Megan Hurley died in last night’s attack after watching singer Ariana Grande at the MEN Arena, while her brother Bradley was injured.
A schoolgirl from Liverpool was among those killed in last night’s suicide bombing in Manchester, and her brother was seriously injured, it has emerged.
Megan Hurley died in last night’s attack after watching singer Ariana Grande at the MEN Arena, while her brother Bradley was injured, a fundraising page has revealed.
Friends have posted heartfelt tributes to the youngster.
The page was set up by friend Helen McDermott to give Megan ‘a beautiful send off’ and has already raised more than £1,800.
The page said Megan was taken ‘far too early’ in the deadly attack, which has claimed 22 lives.
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Among the donors were Andrea Church, who wrote: ‘My son Ethan went to school with Megan, such a lovely girl. My deepest condolences to Jo and Mick and a speedy recovery to Brad. My heart is breaking.’
Another donor, named Nicole, wrote: ‘Sleep tight, Gorgeous Angel.. heartbreaking. Praying for a speedy recovery for The Lovely Brad… Thinking of him, Joanne, Mick and Family always. Sending love and prayers. X x x’.
Carolanne Jones posted: ‘So heartbreaking, my daughter is in the year below her in school, can’t even begin to imagine what her family is going through, RIP’
And Katie Griffiths wrote: ‘Thinking of the family at this sad time and pray that Brad has a fast recovery. Nothing but love and support.’
Megan is the latest victim to be named as a result of the atrocity, which claimed 22 lives and left 59 injured.
The youngest known to have been killed so far was Saffie Rose Roussos, who was just eight years old. It has emerged that her mother Lisa is in intensive care, and may not know her daughter was killed.
In the mayhem of the attack her mother Lisa Roussos and older sister Ashlee Bromwich were separated from Saffie.
Lisa, 48, is in intensive care, and it is not known if she learned of her daughter’s death before she was heavily sedated.
A vigil was held tonight in the Lanchashire village of Tarleton, home to Saffie and 18-year-old Georgina Callander, who was also killed in last night’s atrocity.
They were among 22 people killed last night, along with 26-year-old John Atkinson, who has been described as a ‘true gentleman’.
The suicide bombing, at the MEN Arena, is Britain’s worst terror attack since the London 7/7 bombings.
The fourth victim is 32-year-old Kelly Brewster.
Salman Patel, who knows Saffie’s family, said: ‘Saffie’s sadly passed away and her mother, we understand, isn’t aware. I am praying for the family, it is totally heartbreaking.’
Saffie is one of three victims that have been named among the 22 people who were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the packed pop concert.
Speaking today, Post Office counter clerk Salman, who works opposite the family home in Tarlerton, near Leyland, Lancashire, told how Saffie’s dad Andrew had no idea of the horror unfolding as he arrived at Manchester Arena to collect his family.
Salman said: ‘He went to pick them up and arrived to find his wife in a critical condition, his elder daughter injured and his younger daughter lost. I thought he meant lost in the crowd but heartbreakingly he meant lost forever, as in the end.
‘I am praying the mum pulls through and copes with the tragedy of finding out when she does about her daughter.’
Lisa and Ashlee are believed to have suffered shrapnel wounds and are recovering in separate hospitals.
Salmon paid tribute to Saffie as ‘a cheerful, chatty and delightful little girl and always smiling’.
He said: ‘I am so shocked and can’t believe this has happened. I know the family really well and have known Saffie since she was a toddler. She was always coming into the Post Office.’
The victims had just finished watching a performance by US singer Ariana Grande when killer Salman Abedi detonated a ball bearing bomb as thousands of youngsters were leaving the MEN Arena. ISIS claimed responsibility for the atrocity.
In total, at least 22 people were killed and 119 injured. Fifty nine needed hospital treatment — of which at least 12 were children — and 60 ‘walking wounded’ were tended to at the scene.
Miss Callander, 18, had posted a picture of herself with Ariana Grande at the same venue two years ago, captioning it: ‘My meet and greet photos came through, she was so cute and lovely, I hugged her so tight and she said she loved my bow. I can’t get over this, I never will.’
In a follow up message after meeting Ariana Grande backstage on June 4,2015, Georgina wrote: ‘After 6 years of waiting I finally got to meet and see my love. I am so happy right now. Hands down the best concert of my life.’
On Sunday the teenager, from Chorley in Lancashire, tweeted the pop star, writing: ‘SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU TOMORROW.’ She was a second-year student at Runshaw College studying health and social care.
In a statement released this afternoon, Tarleton Community Primary School headteacher, Chris Upton, confirmed the death of his pupil, Saffie.
He said: ‘News of Saffie’s death in this appalling attack has come as a tremendous shock to all of us and I would like to send our deepest condolences to all of her family and friends.
‘The thought that anyone could go out to a concert and not come home is heartbreaking.’
He added: ‘Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word. She was loved by everyone and her warmth and kindness will be remembered fondly.
‘Saffie was quiet and unassuming with a creative flair. Our focus is now on helping pupils and staff cope with this shocking news and we have called in specialist support from Lancashire County Council to help us do that.
‘We are a tight-knit school and wider community and will give each other the support that we need at this difficult time.’
Saffie’s parents are believed to run a fish and chip shop in Leyland, Lancashire. Her mother is currently in hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Tracey Radcliffe, a leader at 1st Tarleton Brownies, confirmed Saffie was a member of the troop.
The 40-year-old said: ‘She was an adorable and lovable little girl — she really was. I didn’t know her parents, but she was just lovely.
‘No one should go to a gig and not return.’
The village of Tarleton is also mourning the death of Miss Callander, with a vigil scheduled to take place for the pair, as well as a third victim from neighbouring Hesketh Bank who is yet to be named.
Pink balloons are set to be released and Ariana Grande songs played during the gathering at Mark Square at 6pm.
Brownie leader Tracey added: ‘For something like this to happen with two people being killed in the area, in which they way they were, is terrible.’
Her daughter Jade Radcliffe, 15, said: ‘There is fantastic community spirit here and we will all go to bed tonight holding our loved ones a little tighter.
‘It has shocked us all — honestly it’s so heartbreaking. It’s so, so scary to think it could have been us. It would make me think twice about going to a concert in the future. I don’t think I would go to another gig again.’
A close friend told the Evening Standard Georgina died in hospital with her mother at her bedside in hospital.
Friends paid tribute to her on social media, with one writing: ‘Rest in peace Gina. I love you so incredibly much, you deserved the world & more. I’m so lucky to have met you and known you.’
Another tweeted: ‘A beautiful girl with the kindest heart & soul, I’ll miss you forever, may you rest in a better place than here. I love you.’
Georgina was described as ‘the sweetest person you will ever meet’ by one friend, with another tweeting that she was ‘shattered’ by the news.
Another friend wrote: ‘Rest in peace one of the most kind and beautiful people I’ve ever had the pleasure of calling a friend.’ Others described Georgina as a ‘ray of sunshine.’
Actor Sean Maguire also took to Twitter to pay his respects to the ‘young and sweet’ teenager, writing: ‘Just met this girl in April.
‘She was killed last night in Manchester.
