Manchester Arena survivor buys bee sculpture for Sheffield victim

Amelia Thompson, 13, who survived the Manchester Arena bombing, said she wanted a "lasting memorial" in Sheffield for victim Kelly Brewster

A teenage survivor of the Manchester Arena bomb has bought a giant bee statue at auction to honour victim Kelly Brewster.

Ms Brewster, 32, from Sheffield, was among 22 people killed in the attack at the Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.

Dozens of bee sculptures, which formed an art trail in Manchester during the summer, were auctioned on Wednesday.

Survivor Amelia Thompson and her friend Darcie Parker successfully bid on a bee called Beedazzle by Maria Shrigley.

"We wanted to bring it to Sheffield to bring the city together and remember Kelly," she said.

"It'll show that we're not going to let terrorism win."

Amelia and her friend, Darcie Parker hope to place the statue in Meadowhall, a shopping centre on the outskirts of the city

They are hoping to place the statue, which sold for £22,000, at the entrance to Meadowhall Shopping Centre on the outskirts of the city.

It is hoped the statue will also tour other places in the city, including the railway station.

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Amelia's mum Lisa Newton, who attended the auction with the girls, said they had done an amazing job raising £3,455.

She also praised the efforts of Ms Brewster's employers Aviva Insurance for making the total up to £21,500.

A couple from Hull provided a further £500 to secure the winning bid.

Sheffield Eagles has also offered to collect the bee sculpture and provide a plinth for it to sit on, she said.

Kelly Brewster went to the Ariana Grande concert with her sister and niece, who she shielded in the terror blast

The bees were previously on display around Manchester after it became an image of defiance and solidarity in the aftermath of the attack.

Ms Brewster had been to the Ariana Grande concert with her sister and niece, who she had "heroically shielded" from the blast in the foyer, her family said.

The total raised for The Lord Mayor of Manchester's We Love MCR Charity was £1,128,250.

The most popular bee of the night was Bee United, which raised £36,000