who had a large following on social media site TikTok.

A GoFundMe crowdfunding page supporting Ghey’s family has already topped £92,000 ($110,000).

In a tribute issued after her death, her family said the teenager was a “much-loved daughter, granddaughter, and baby sister”.

The statement added: “Brianna was beautiful, witty and hilarious. Brianna was strong, fearless and one of a kind.

“The loss of her young life has left a massive hole in our family, and we know that the teachers and her friends who were involved in her life will feel the same.”

Further events have been organised by the transgender community in cities across the UK.

In London on Wednesday, dozens of people gathered in front of the Department for Education.

Footage on social media showed them chanting “trans rights are human rights” and holding signs saying “Protect trans youth” and “Justice for Brianna”.

Hundreds of people also participated in vigils for Ghey in Belfast, Brighton, Dublin and Manchester.

In Belfast, Leo Hardie from the Rainbow Project LGBTQ rights group said: “There are no words to describe how hopelessly tragic and keenly painful the senseless death of a young girl like Brianna is”.