Bomb inquiry is told of teen victim’s great ‘passion for life’

A 14-year-old girl killed in the Manchester Arena attack had a “passion for life” and treated every day as an “adventure”.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Sep 2020, 15:22 BST
Undated handout photo issued by the Manchester Arena Inquiry of Nell Jones, 14, one of the victims of the terror attack at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in May 2017. A jailed UK terrorist is refusing to co-operate with the public inquiry into the attack.Undated handout photo issued by the Manchester Arena Inquiry of Nell Jones, 14, one of the victims of the terror attack at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in May 2017. A jailed UK terrorist is refusing to co-operate with the public inquiry into the attack.
Undated handout photo issued by the Manchester Arena Inquiry of Nell Jones, 14, one of the victims of the terror attack at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in May 2017. A jailed UK terrorist is refusing to co-operate with the public inquiry into the attack.

Tributes to Nell Jones from her family, friends and teachers were given at the public inquiry into the May 2017 suicide bombing which claimed the lives of 22 people after an Ariana Grande concert.

Her eldest brother Sam read out the tributes while her parents, Ernie and Jayne, and other siblings Joe and William watched on at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.

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Nell, from Goostrey, Cheshire, loved her big brothers “to bits” and “grew from their annoying little sister to one they dearly loved”, said her parents.

They said: “Starting school was a delight to Nell, not only learning but making new friends.

“This was something that became very important to her. If you were a friend of Nell’s you were in good hands.

“She hated any form of unkindness and she would protect her friends to the hilt.”

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Teachers at her former primary school and high school remembered her warmly as a “wonderfully talented young girl” who excelled at English and maths and then later shone on the stage as she “put her heart and soul into every performance”.

Her school friends recalled their “endless shopping trips” and spoke of their sadness of life without Nell.

Her best friend Olivia said: “Nell was the best friend anyone could ever have wished for, she was kind and thoughtful, always thinking about how she could help anyone out who was upset or in trouble. She was very confident too. The fun one in our group.

“We shared so much over the years growing up together, our hopes, our dreams and we had so many plans for the future. We were going to visit Harry Potter World – she was a huge fan – in Florida, travel the world but before all that once she had passed her driving test she hoped she would have a mint green Fiat 500 that she could take us all shopping in.”

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Another friend, Alex, told of their fun at joining the Knutsford Young Farmers club in early 2017.

She said: “This is one of the things I find most upsetting, I had never met a girl who was so passionate and positive about life and what exciting times we had to look forward to when we were older.

“She should be here with us with her contagious smile. Times such as leaving school, the release of Mamma Mia 2, getting my first boyfriend and turning 18. All leading to some late evenings filled with music and laughter. That was right up Nell’s street.

“I’ll try my best to live out Nell’s plans for us that she never could, whether that was our Young Farmers competition we were preparing for in the last week or dancing the night away for many years to come.”

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Her brother Sam concluded: “As a family we miss her so much. She lit up our days with her useful energy and her passion for life. Every day was an adventure for Nell and we were all carried along with her.

“The thought of the years ahead without her in our lives is truly unbearable and I have no words to describe the pain and grief that we feel each day but those 14 wonderful years that we all shared together and the memories we made were truly special. We love Nell with all our hearts and we always will.”