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‘I was worried about a second device’: Cork father describes terror of Manchester attack

Concert trip for Stephen Purvis’ son had been organised by Make-A-Wish foundation

Emergency services at Manchester Arena after the explosion at the end of Monday night’s Ariana Grande concert. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Vivienne Clarke
Wed May 24 2017 - 08:46

A family from Midleton, Co Cork attending the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on Monday night has told of their efforts to stay together in the aftermath of the bombing.

Stephen Purvis, along with his wife and son and a friend were at the concert as part of a trip organised for his ill son by the Make-A-Wish foundation.

"The concert was brilliant. It ended at 10.30 on the dot. It was just a few minutes later when there was a massive bang," he told P J Coogan on Cork radio station 96FM's Opinion Line.

“There were balloons all over the place so I didn’t know if it was them. We were on the opposite side of the arena. But the bang had literally shaken the arena.

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“Someone mentioned a bomb and then everyone started rushing towards us. People were climbing over each other, there were kids screaming. We could see smoke and debris.

“There was one woman on the floor and there was blood all over her shoes.

“I was worried that with that sort of panic you could lose your kids. There was a steward who kept shouting to move, move, but I wasn’t going to leave the kids.

“There were kids screaming; they were lost, they had no parents with them.”

When Mr Purvis and his family got out of the arena they decided to walk away from the arena as quickly as possible, taking back streets and alleys.

“I was worried about a second device and wanted to get as far away as possible. I was waiting to hear gunshots.

“My instinct was to take a breath and not panic. My wife was running. But I said we had to hold it, we needed to know what was happening to make sure we weren’t running into another bombing.”

By the time the family group got to the exit of the arena they saw police and ambulances had arrived.

“They were all over the place,” he said.

“My concern was that we not get separated. We stayed together and held hands. There were people bumping into each other.”

Mr Purvis said there were no words to express his relief.

“It is disgusting what was done to children.”

Manchester police said the suicide bomber Salman Abedi killed at least 22 people, including several children, in the atrocity.

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