
The mother who woke from a coma to discover her eight-year-old daughter had died in the Manchester Arena terror attack clutched a single rose as she laid her little girl to rest today.

Lisa Roussos, 48, was joined by hundreds of mourners for the funeral of Saffie Rose Roussos, the youngest victim of the bombing that killed 22 people - at Manchester Cathedral today, clutching a single rose in her honour.

The girl's father Andrew Roussos became a pall bearer for his daughter as her coffin was carried inside for the start of the service, just a few hundred yards from the scene of her death, and planted a kiss on its side.

Saffie's wicker casket, adorned with roses, arrived in a silver hearse followed by the cortege from Wythenshawe Hospital. Mrs Roussos was on release from the hospital today as she continues to be treated for her injuries.

The Manchester bombing's youngest victim Saffie Roussos, eight, was laid to rest today in front of hundreds of mourners. Mother Lisa Roussos - who was with her daughter as the attacker struck - and brother Xander look on as her coffin passes

Lisa and Andrew Roussos, mother and father of Saffie Rose Roussos, embrace each other following her funeral today

Mr Roussos carries his daughter's casket out of Manchester Cathedral, flanked by his ten-year-old son Xander

Mourners, including Mrs Roussos, wiped away tears as Saffie's coffin was carried outside to the song Over The Rainbow

Mr Roussos kisses his wife as they stand outside Manchester Cathedral following the emotional funeral this afternoon

Saffie's father Andrew (front right) kisses his eight-year-old daughter's casket outside Manchester Cathedral this afternoon

Mrs Roussos stands outside the cathedral with Xander and her 23-year-old daughter Ashlee Bromwich (right)

She emerged from the lead car, refusing the offer of a wheelchair, instead pausing, limping, but determined to walk into the cathedral for her daughter's service, watched by dozens of well-wishers standing outside.

Her right arm in a sling and hand bandaged up, she carried a red rose in her other hand.

Family and friends also released a heartbreaking montage 'to make her famous', set to music by her pop idol, Ariana Grande, with Saffie pictured in a series of family snaps and happily playing with her brother Xander.

Saffie's father, Andrew, 43, nodded to his son, Xander, 10, hugged by his step-sister Ashlee Bromwich, 23, and his wife, who replied with a weak smile.

Hundreds of mourners were already inside, many carrying a single rose in memory of Saffie, a request from the family who invited anyone who had been touched by her to come to celebrate her short life.

Saffie's father Andrew Roussos embraces a member of the clergy as he arrives for the funeral of his daughter Saffie

The girl's coffin is held aloft as it is carried in to. The wicker casket was woven with flowers in honour of her middle name, Rose

The girl's mother, Lisa Roussos, 48, left hospital to say goodbye to her child and is pictured above with her son Xander

Mourners follow Saffie Rose Roussos's coffin as it is carried into her funeral at Manchester Cathedral today

A letter written by Miss Bromwich to her younger sister was read to the service. In it she said: 'I wish I could do justice with my words, but how can it be enough to describe the way you lit up our lives. The greatest gift.

Saffie Rose Roussos, eight, died in the Manchester attack

'Nothing more, nothing less than I could ever have wanted in a little sister. You gave love and life a whole different meaning. Everything I do from this day forward will be all for you'

Saffie's father bravely stood to say a few words about his daughter. He began: 'Everybody said, 'Write some words down.' And did I listen? No. Beautiful daughter Saffie. What can I say?'

Fighting back tears, he added: 'I'm honoured to be her father. Honoured. Saffie is, was, a superstar in the making. To become something in life you have to have that something, that spark, that charisma.

'The ones that make it are born with it, they have got it from the very beginning, and Saffie had that. All she asked for was for us to love her.'

He thanked members of the public for attending and said the 'overwhelming' support from Manchester and beyond was helping the family.

Saffie's headteacher, Chris Upton, read a eulogy in which he described her as loving her family dearly and having another love in her life - Ariana Grande.

He said: 'The irony of this tragedy is that the concert was a wonderful experience for her, the happiest Lisa and Ashlee had ever seen her.

'Lisa rarely watched the stage that evening, but, instead, her beautiful daughter who knew every song, sang every word and danced - I mean really danced - and didn't have a care in the world.

Hundreds of mourners gather outside Manchester Cathedral after the funeral service of Saffie Roussos this afternoon

The funeral cortege of Manchester Attack victim Saffie Roussos arrives at Manchester Cathedral today

The cortege arrives as onlookers bow their heads in respect. Her family had invited anyone touched by her death to attend the service, two months on from the Arena attack

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham leaves a floral tribute outside Manchester Cathedral after the funeral service

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester, and Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, arrive for the funeral

Members of the ambulance service arriving for the funeral service of Saffie at Manchester Cathedral today

He said the eight-year-old had a 'quiet confidence', was a friend to everybody and was 'clearly destined for great things'.

Family and friends use #Saffiethesuperstar tag to fulfil her dream The hashtag #Saffiethesuperstar was put together by family and friends of Saffie to fulfil the eight-year-old girl's dream of becoming a YouTube star. They want the YouTube clip of pictures of Saffie, set to the Ariana Grande song One Last Time, to be liked and shared. The three-minute video is captioned: 'She always wanted to be a YouTube star, she was a confident, bright young girl full of life love, joy and happiness.' Advertisement

He said: 'As you leave the cathedral today, try and be a little bit more like Saffie - ambitious, good-humoured, loving and passionate. The world will truly be a better place.'

Video messages from Saffie's friends and teachers were played to the funeral in which they recalled their memories of her.

The Very Rev Rogers Govender said 22 bees were to be placed in the furniture of the cathedral as a memorial to the victims of the bombing.

He asked Mrs Roussos to hold one of the model bees as he dedicated it to Saffie.

He said the service was a 'poignant moment' for Saffie's family but also for the people of Manchester.

Saffie's godmother, introduced as Nicky, sang Bruno Mars' hit, Just The Way You Are - her voice breaking in the final few lines, before being hugged by Mr Roussos.

After the photo montage was screened, Rev Govender said Saffie's family had asked for roses brought by mourners to be placed on the memorial cross outside.

Mourners arrive for the funeral of Manchester Arena bomb victim Saffie-Rose Roussos carrying a single rose each today

A steady stream of people began filling the cathedral for the funeral for Saffie from mid-morning onwards today

Dozens of people arrived at the cathedral each carrying a single rose in the girl's memory - a request from the family

The girl had been singing and dancing in excitement as she counted the days down to seeing Grande perform in Manchester

A mourner holdsa a purple ballon saying 'RIP Saffie' as she arrives for the eight-year-old's funeral service today

Finally, children's singing filled the hushed cathedral, the voices of Saffie's school friends from Tarleton Community Primary School who had recorded a CD 'Songs For Saffie'.

Mourners wiped away tears as Saffie's coffin was carried outside to the children's voices singing Over The Rainbow from the film The Wizard Of Oz.

After the service, Mr Roussos spent time hugging and thanking close family and friends as they left the building.

His wife fought back her emotions, as did step-sister Ashlee, but Saffie's brother was hugged as tears streamed from his eyes.

Spontaneous applause rang out from members of the public as the funeral cars left the cathedral for a private cremation only for family and friends.

A woman holds a rose outside the funeral for Saffie, who the youngest victim of the bombing at Manchester Arena in May

Saffie was described by Tarleton Community Primary School, where she was a pupil, as 'simply a beautiful little girl'

The service, led by The Very Reverend Rogers Govender, began at 1.45pm, followed by a private cremation

Families arrive today for the funeral of the eight-year-old girl from Leyland in Lancashire who was killed two months ago

Coaches have been laid on to take people from her local area to pay their respects at the funeral in Manchester

One of the tributes played at the service said: 'Roses are beautiful and there are none more beautiful than you Saffie. Night sweetheart.'

The three-minute video for Saffie posted this afternoon showed her smiling alongside her parents on family holidays, wearing make-up and dressing up.

Saffie's friends hope the video, shown at the funeral, will be liked and shared using the hashtag #Saffiethesuperstar to fulfil her dream of becoming a YouTube star.

Today, mourners each carrying a rose in memory of Saffie - a request from the family - arrived at the city's cathedral to pay their last respects and celebrate the short life of the eight-year-old today.

A single Mass card showing a smiling photo of Saffie was handed to mourners, bearing the message: 'We would like to thank you for being here today with us and for all your love & support. The Roussos family.'

Saffie (left) was excited about seeing Grande (right) perform at Manchester Arena after getting tickets as a Christmas present

Saffie's mother, Lisa Roussos (left), 48, was left with extensive injuries and taken to hospital unconscious and gravely ill

Andrew Roussos (centre), father of the attack victim, with his son Xander (right), 10 and daughter Ashlee Bromwich (left), 26

Saffie was among the elated youngsters leaving the Arena following the Ariana Grande concert, after receiving tickets as a Christmas present from her parents, when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated his home-made bomb packed with nuts and bolts.

Heartfelt tribute from Saffie's sister Ashlee 'I wish I could do justice with my words, but how can it be enough to describe the way you lit up our lives. The greatest gift. 'Nothing more, nothing less than I could ever have wanted in a little sister. 'You gave love and life a whole different meaning. Everything I do from this day forward will be all for you' Advertisement

She died from multiple injuries along with 21 others in the attack on May 22, seven of them aged under 18.

Mr Roussos, from Leyland, Lancashire, has described his daughter as a girl who wanted to be famous and loved the limelight, singing and dancing in excitement as she counted the days down to seeing her pop idol performing.

In Tarleton, the village where Saffie and her brother went to school, streets had pink ribbons tied to gate posts and lampposts as a mark of remembrance, and a short service was also due to be held in the local church today.

Coaches were laid on by a local firm to take people from the village and surrounding area to pay their respects at the funeral in Manchester, but some traumatised school friends of Saffie's will attend the local service.

A police investigation into the terror attack on May 22 is still ongoing.

Family release series of heartbreaking photographs of happy eight-year-old girl killed after watching her pop idol

A moving montage of photos celebrating the short life of Saffie Roussos was released by her family and friends.

The eight-year-old was pictured in a series of family snaps, happily playing with her brother Xander, smiling alongside her parents on family holidays, wearing make-up and dressing up.

A moving montage of photos celebrating the short life of Saffie Roussos has been released by her family and friends

The eight-year-old victim of the attack is pictured in a series of family snaps, happily playing with her brother Xander (right)

Saffie is pictured with her mother, Lisa Roussos, 48, and ten-year-old brother Xander, in one of the photos in the video

The YouTube clip, set to the Grande song One Last Time, was shared as her funeral of the girl from Lancashire gets under way

Saffie 'was, a superstar in the making', according to her father who gave an emotional speech at her funeral today

Saffie can be seen playing on the grass with her ten-year-old brother Xander in one of the many photos in the video

Saffie is pictured holding a hat in a clothes shop in one of the many photographs used in the tribute video put together

Eight-year-old Saffie was described by her sister as a child who 'gave love and life a whole different meaning'

'All she asked for was for us to love her,' Saffie's father said of her eight-year-old daughter at her funeral today

Saffie poses outside a Cartier jewellery store. The girl's godmother sang Bruno Mars' hit, Just The Way You Are, at the funeral

Spontaneous applause rang out from members of the public as the funeral cars left the cathedral after funeral today

Saffie poses at a quayside in one of the many photos included in the three-minute video posted on YouTube today

Saffie was among the throng of elated youngsters leaving Manchester Arena after the Ariana Grande concert in May

Eight-year-old Saffie had received tickets for the Grande gig in May as a Christmas present from her parents

Saffie plays with her brother Xander, who was among the hundreds of mourners at the eight-year-old's funeral today

The girl, from Leyland, Lancashire, has been described as a child who wanted to be famous and loved the limelight

Saffie had been singing and dancing in excitement as she counted the days down to seeing her pop idol Grande

A police investigation into the terror attack that left Saffie among the 22 victims on May 22 is still ongoing