‘Beautiful little girl’, aged 8, among Manchester victims
An eight-year-old girl and a teenage Ariana Grande ‘superfan’ were the first named victims of Manchester’s shocking terror attack.
At least 22 people died and a further 59 were injured when a suicide bomber targeted fans leaving one of Grande’s concerts in Manchester on Tuesday morning (AEST).
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the worst attack on British soil since the 2005 suicide bombings, while the bomber responsible has been named as 22-year-old UK-born Salman Abedi.
Saffie Rose Roussos, just eight years old, attended the concert with her mother and sister, who were both found injured in separate hospitals in the aftermath.
She died in the attack, though, and was remembered as a student who was “loved by everyone” by at Tarleton Community Primary School.
The school’s head teacher, Chris Upton, said: “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.
“The thought that anyone could go out to a concert and not come home is heartbreaking.”
Saffie’s mother, Rose Roussos, is reportedly in a coma in a critical condition in hospital.
Georgina Callander, 18, also died in the incident that rocked the world, along with 28-year-old John Atkinson.
It later emerged that Callander was a big fan of Grande, who she met in 2015.
The passing of Callander, who played youth football at professional club Bolton in England’s north-west, was confirmed by her school, Runshaw College.
The College told The Telegraph: “It is with enormous sadness that it appears that one of the people who lost their lives in Monday’s Manchester attack was one of our students here at Runshaw College.
“Georgina Callander was a former Bishop Rawstorne pupil studying with us on the second year of her Health and Social Care course.
“Our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to all of Georgina’s family, friends, and all of those affected by this loss.”
Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy added that Georgina was a “very lovely young student who was very popular with her peers and the staff”.
Bolton Wanderers released a brief statement that read: “Bolton Wanderers Football Club is shocked to hear that Georgina Callander has been the first victim named in the horrific attack at Manchester Arena.
“Georgina played in the club’s Under-11s ladies team in 2010 under the management of Jayne Jackson, who still works at Bolton Wanderers Community Trust.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with her friends and family during this awful time of loss.”
After the attack, dubbed as “sickening” by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May, 12 of the 59 casualties taken to hospital were under the age of 16, David Ratcliffe of the North West Ambulance Service confirmed.
Mr Atkinson’s friends have also set up a fundraising page to help his family.
“John tragically lost his life last night (22/05/17) in the Manchester men bomb attack… John was one in a million and loved by so many!!,” it said.
“A true gentleman. R.I.P John thoughts and prayers with you family and all of the other victims effected by this tragedy”.
The family of 15-year-old Olivia Campbell also confirmed she was amongst the fatalities after not knowing her whereabouts for 24 hours.
“RIP my darling precious gorgeous girl Olivia Campbell taken far far to soon go sing with the angels and keep smiling mummy loves you so much,” her mother posted on Facebook.