‘A beautiful little girl’

TRIBUTES have been paid to an eight-year-old girl killed by a suicide bomber in Manchester.

Saffie Rose Roussos is the youngest named victim of the attack at the Manchester Arena on Monday night, which claimed the lives of 21 others, and injured dozens more.

The youngster, from Tarleton, near Preston in Lancashire, had been at the Ariana Grande concert with her mum Lisa Roussos and sister Ashlee Bromwich when the explosion happened.

Both Lisa and Ashlee, who is in her 20s, are believed to have been injured by schrapnel during the blast and are being treated in separate hospitals.

A huge campaign was launched on social media to find the school girl by friends and family, and a photo of her was shared tens of thousands of times. Chris Upton, headteacher at Tarleton Community Primary School, confirmed the news of her tragic death.

He said it had come as a huge shock to them all, and described Saffie as a “beautiful little girl”, who was “loved by everyone”.

Mr Upton said in a statement: “News of Saffie’s death in this appalling attack has come as a tremendous shock to all of us and I would like to send our deepest condolences to all of her family and friends.

“The thought that anyone could go out to a concert and not come home is heartbreaking.

“Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word.

“She was loved by everyone and her warmth and kindness will be remembered fondly. Saffie was quiet and unassuming with a creative flair.

“Our focus is now on helping pupils and staff cope with this shocking news and we have called in specialist support from Lancashire County Council to help us do that.

“We are a tight-knit school and wider community and will give each other the support that we need at this difficult time.”