Manchester Arena Inquiry: Devoted teenagers Chloe and Liam died 'side by side'

A devoted teenage couple died "side by side" in the Manchester Arena bombing, the public inquiry was told today.

Chloe Rutherford, 17, and Liam Curry, 19, walked next to each other as they left the Ariana Grande concert. The inquiry at Manchester Magistrates Court heard that CCTV footage, taken moments after the explosion, showed them "side by side" on the floor of the Arena's City Room with "no signs of life."

Within minutes of the blast, a TravelSafe officer tried to speak to the couple but could not get a response. A member of the public covered their bodies with merchandise t-shirts.

Evidence from pathologists, and a panel of "blast wave" experts, concluded Chloe and Liam's multiple injuries were unsurvivable. Both were knocked unconscious instantly and died almost immediately.

The teenagers had travelled to Manchester from their homes in South Shields, after Chloe's parents gave her tickets for the concert as a Christmas present.

One of the inquiry's counsel, Sophie Cartwright QC, detailed how the couple excitedly told loved ones about their day.

> 'Made for each other': Chloe Rutherford and Liam Curry remembered at Manchester Arena Inquiry

Chloe and Liam's families said the pair were "made for each other" and "completely at their best" when they were together.

They had started going out in 2014, sharing both good and sad times. When Liam's father, Andrew, died in March 2017, Chloe was her boyfriend's "rock" - comforting, talking and listening.

Duncan Atkinson QC, speaking on behalf of both families, described the depth and strength of the teenagers' relationship.

In a moving tribute, the inquiry chair said Chloe and Liam's greatest wish was that they would "never be separated." Sir John Saunders added "they weren't," but that did not make it any easier for those who loved and cared about them.

This video report of the day's proceedings is by ITV Granada Reports correspondent Amy Welch.