The parents of a teenager seriously injured in the Manchester Arena terror attack have said she continues to amaze them with her strength and bravery.
Michael and Nan MacIntyre, whose 15-year-old daughter Laura MacIntyre was flown back to the Hebridean island of Barra on Tuesday, issued a statement about their daughter’s return home.
They paid tribute to nurses and doctors who looked after her in Manchester and Glasgow after she was seriously injured when leaving the Ariana Grande concert.
Manchester Royal Infirmary treated victims of the Manchester bomb attack (Joe Giddens/PA)
The statement said: “We are delighted that Laura has been able to return home to Barra.
“She continues to amaze us every day with her strength and bravery and we’ve looked forward to this day for a long time.
“We’d like to thank everyone who has helped Laura and our family get here, from the first responders to the doctors and nurses in Manchester and Glasgow, and Ronald McDonald charity who supported us while we were away.
Mourners follow the funeral procession of Eilidh MacLeod after the service at Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in Castlebay on the island of Barra (Andrew Milligan/PA)
“We now want to return to as much of a normal life as possible and would appreciate time and privacy to focus on Laura’s long-term recovery.”
The attack killed 22 including Laura’s friend, 14-year-old Eilidh MacLeod, whose funeral was held on the island.
Eilidh’s mother had also travelled down to Manchester and arranged to meet the girls afterwards.