Eilidh MacLeod: Parents of Manchester attack victim tell of anguish
- Published
Eilidh MacLeod had travelled to Manchester for the concert with a friend
The family of a Scottish schoolgirl killed in the Manchester bombing have told how every day "has been a struggle" since her death
A statement from the parents of Eilidh MacLeod, 14, was read out at the sentencing hearing of Hashem Abedi, the brother of the bomber.
Eilidh, from the Isle of Barra, was one of 22 people murdered after attending an Ariana Grande concert in 2017.
The family said not a single day passed when they did not struggle with grief.
The statement said: "She loved her life and everything it in - and it wasn't hard to love her right back.
"Every day it's been a struggle for us to maintain our dignity - trying to put one foot in front of the other is the hardest thing in our lives.
"We still have to stop ourselves calling out her name for our dinner, that will never stop.
"Anger, fear, resentment and heartbreak is something we all have to live with.
"No parent who ever takes their child to a concert should ever have to take them home to bury them.
"We still have some good days, then we have some really bad days - it comes from absolutely nowhere and hits you in the chest."
Hashem Abedi was arrested in Libya the day after the bombing
Eilidh had travelled to the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017 with her friend Laura MacIntyre who was seriously injured in the attack.
In March this year Abedi was found guilty of 22 counts of murder, one count of attempted murder - encompassing injured survivors - and conspiring to cause explosions.
He had denied helping to plan the "sudden and lethal" blast but was convicted of working with his brother to source materials used in the suicide attack.
He refused to leave his cell ahead of the two-day hearing sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey in London on Wednesday.