A 14-year-old girl has been confirmed as the second youngest victim of the Monday night Manchester Arena terror attack.
Eilidh MacLeod was at an Ariana Grande gig in the centre of Manchester when a suicide bomber detonated a fatal device as hoards of young fans exited the arena.
Eilidh’s parents have now confirmed she did not survive the blast, saying: “Words cannot express how we feel at losing our darling Eilidh.”
The Isle of Barra schoolgirl was reported missing along with her friend Laura MacIntyre, 15, in the aftermath.
Laura was later confirmed to be alive, but in “serious condition” in a Manchester hospital. After the confirmation fears grew for Eilidh and family and friends desperately contacted hospitals and issued appeals to find her.
As Grande was on her final song, One More Time, the girls sent a text message to Eilidh’s mum Marion, who had accompanied them to Manchester, asking her to pick them up. It was the last time she would hear from her daughter.
At just 14, Eilidh – the 18th victim to be publicly identified – was one of the youngest victims of the attack.
Saffie Roussos was aged just eight, Nell Jones was also just 14-years-old, as was Sorrell Leczowski. Olivia Campbell was just 15, and the first victim to be named was 18-year-old Georgina Callander.
Also announced dead were Chloe Rutherford, 17 and Liam Curry, 19.
Greater Manchester Police said on Wednesday they had identified all 22 victims and contacted their families, who were being supported by specially trained officers.
Our thoughts are with the families and friends who have lost someone and anyone else who has been affected by this atrocity.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.