Relatives in a desperate search
● Laura Macintyre in hospital but Eilidh Macleod still missing ● Hebridean community ‘stunned’ at news from families
A Scottish teenager reported missing after the Manchester terrorist attack is being treated in hospital for serious injuries, a family friend said last night.
The families of Laura Macintyre, 15, and Eilidh Macleod, 14, from the island of Barra, made desperate appeals when the girls failed to get in touch after the explosion at the Ariana Grande concert.
Angus Macneil, who has represented the island as SNP MP since 2005, said last night the older girl was being treated in hospital in Manchester.
“Laura is alive in hospital and is in a serious condition,” he said. “We are obviously still extremely worried about Eilidh. We have no news at the moment.”
At least six other people were treated in hospitals in Scotland, none with life-threatening injuries, after the incident. Four of the six have since been discharged.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
0 Laura Macintyre and Eilidh Macleod were caught up in attack said it was hard for anyone to “imagine the anguish” their loved ones were going through.
The suicide bomb attack at the Manchester Arena killed 22 people and wounded 59 others.
Relatives of the youngsters arrived in Manchester yesterday in the hope of tracing their whereabouts.
The teenagers, both third year pupils at Castlebay Community School in Barra, had travelled to the concert with Eilidh’s mother, Marion, who stayed at a nearby hotel.
Her daughter texted her during the US pop singer’s final song, at which point she went to pick the pair up at the arena, which is in the Hunts Bank area of the city.
However, when she arrived, she witnessed crowds of youngsters running out of the building.
Mr Macneil, the SNP candidate for Na h-eileanan at next month’s general election, knows both the Macintyre and Macleod families. He went to school with Eilidh’s father, Roddy, while Laura is one of his daughter’s best friends.
Mr Macneil, who spoke to Marion by telephone yesterday, said: “Marion was in a hotel near the arena and when she got the text she headed towards the stadium to pick them up at the door.
“But when she arrived, people were bursting and running out of the building. She witnessed what was the aftermath of the attack.”
He added: “For the community and the island, people are just absolutely stunned.
“If they don’t know the girls themselves, then they know their parents, grandparents or their cousins.
“In most cases, people know them all. It’s just an awful feeling.”
Relatives of the girls made heartfelt appeals for information on social media yesterday.
A message from Eilidh’s aunt, Margaret Macneil, had been shared nearly 100,000 times as of last night.
It stated: “My niece and her friend were at the Ariana Grande concert tonight and there has been no contact since the explosion.
“Please let us find the girls safe and well.
“They are Eilidh Macleod and Laura Macintyre.”
Laura’s father, Micheal, said it was his daughter’s first ever concert, as the two girls were “big fans” of Ariana Grande.
He explained: “Laura was so happy to be going down there with her friend. “It was Laura’s first concert.” He added: “I was a bit hesitant about her going to a concert so far away but she seemed so happy.”
Addressing MSPS at Holyrood, Ms Sturgeon said Police Scotland was in contact with the relatives of the teenagers and was offering them support.
She told MSPS: “It is hard for any of us to imagine the anguish that their families are going through.
“They are in our thoughts and the Scottish Government and Police Scotland will do all we possibly can to ensure that they have all the support they need.”
At the Stornoway offices of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, flags flew at half-mast yesterday as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives.
A spokesman for the local authority said: “We are closely monitoring events around Eilidh and Laura.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the two girls.”
0 Police evacuated the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester