This post contains information which some readers may find distressing.
The British Transport Police were among the first responders at the scene of the Manchester bombings, and several have spoken about the harrowing scenes they discovered.
When the bomb went off, officers posted at nearby Victoria Station came running to help the innocent victims. PCSO Mark Renshaw, 24, told the Manchester Evening News how he was first at the scene.
“I heard an extremely loud explosion that literally shook me, everything shook. I saw people running and screaming, and my initial response was to go the same way they were all running, but something kicked in and I ran through the barriers up the steps and into the foyer,” he explained.
“It was pretty obvious what had happened. I remember screaming down my radio to get my colleagues and first aiders here.”
The brave officer ran to grab first aid packs to try to help the wounded. On his return, a little girl approached him and tugged on his vest. “Can you help my mummy?” she asked.
This is a very difficult read. But we thought it was important to highlight the bravery of the first responders https://t.co/2V1thr3xln
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Mark found the child’s mum but realised she had passed away. He took the little girl outside and asked his colleagues to look after her.
He then attempted to resuscitate two other victims, but sadly both died.
“Then I helped a 12-year-old girl who had quite a lot of wounds to her legs. Her mum was giving the initial first aid. My colleagues were doing the same, then we started taking people outside.”
Mark admitted he was afraid for his own safety and worried that another bomb could go off. However, he put his fears to one side to help others.
“We’re just there to help, and I don’t think we thought about anything else. I remember hearing there might have been a secondary device, I didn't know where it was but I was there to help.
“I was scared, but I couldn’t have stood outside the station thinking ‘I’m safe here’ when there were people inside who I could have been helping. I would have regretted that. I have no regrets."
Another officer, Danielle Ayers, told of how she tended to victims despite being warned about the possibility of a second attack.
“I went to the people on the floor to see if there was anything I could do to help them. But some were beyond the help we could have given. I found someone and did first aid on her. I did CPR but, unfortunately, she died.”
Danielle said she received warnings through her radio about a second device but decided to take out her ear piece and continue doing first aid.
We are in awe of all the remarkably brave police officers who assisted the victims that night.
