It has been half a decade since the Manchester Arena bomb attack - a horrific event which changed the lives of hundreds of people forever. 

Manchester-born Salman Abedi, 22, caused devastation when he exploded his shrapnel-packed rucksack bomb after Ariana Grande's show on May 22, 2017.

Along with the 22 bystanders killed - six of them children - hundreds more were injured and many were left traumatised in some way.

Today, on the anniversary of the harrowing event, we remember how the blast impacted Bradford, from the lives lost to some of the survivors who recovered from their trauma. 

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The faces of Bradford people who attended the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on 22/5/2017. All survived except Wendy Fawell, pictured centre on the top row, from Otley.The faces of Bradford people who attended the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on 22/5/2017. All survived except Wendy Fawell, pictured centre on the top row, from Otley.

Caroline Davis and her close friend Wendy Fawell were waiting in the foyer of the venue as they waited for the Ariana Grande show to finish so they could collect their children.

Otley mum-of-two Mrs Fawell, 50, was killed in the attack while Ms Davis survived, left with shrapnel wounds and a dislocated shoulder.

Mrs Fawell was described as a “nice and caring person” who loved her job and “tried to mother everyone”, the public inquiry into the May 2017 bombings was told.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Mother-of-two Wendy Fawell, pictured.Mother-of-two Wendy Fawell, pictured.

Brought up in Rawdon, Mrs Fawell first worked with children at a pre-school nursery in Yeadon, went on to be a dinner lady and later a manager at Eye Spy out-of-school club in Guiseley, where she looked after older children.

She loved the sun, Elvis Presley and walks outside in nature with her dog.

Speaking at the time, Ms Davis recalled: “I don’t know how I am still here. I must have had someone looking after me."

Since the incident, Caroline Davis has taken on successful fundraisers for charities set up by each of the 22 victims’ families.

This included organisations set up in memory of eight-year-old Saffie Roussos and young couple Chloe Rutherford and Liam Curry.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Rebecca Reeton with daughter Lillian at the Ariana Grande gig.Rebecca Reeton with daughter Lillian at the Ariana Grande gig.

In 2017, Baildon mum Rebecca Reeton recalled how her then-10-year-old daughter's dream trip to see her idol Ariana Grande in concert turned into an "absolute nightmare".

She was at the concert with her daughter Lillian, who had got the ticket as a Christmas present. They were sat in section 206, which Ms Reeton said was right above where the bomb is thought to have gone off.

Ms Reeton told the Telegraph & Argus: “Lillian is very traumatised. As we were trying to get out we could see the whole aftermath of it. Poor little girl, she was screaming that she didn’t want to die.

"It is so close to home, it is right on our doorstep. My daughter was terrified, imagine having to tell a child that someone has just blown themself up. 

“We eventually managed to get out and took refuge in a nearby Yates's. The staff there were great and they called us a taxi. We were going to get a train home, but they weren’t running.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Martin Hibbert, who was left paralysed after the Manchester terror attack, is pictured with former former paralympian Richie Powell. Picture: Martin HibbertMartin Hibbert, who was left paralysed after the Manchester terror attack, is pictured with former former paralympian Richie Powell. Picture: Martin Hibbert

Martin Hibbert, who lived in Wibsey but has since moved to Bolton, was left with injuries described as the equivalent of ‘being shot 22 times at point blank range’ and paralysed from the waist down.

The football agent suffered a T10 complete spinal injury when he was stood just 10 metres away from the bomb when it detonated.

Speaking on the fifth anniversary, he revealed plans to attend a sports venue in Burnley and head home for the Manchester United match in a dedicated bee shirt.

He told his Twitter followers: "Always a tough day to get through so will be keeping busy.

"Thanks for all the love today."

He has chanelled his sadness into charity fundraising challenges.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Eve, Andrew and Natalie Senior, pictured.Eve, Andrew and Natalie Senior, pictured.

Eve Senior of Queensbury was 15 when the bomb left her with a catalogue of injuries.

She was leaving the concert with her mum Natalie and younger sister Emilia at the time of the terrorist attack.

A photograph of Eve, taken in the aftermath of the bombing, became one of the defining images of the atrocity and appeared on the fronts of newspapers around the world, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Eve's story is a symbol of hope, having fought through hospital visits and three operations to take part in her dance school’s end of year show in December 2017.

At the time, Eve said: "I can’t dance the same as I used to be able to and I won’t be able to do that for quite a long time, but it’s a good thing to be able to even do one dance.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Ellie Clayton (right) at the Ariana Grande concert with Emily Crispin (left) and Polly Asquith-Brown.Ellie Clayton (right) at the Ariana Grande concert with Emily Crispin (left) and Polly Asquith-Brown.

Ellie Clayton was hit by anxiety and PTSD as a result of the shocking attack.

The 20-year-old attended the gig with her best friend and younger cousin, Emily Crispin and Polly Asquith-Brown.

She was right at the front of the arena when she heard a bang that sounded like a loud gunshot.

People who had been going down the stairs into the station began to run back and tried to get out of any other available exits.

 “It will never stop me from doing things, you can’t live your life not doing things because it can literally happen anywhere at any time.

“It is in my mind and I think, working where I work, it’s very busy. If there’s a loud noise I do get really panicky and really nervous.

Miss Clayton and her group reached a fire exit near the backstage door but security held the door for about two minutes.

"It still affects my daily life. I still get scared to be in big crowds. I get really worried," she told the T&A in 2020.

Teenagers Bethany Cook, a Shipley College student from Bingley, and Chelsea Woolley from Bradford were also among those who survived.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Teenagers Bethany Cook, a Shipley College student from Bingley, and Chelsea Woolley from Bradford were also among those who survived.Teenagers Bethany Cook, a Shipley College student from Bingley, and Chelsea Woolley from Bradford were also among those who survived.

The names of all 22 people who died in the attack 

  • Wendy Fawell, Otley
  • Sorrell Leczkowski, Leeds
  • Kelly Brewster, Sheffield
  • Angelika Klis and Marcin Klis, York
  • Saffie-Rose Roussos, Preston
  • Eilidh MacLeod, the Isle of Barra
  • Nell Jones, Cheshire
  • Olivia Campbell-Hardy Bury
  • Megan Hurley, Liverpool
  • Georgina Callander, Hesketh Bank
  • Liam Curry and Chloe Rutherford, both from South Shields
  • Courtney Boyle and Philip Tron, both from Gateshead
  • John Atkinson, Manchester
  • Martyn Hett, Stockport
  • Elaine McIver, Cheshire
  • Michelle Kiss, Whalley
  • Alison Howe, and Lisa Lees, both from Oldham
  • Jane Tweedle, Blackpool