MOVING tributes have been paid to victims of the Manchester Arena suicide bombing at a public inquiry.

Poignant memories from family and friends remembering the 22 people murdered in the May, 2017 attack were heard on Monday as the inquiry’s commemorative hearings phase began.

Eilidh MacLeod, 14, from the island of Barra in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, Martyn Hett, 29, from Stockport, John Atkinson, 28, from Manchester, and Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, from Leeds, were the first four tributes to be heard, with the rest to follow over the next two weeks.

Ms MacLeod said: “Eilidh was a very special girl, of course she was, she was mine. Even though she was only 14 she was loving life. My whole world has been shattered into pieces.”

The final tribute was paid to Sorrell. A sister to older brother Sebastian and younger sister Sophie, she died in the arms of her mother Samantha who was also injured in the blast alongside Sorrell’s grandmother, Pauline Healey.

Mrs Leczkowski said: “Sorrell’s unnecessary, senseless and wrongful death has left an entire family broken. My life is over.” Mother-of-two Wendy Fawell, from Otley, was among those who lost their lives to the atrocity.