TV surprise for sisters who lost mum in Arena attack
SHOW TRACKS DOWN OFFICER WHO HELD DYING MOTHER’S HAND
SISTERS who have spent the past four months searching for the police officer who held their dying mum’s hand after the Manchester bombing got an emotional surprise when they appeared on breakfast TV.
Jane Tweddle-Taylor, 51, from Blackpool, was at the Manchester Arena to pick up a friend’s children from the Ariana Grande concert when the bomb was detonated.
Tragically she did not survive, and her daughters Harriet, Lily and Isabelle, have been searching for the police officer who helped her in her hour of need. Harriet, 25, and Isabelle, 20, appeared on the Lorraine show on ITV to talk about their search – saying that the worst part of that terrible day was thinking their mum might have been alone when she died.
Harriet said: “There are no words for how we feel.
“Our mum was a part of us, she was our strength, our laughter.”
After seeing reports of the bomb on the news the sisters drove straight to Manchester, and spent the next 12 hours searching for their mum before receiving the devastating news she had died.
“It was the worst day of my life,” Harriet said. “It was hard knowing she could have been on her own, but then we found out there was a young policewoman who was there, which gave us comfort that she was not on her own, and someone was holding her hand.
“We have no information on the police officer, and we just want to say thank you.”
To their amazement, during their appearance on the show Harriet and Isabelle were told that ITV had managed to track the police officer down.
Her name is Jessica Bullough and she works for the British Transport Police. Lorraine explained that Jessica did not feel ready to appear on television, but she had written a letter that was read out on the show.
It said: “To Harriet, Lily and Isabelle.
“I want to start by saying I can’t imagine what you girls have been through the last few months since the loss of your mum.
“Jane sounded like such an amazing, wonderful, fun-loving lady who would be so proud of you girls right now.
“I believe you’ve been trying to find me for the last few months, I can understand that’s proven difficult but now, with the help of ITV, they’ve been able to make contact with me.
“I have also in the last few months thought about Jane and her family with the hope of finding you and meeting you one day.
“I really hope this can be arranged soon as I would be honoured to meet you girls.
“Lots of love, from Jessica Bullough of the British Transport Police.”
It was said that arrangements would be made for the sisters to meet privately with the officer.