Body of teenager Eilidh brought home to Barra ahead of funeral

The body of Manchester terror victim Eilidh MacLeod has been repatriated to the Outer Hebrides ahead of the first funeral to come from the attack.

A small chartered plane landed at Traigh Mhor beach runway on the remote island of Barra with the 14-yearold’s coffin at 12.45pm yesterday.

Her parents Roddy and Marion were on board.

Eilidh was among 22 people who died in the terrorist attack at the Ariana Grande concert on Monday May 22, which also left dozens injured.

Her friend Laura MacIntyre, a fellow pupil at Castlebay Community School on the island, was also seriously injured in the bombing at Manchester Arena.

The 15-year-old is still in hospital in Manchester.

On arrival of the plane, Fr John Paul MacKinnon performed a blessing over the casket, which was draped in the green and white flag of Barra.

A procession of six firefighters and two other groups of men relayed the coffin, at waist height, 70 yards across the sandy shallow bay to the hearse.

Piper Duncan Nicholson, son of Eilidh’s piping tutor Donald Patrick Nicholson, led the procession with three slow airs she had been learning.

Eilidh’s body was taken to the family home in Castlebay.

A crowd of around 50 people were at the airport to observe the ceremony.

Picture: Getty Images. Eilidh’s coffin is carried across Traigh Mhor beach on the island of Barra.

Eilidh MacLeod, 14, died in the bomb attack two weeks ago.