Heaven sent

Photo: Paul Sterritt

Tandle Hill, Royton, Oldham, balloon release, in memory to the Manchester attacks where Lisa Lees and Alison Howe, Both from Royton, died in that attack.

THOUSANDS of people stood together as one at a moving tribute in Tandle Hill Park to remember those who lost their lives in the Manchester terrorist attack.

They released a sea of pink balloons at the emotional vigil which was organised by a group of friends of the victims who included Alison Howe (44) and Lisa Lees (43).

The two friends from Royton were at Manchester Arena to collect their 15-year-old daughters from the Ariana Grande pop concert when the suicide bomber struck. Around 4,000 people flocked to the park on Friday for the event which was organised by a group of friends who said they were "overwhelmed" by the response which saw around £6,500 raised for the victims.

One of the organisers, Jessica Bergin (24) insisted May 22 would not be remembered for its brutal attack, but rather the "unity and solidarity of the people of Manchester." She added: "Our emergency services worked 12-hour days putting their lives before others, local businesses gave out free food, taxi drivers gave out free lifts. We are not broken, we are blessed. "

Referring to attacker, she continued: "You are not a martyr, you are a maniac. You are not clever, you are callous. You are not a Muslim, you are an extremist.

"Your name will be forgotten but the memory of our victims and their bravery will remain in all of our hearts. We are Manchester, we stand together."

The names of the 22 victims were read out and there was applause as hundreds of balloons were released, as they were released at the end of the Ariana Grande concert.

Jessica thanked the people supporting the event and added: "This is just to uplift spirits, to spread some love and to make people know there are more good people in this world than there are bad.

"I want the victims and their families to know that we are behind them."

Those who attended included Jim McMahon, who is defending the Oldham West and Royton seat in the General Election.

He told the Oldham Chronicle that there were different levels of response to the attack.

"One is the national response, which is we are not going to be bullied and intimidated to change our way of life because someone wants to terrorise us.

"If someone reads our heartache and tears as a sign of weakness, then they do not understand us. It's a sign of our strength and our compassion."

On the community response, he added: "Even in the darkest of times, the way the community has responded is inspiring.

"At a time when people are hurting, that sense of support from each other and just being around each other is part of the process of getting through what is a terrible time.

"Everyone is hurt, everyone is shocked and there is a real sense of 'there but for the grace of God' because it could have been our mothers, our wives, our children who were caught up in the attack."