‘Angel’ who led teens to hotel safety
A WOMAN was praised yesterday after reports that she led a group of 50 frightened youngsters to safety at a hotel immediately after the blast.
Quick-thinking Paula Robinson said she was in Manchester Victoria railway station, near the Arena, when the attack took place.
She felt the explosion, then saw a large number of teenage girls running away from the venue.
Paula, 48, said: “We ran out. It was seconds after the explosion. I got the teens to run with me.”
She said she led the group to a nearby hotel, then shared her contact details on social media so parents could contact her.
She posted: “We have got about 50 kids with us waiting to be picked up, they are safe we will look after them,.
“Please repost for any parents. We have taken as many kids as we can to Holiday Inn. We will keep them safe and stay with them.”
However confusion surrounded the events after Paula appeared to have named the wrong hotel. A spokesperson for Holiday Inn said: “There have been reports of a number of unaccompanied children being bought to a Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express in the area. However, these are incorrect.
“Our hotels were working with police throughout the night but we did not have a group of unaccompanied children.”
By yesterday morning Paula said she was no longer with the children and advised parents and guardians to contact authorities.
She was lauded as “a hero” and “the angel of Manchester” on various social media sites. Joe Brennan tweeted: “Get this woman a cuppa, a hug and a knighthood.”
Hope Gorton wrote: “The world needs more people like Paula Robinson. Super helpful and kind.”