Manchester Arena attack inquiry: Survivors 'feel forgotten and unimportant'

Top (left to right): Lisa Lees, Alison Howe, Georgina Callender, Kelly Brewster, John Atkinson, Jane Tweddle, Marcin Klis, Eilidh MacLeod - Middle (left to right): Angelika Klis, Courtney Boyle, Saffie Roussos, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, Martyn Hett, Michelle Kiss, Philip Tron, Elaine McIver - Bottom (left to right): Wendy Fawell, Chloe Rutherford, Liam Allen-Curry, Sorrell Leczkowski, Megan Hurley, Nell Jones

Many Manchester Arena bomb survivors feel "unimportant and forgotten" as the public inquiry into the attack draws closer, their lawyer has said.

More than 50 people injured in the 2017 bombing are appealing against a ruling to deny them "core participant" status.

Their barrister said they had not even been interviewed or contacted.

The mother of a 14-year-old girl who had not been expected to overcome her injuries said survivors had been "forgotten and ignored".

Their lawyer, Brenda Campbell QC, said survivors had not been treated with importance until "they put their hand up" and asked for a formal role at the inquiry, which is provisionally due to start in Manchester on 7 September.

'Legal rights'

The families are bidding to overturn a decision made by inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders not to grant them "core participant" status.

That ruling means they will not have the same legal rights as police, the government and the families of the 22 who were killed on 22 May 2017.

Ms Campbell argued that injured survivors had not been asked about what they went through.

"They experienced, they saw, they felt, they heard and they have not been contacted," she added.

"With the greatest respect, telling someone that they are important witnesses does not make it so in practice.

"The reality is that they are treated at the very best as very important spectators."

Salman Abedi detonated a suicide bomb as fans left an Ariana Grande concert at the arena.

His younger brother, Hashem Abedi, was convicted of 22 counts of murder in March at the Old Bailey in London.

Hashem Abedi's sentencing has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak

The hearing continues.