'New chapter' for man paralysed by Manchester bomb

A man who suffered life-changing injuries in the Manchester terror attack in May is due to leave hospital care for the first time in three months.

Martin Hibbert, 41, from Bolton, had gone to the Ariane Grande concert with his teenage daughter. They left the concert during the encore in a bid to avoid traffic. It put them in the foyer at the same time as suicide-bomber Salman Abedi.

Martin shielded his daughter from the explosion, sustaining 22 separate wounds. One bolt was lodged in his spinal cord, leaving him permanently paralysed from the waist down.

His daughter was hit by just one bullet, and remains in hospital.

The surgeon that operated on Martin's spinal injury described what it was like to treat such seriously ill patients:

On finding out he was paralysed, Martin said:

Martin is now medically fit enough to be discharged, and is waiting for a suitable property to come available, before going home and getting on with a new chapter.

Since May 22nd Martin has spent time at Salford Royal Hospital, Southport Spinal Injuries Centre, and Sandpipers Respite centre. The football agent has documented his remarkable recovery and rehabilitation in an ITV documentary airing at 9pm tonight (29th August): Manchester: 100 Days After The Attack.