A teenage travel agent apprentice and her boyfriend have been named among the 22 victims of the suicide attack in Manchester.
Chloe Rutherford, 17, was due to start full-time work at Westoe Travel’s South Shields branch in June.
She was reported missing after attending the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on Monday night alongside boyfriend Liam Curry, 19.
They had attended the gig to have some time away together following the recent death of Liam’s father.
Westoe Travel had shared an appeal to find Chloe, who was also studying music at college.
Their families paid tribute to the couple in a joint statement issued by police.
“On the night our daughter Chloe died and our son Liam died, their wings were ready but our hearts were not.
“They were perfect in every way for each other and were meant to be. They were beautiful inside and out to ourselves and our families, and they were inseparable.
“Chloe always described herself as ditzy who Liam adored and would do anything for, including dealing with Chloe’s demands for chocolate.
“They lived to go to new places together and explore different cities. They wanted to be together forever and now they are.”
Authorities say 22 people have died as a result of the terror attack, claimed by so-called Islamic State.
More than 60 people have also been injured, with around 20 understood to be in “critical care” in hospital.
The suspected suicide bomber, who died in the blast, has been named as Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old UK-born student of Libyan extraction.
One of seven people arrested in connection with the attack, a woman, was released without charge. Two others have been detained in Libya.
We have now had the devastating news that Chloe and Liam have been taken from us
Tribute from westoe Travel at https://t.co/eFJYfKBNuhpic.twitter.com/zcWeaJorQy— Westoe Travel (@westoetravel) May 25, 2017
Westoe Travel posted a message of Facebook saying:
“Thank you to everyone who shared our recent posts for Chloe and Liam.
“We have now had the devastating news that Chloe and her boyfriend Liam have been taken from us at such a young age.
“It is something we will never be able to understand. When you watch these events on television you never expect them to impact on those around you.
“As a small family business, Chloe was part of our family, working part time as she completed her college studies before starting full time with us on 26 June to begin her travel apprenticeship.
“We loved her friendly happy personality and she was a great asset to Westoe Travel and had a great future ahead in the travel industry which she was really looking forward to.
Liam would meet her from work and they were a perfect loving couple.
“The families have lost two beautiful young people who were a credit to them and our thoughts and prayers go to both families at this terrible time.”
See also:
Fundraising appeal set-up for apprentice Chloe Rutherford and boyfriend Liam Curry
Tributes paid to Chloe Rutherford and boyfriend Liam Curry