Manchester Arena: Kelly Brewster's family 'let down at every level'

Kelly Brewster's family described her as a "firecracker" who was the "life and soul of every party that she ever went to"

The family of a Manchester Arena bomb victim say they feel "completely let down at every level" as they await the final report into the atrocity.

Kelly Brewster, 32, from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, died in the attack at the Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.

Ms Brewster's sister Claire Booth said each failing revealed by the public inquiry into the bombing had been a "kick in the stomach".

"We can't see we'll ever move on as we've lost too much," she said.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders published his first report into security arrangements at the Arena in the summer of 2021. In it, he said suicide bomber Salman Abedi should have been identified as a threat and challenged.

In his second report in November he identified a number of failings in the response of the emergency services to the bombing.

The Manchester Arena Inquiry will publish the third and final volume of its report detailing Sir John's findings at 14:00 GMT on Thursday.

Ms Booth said: "There were so many factors where it could have been stopped or deterred.

"One little course of action probably would have changed the outcome of the night."

Claire Booth, Kelly Brewster's sister, says the family have been unable to register Ms Brewster's death due to the ongoing inquiry process

Miss Brewster died shielding Ms Booth and her niece Hollie, who was 12 at the time of the attack on 22 May 2017.

"Listening to Kelly's last moments, she didn't die straight away which was just heart-breaking to know and to listen to," said Ms Booth.

Hollie, now 18, recently had her 20th operation and "has lived in pain for six years", Ms Booth said.

Thursday's report will look at the radicalisation of bomber Salman Abedi, the planning and preparation of the attack and whether the atrocity could have been prevented by MI5 and counter-terrorism police.

Ms Booth said: "We feel completely let down as a family at every level, from MI5 right down to Greater Manchester Police, British Transport Police, the Arena not having risk assessments, [security firm] Showsec.

"Everybody failed to protect us on that night and we will never ever forgive any of them for putting our family in that position."

Ms Brewster was described by her family as the "life and soul of every party" who was at a "really good point of her life", having secured a new house with her partner Ian Winslow on the morning of the attack.

Kelly Brewster and Ian Winslow had had an offer accepted on a new home on the morning of the bombing

Ms Booth said her father has not had the opportunity to register Ms Brewster's death due to it being the subject of an investigation, along with the 21 others killed.

In the event of an inquest, the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 means a death can only be registered by a local registrar.

"He travelled in the hearse with her to bring her back to Sheffield, he needs to see it through to the end and at the moment he can't do that," she said.

Ms Booth said she had returned to attending concerts despite being "on edge all of the time" and went to Ariana Grande's 2019 performance in Sheffield with her daughter.

"It was a difficult decision, as we were putting ourselves back in the position we were in that night," she said.

"Ariana had never been to Sheffield before and it was on Kelly's birthday so we said it was a sign."

'Lives changed forever'

A government spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with those who were killed or had their lives changed forever at the Manchester Arena attack.

"The participants to the inquiry will respond publicly after the publication of the Chair's report."

Responding to Ms Booth's comment about the family being unable to register Ms Brewster's death, the spokesperson added: "Any change to the law would need to consider its wider impact, including how it would affect those bereaved families who do not wish to provide information to register the death when they have already provided this to the inquest.

"We acknowledge the seriousness of this matter and are committed to seeing what can be done via non-legislative means, we have offered the bereaved families the option of being present at the registration of their loved one's death if they wish to do so."