Sister of youngest Manchester bomb victim names baby daughter after her in moving tribute

Newborn arrives more than three years after aunty killed in attack

Saffie Roussos, 8, was the youngest victim of the terrorist attack in May 2017 (Manchester Arena Inquiry)

The sister of the youngest Manchester Arena terror attack victim has named her first daughter in memory of her late sibling in a moving tribute more than three years after the young girl’s death.

Eight-year-old Saffie-Rose was among 22 people killed in the explosion at the Manchester Arena after an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.

Ashlee Bromwich, Saffie-Rose's elder sister, was injured in the attack while their mother Lisa Roussos required a series of operations to be able to walk again.

Ms Bromwich, 29, has now given birth to a healthy baby girl who she named Ever-Rose in memory of her late sister.

Ever-Rose's birth was announced on a Facebook group dedicated to the memory of Saffie-Rose.

“Saffie-Rose's sister Ashlee was badly injured in the Manchester Arena attack ... November 14th 2020 Ashlee gave birth to Ever-Rose," the announcement read.  

Ms Bromwich had announced her pregnancy in an interview with The Sun earlier this year, where she described the occasion as “bittersweet”.

“I am excited, of course," Ms Bromwich said, “but sad because Saffie-Rose will not meet her niece or nephew and she would have been such a wonderful aunty.”  

News of Ever-Rose’s birth comes less than two months after Ms Roussos and husband Andrew gave testimony at a public inquiry into the terror attack where their daughter was killed.

During the hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court in September, Saffie-Rose’s mother described the moment she awoke from a coma to be told her daughter had been killed in the explosion.

In a video recorded message, Ms Roussos said: “The day I woke up from the coma … Andrew held my hand and looked up at me, I instantly knew. ‘Saffie has gone, hasn’t she?’ And he replied: ‘Yes.’

“I cried and begged and pleaded with him to let me die too. I can look after her, I cried."