A “beautiful little girl” has been named a victim of the suspected suicide attack at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester which has left at least 22 people dead and 59 injured.
Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos was at the concert with her mother, Lisa Roussos, and sister Ashlee Bromwich. It is understood they are being treated in hospital.
Chris Upton, the headteacher at Tarleton Community Primary school, where the eight-year-old was a pupil, 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 news of her death had come as a tremendous shock, he added. “The thought that anyone could go out to a concert and not come home is heartbreaking.” The tight-knit school would be helping staff and pupils to cope with the shocking news, he said.
The first victim to be named in the aftermath of the attack was 18-year-old Georgina Callander.
Runshaw College, where Callander was a student, released a statement, saying: “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
“Our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to all of Georgina’s friends, family, and all of those affected by this loss.”
The former Bishop Rawstorne pupil was on the second year of her health and social care course at the college. The college said it was offering counselling with a dedicated student support team to people close to the teenager.
A crowdfunding page set up by two people Georgina knew from YouTube to help with her funeral costs had raised more than £1,500 in the first two hours after being launched.
Parents of other missing concertgoers are desperately searching for their children. As it was confirmed that children were among the victims of the Manchester Arena attack on Monday evening, parents continued to visit hospitals and post pictures of their loved ones on social media.
About 21,000 people, many of them children and teenagers, were in the arena when a bomb exploded in the foyer at about 10.30pm.
Greater Manchester police have told people who need help or assistance tocome to gate 11 at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City football club’s ground. An emergency phone number set up to help people is 0800 096 009.
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