Daughters pay tribute to ‘warrior mum’ killed in Manchester Arena bombing

A school receptionist killed in the Manchester Arena bombing “treated everyone with kindness, decency and respect” and was “the perfect listener”.

The three daughters of Jane Tweddle, 51, paid tribute to “our warrior mum” at the public inquiry into the May 2017 terror attack, which killed 22 people at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

The hearing was told Ms Tweddle was “so proud” of how her girls had grown and the life values she taught them.

Isabelle, Harriet and Lily attended in person at Manchester Magistrates’ Court as their pen portrait of their mother and tributes from other family members and friends were read by their lawyer.

They said: “You always knew how to brighten someone’s day and make them feel loved.

“You treated everyone with kindness, decency and respect.

“You rarely got mad and when you did you probably had a damn good reason.

“Our warrior mum, teaching us to be kind and to always stick together.”

They added: “Our house was always full of love and laughter. There is nothing in this world we wouldn’t give to hear your voice, see your smile or hold your hand for just one minute.

“When we’d asked what time it was you’d reply ‘it’s the time of your life, never forget it’, we’ll hold on to that forever.

“You were taken too fast, mum, but you were so loved and now you rest high peacefully. We love you endlessly.

“Now we all have an angel to call by name.”

Ms Tweddle, originally from Hartlepool, worked at South Shore Academy in Blackpool, Lancashire, where she was said to be “cherished and trusted” and “made for the job”.

The inquiry was told: “Familiar, friendly and full of life, you were the first person the students would see when they walked through the door in the morning.

“Children from all backgrounds would open up to you about their homes lives and personal struggles.

“The perfect listener, you were a shoulder to cry on and a source of strength and support for so many.”

Her mother, Margaret Tweddle, said: “What happened in Manchester that night was evil and we won’t let evil win – Jane would not want that.”

Ms Tweddle had accompanied a friend to Manchester while her 14-year-old daughter attended the concert.

Another victim, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, from Bury, Greater Manchester, died in the blast after she got a tram into the city with her friend to watch Ariana Grande perform.

The teenager was due to be picked up at Bury tram station later by her friend’s parents.

Her father, Andrew Hardy, said: “She did not return that evening and this will stay with me forever.

“The family spent hours searching for her only to be later told she had tragically died.”

Olivia had a love of dancing and singing from an early age and aspired to be a music teacher, he said.

Mr Hardy said: “Olivia was my youngest daughter and was a daddy’s girl. We were very close.

“She had a grown-up personality and a smile that would cheer anyone up.

“Her death has left us all devastated and we have found it very hard to deal with life without her in it.

“I miss her every day, her infectious laugh and all the good times we had but will never have again.”

Olivia’s grandfather Steve Goodman said: “She was a joy to us and our large extended family, and she had a way of not always being well behaved but managed to turn the tables with her humour and make us laugh.

“The void in our lives is immense. Our lives have changed forever.”