Manchester Arena bombing survivor 'felt abandoned' by lack of emotional support after atrocity

A Manchester Arena bombing survivor who lost his partner in the attack says he felt abandoned by the lack of emotional support after the atrocity. Paul Price, 55, was waiting with his partner Elaine McIver, 43, for his daughter Gabrielle, then 13, and her friend to come out of the Ariana Grande concert when Salman Abedi detonated his home-made bomb.

Elaine, a police officer, died instantly, one of 22 people killed. Paul sustained several injuries including severe burns, broken bones, loss of hearing and embedded shrapnel, which remain in his groin, pelvis and back.

He spent just over eight months in hospital and has required 55 different operations, with more needed in the future. On the sixth anniversary of the attack, Paul has spoken detail about his ordeal - and the lack of support he's received.

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He said: "You're in hospital with 24 hour doctors, nurses and physiotherapists and everything is there. You come out of hospital and that literally stopped instantly.

"When it came for me to leave hospital, because I had been there for so long, I was terrified and frightened. It was a different world that I was going into and I couldn't even go back to the house I shared with Elaine as I couldn't live on my own.

"I still had a huge frame on my leg and couldn't use my hands - it was a nightmare. To go from 24 hour round the clock care to being in a house that's adapted for you, it was an absolute nightmare.

"It just felt like the support had just fell off. I had district nurses coming out three times a day but they are only there for an hour to change dressings and give medicine that you can't keep in the house.

"It was terrifying and I just felt so alone