Arena bomb survivor 'in tears' at Europa final

A survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing has described being "in tears" at the Europa League final, saying it was "more than just a football match" for him.

Martin Hibbert, who was severely injured in the 2017 attack, said being present for the game the night before the eighth anniversary of the atrocity "felt like it was meant to be", despite Manchester United's defeat.

Red Devils fan Mr Hibbert was in intensive care when United won the Europa League final against Dutch side Ajax in Stockholm in 2017.

Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, he said: "Absolute strangers were coming up and hugging me and kissing me. I was in tears because it was just such a beautiful moment."

"All my mates had actually gone to [the Stockholm final] and were wondering if they should have gone, because they didn't know what was going to happen to me."

Mr Hibbert was left with a spinal cord injury and his daughter Eve suffered severe brain damage as a result of the bombing, which happened at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

While he has dedicated a lot of time and energy to advocacy and charity work since the attack, Mr Hibbert said the anniversary was always a difficult day to get through.

"It's the one day I wish I could just sleep for 24 hours," he said.

"Even eight years on I trace my steps back literally - what we were doing, where we were walking, what happened after the bomb, being put in the ambulance, fighting for my life."

A minute of silence is set to be observed at 22:32 BST - the precise time of the attack - at Manchester's Victoria station, with the bells of Manchester Cathedral to ring out at the same time.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the whole city and further afield would be thinking of all those affected.

"We recommit our support to them, and that support will not end," he said.

Burnham also commended the chairman of the inquiry into the bombing for "keeping the pressure on" authorities to ramp up safety measures at large venues.

Earlier, Sir John Saunders said he had arranged to meet officials from MI5 next month to discuss recommendations he made following the attack.

The mayor added: "The fact that Sir John is following through, I think, will mean something to the families who lost loved ones."

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