I love you', Harry Styles tells young fan injured in Manchester attack

 

Former One Direction singer Harry Styles has offered a heartwarming message to a Cheshire schoolgirl injured in last week's terrorist attack.
Freya Lewis, 14, was caught in the explosion at Manchester's MEN Arena after watching US singer Ariana Grande's concert last Monday. She attended the concert with her 14-year-old friend Nell Jones as a birthday treat. Jones did not survive the explosion.

In a blog-post published on her school website, Lewis's family described the moment on Saturday when the pop star phoned her up at Manchester Children's Hospital:

"Firstly, Freya came around enough from sedation to look at her Dad, blow him a kiss and smile. Then Dad cried. 'What could surpass that?' I know you are thinking.
Secondly, the phone rang, and it was Harry Styles. Freya woke up, Harry said he loved her, she said she loved him, then Dad said he loved him!!
The PICU unit at Manchester Childrens Hospital has just been given a lift like you can not imagine!
Harry, we salute you sir, Holmes Chapel [Lewis's comprehensive school] is very proud of you!!!!"

In earlier blog posts, her family had described the "ten and a half hours in surgery"  Jones underwent to deal with her injuries from flying shrapnel: "Freya has been sewn, bolted, drilled and bandaged back together. It is going to be a long climb but we are on the first step."

Her family confirmed that "Freya had a comfortable night" after speaking to Styles, and has since been transferred from Intensive Care to High Dependency, which they say is "a massive positive step towards her recovery".

At least 66 people were injured, and 22 killed, when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated an explosive outside the MEN Arena. Police are currently investigating Abedi's associates, and have so far made eight arrests.