Children of Manchester bombing victim 'living tribute' to mum

The three children of a devoted mother killed in the Manchester Arena explosion are a "living tribute'' to her, a public inquiry has heard.

Company secretary Michelle Kiss, 45, from Whalley, Lancashire, entered the City Room foyer of the venue to collect her daughter from the fateful Ariana Grande concert on the evening of May 22 2017.

She was killed instantly as she stood at the top of a staircase leading to a raised platform level as suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated the blast at 10.31pm

More than 10 minutes later a British Transport Police constable tried to check Mrs Kiss's pulse and shouted at her to see if she could get any response, the inquiry sitting in Manchester was told.

The officer saw no signs of life and she believed Mrs Kiss was dead.

A post-mortem examination concluded she died from a head injury.

Forensic pathologists conducted a review and found her injuries were unsurvivable and death would have been immediate.

Mrs Kiss's husband, Tony, and her parents, Mick and Christine Thompson, attended Wednesday's hearing which looked at her final movements on the night.

The couple had two sons, Dylan, 24, Elliott, 21, and their daughter born in 2004.

Family friend Mark Dickson told the hearing Mr Kiss described his wife as "my guiding light from the very first moment I met her''.

He said: "She loved life and she wanted to make every day count, and she had a natural ability to bring people together.

"He and Michelle were so proud of their children and very very happy.

"The children were Michelle's first priority and love. They inspire Tony every day with their love and their drive in everything they do, They share this quality with Michelle, and Tony is so grateful that this endures in them.''

Her parents described Mrs Kiss as a "loving, caring and thoughtful daughter, the hub of our family'' who was also their "best friend''.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders said: "Memories of Michelle Kiss will live on as an inspiration to others.

"Michelle was a loving and devoted mother, wife and daughter and there can be no more important roles than those. She carried them out brilliantly.

"Like many of the 22 who died, she is described by everyone as being full of life. Her children will always remain a living tribute to her work as a mother.''