Mother and daughter minutes away from horror of terrorist bombing
A former mid Wales mother and daughter were just minutes away from being caught up in the horror of the Manchester bombing.
Donna Oultram had taken her 11-year-old daughter, Emilie Harrington, to see the Ariana Grande concert on Monday night.
They left the concert before the encore to get up to the ninth floor of the Manchester Arena car park where they had to leave their vehicle.
Today Donna, who recently moved with her family from Llangynog to Connah's Quay, said she could not stop thinking about what might have happened if they had waited until the end.
She said she and Emilie had been incredibly excited and had enjoyed the concert. She had posed happily with her ticket before the concert and danced during it.
"Now I feel totally numb and lots of thoughts are going through my mind," she said.
"What if we had just stayed for the encore? The car was parked on the ninth floor, the roof of the Arena and I didn't want to be waiting for ages in the queue. We were sat in the car waiting to exit the car park when we heard the explosion.
"I didn't have a clue what it was, then seconds later men, women and kids running through the entrance doors screaming. They were trying to get away from what they witnessed, trying to get into cars that didn't belong to them.
"I thought it was a gunman, I wound my windows up, the doors were already locked. Waiting for those red lights to change to exit the car park seemed like an eternity. My 11-year-old was sat in the car screaming, asking what was going on.
"Then we were out, on our way home watching police and ambulance crews screaming throughout Manchester."
She said she had been left with feelings of guilt and 'what ifs'.
"I have feelings of guilt for not helping and fleeing for our safety. And thoughts of what might have happened. What if we had taken the toilet stop before leaving? What if I had gone to the merchandise store before leaving to change the wristband because Emilie wanted the other colour? What if I hadn't paid for the car park beforehand?"
"Our thoughts are with those that never made it home with all those that witnessed the cruel event."
