Tributes continue for Manchester Arena victims at public inquiry

14 year old Nell Jones, Holmes Chapel

14-year-old Nell Jones who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack had a "passion for life'' and treated every day as an "adventure''.

Tributes from her family, friends and teachers were given at the public inquiry into the May 2017 suicide bombing which claimed the lives of 22 people after an Ariana Grande concert.

Nell, from Goostrey, Cheshire, loved her big brothers "to bits'' and "grew from their annoying little sister to one they dearly loved'', said her parents.

Another friend, Alex, told of their fun at joining the Knutsford Young Farmers club in early 2017.

Nell's friend Alex said: "This is one of the things I find most upsetting, I had never met a girl who was so passionate and positive about life and what exciting times we had to look forward to when we were older.

"She should be here with us with her contagious smile. Times such as leaving school, the release of Mamma Mia 2, getting my first boyfriend and turning 18. All leading to some late evenings filled with music and laughter. That was right up Nell's street.

"I'll try my best to live out Nell's plans for us that she never could, whether that was our Young Farmers competition we were preparing for in the last week or dancing the night away for many years to come.''

Her brother Sam concluded: "As a family we miss her so much. She lit up our days with her useful energy and her passion for life. Every day was an adventure for Nell and we were all carried along with her.

"The thought of the years ahead without her in our lives is truly unbearable and I have no words to describe the pain and grief that we feel each day but those 14 wonderful years that we all shared together and the memories we made were truly special. We love Nell with all our hearts and we always will.''

45 year old Michelle Kiss, Whalley

A mother killed instantly in the Manchester Arena attack became a "guardian angel'' to her daughter who "amazingly'' survived, an inquiry into the bombing has heard.

Michelle Kiss, 45, was "just being a mum'' as she waited in the foyer on the evening of May 22 2017 to collect her youngest child after an Ariana Grande concert, said husband Tony.

He said his wife had visited the venue "many times'' with their three children to watch various concerts and events, including her favourite band Take That on six occasions.

Tony added: "How sad to think that a place that brought so much joy to our family would be the place forever to take away that joy.

"On that fateful night Michelle was just waiting for our daughter. She was just being a mum."

"I like to believe though that in their last moments together she brought some comfort to her mum. I also like to think of her at the moment of their parting as her mum's little guardian angel because I know that Michelle became her guardian angel in that same very moment.''

Tony spoke about the compassion shown as Michelle's body was taken from the Arena to the morgue, and the continued support he's received from the people around him and wider community.

"These moments of love and respect were magnified somehow in the following days by the coming together of the people of Manchester in the way they did and in the way they do. They demonstrated in the most incredible way that choosing love can be the more powerful force. For this, I say thank you to the wonderful Manchester people for restoring my faith in humanity during the hardest time of my life.''

43 year old Elaine McIver, Cheshire

Cheshire Police officer Elaine McIver, 43, "embraced life'' and was "gusto and gung-ho'', her sister Lynda told the hearing.

The inquiry heard Ms McIver was a "very private person'' and her family, including parents Frank and Patricia, were not initially planning to put together a pen portrait but then changed their minds and decided on a video presentation of photographs with Coldplay song Clocks playing in the background.

Introducing the portrait, her sister said: "She was very much loved and very much a massive pivotal part of our family.

"So how do you begin to talk about someone who was such a big part of your life? Well the thing is you don't, you just can't say in a short period of time what somebody meant to you and how much they meant to you, and how much she loved us and how much we loved her so much.

"So instead the old saying goes 'a picture says a thousand words' and I hope this little presentation of photographs from our family album will give just a little bit of a taste of the character that Elaine was, the attitude she had and her lust for life, and the way she was a cheeky little girl from the minute she was born.

"She just embraced life, she was gusto and gung-ho, just a joy to be around and she would hate to be remembered as a victim.''

Ms McIver, a detective constable with the force, was waiting in the foyer with her partner to collect his young daughter and her friend.

The inquiry continues on Tuesday and the commemorative part of the hearings will conclude this week. The public inquiry, chaired by Sir John Saunders, is to examine the background to the attack by suicide bomber Salman Abedi and the response of the emergency services and will conclude next spring.