Manchester attack victim's family: Government 'must open its eyes'
The family of Manchester bombing victim Georgina Callander's have hit out at the Government, saying it must "open its eyes" or more parents will lose children to terror.
The 18-year-old was killed in the blast shortly after her favourite artist Ariana Grande left the stage at the Manchester Arena on Monday.
In a statement released through Greater Manchester Police, her family said the teenager's life had been cut short by "evil, evil men prepared to ruin lives and destroy families".
The teenager, from Chorley, was in her second year of studying health and social care at Runshaw College in Leyland, Lancashire, and had previously been a pupil at Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy.
She had recently passed her driving test, was "doing great" in her exams and had been accepted into Edge Hill University.
"Here was a girl who was loving life," her family said.
Her mother Lesley told ITV News of the moment she found her daughter on lying on a stretcher after the attack.
"I was just screaming and shouting at her.
"I was rubbing her hands, I was rubbing her tummy, I was rubbing her face."
She added: "It was just a flicker of hope that she’d move her hand or move her leg or try and open her eyes a little, just to acknowledge that I was there, just to let me know that she was very, very poorly but she knew that I was there."
Georgina's father broke down in tears as he said: "I should have been there to hold her hand."
The night's event was supposed to have been a memorable one for the young music fan.
She had previously met Grande and posted a picture of the pair together on social media.
As the date of the concert came closer, excitement reached fever pitch, her mother said.
"She kept texting me telling me her tummy was turning over.
"She was so, so excited."
The family's statement in full: