A Brighouse dad has told how he feels lucky to be alive after he fled the Manchester terror attack.

Jason Lambert, who was with his 14-year-old daughter Billie and her school friend at the Ariana Grande concert on Monday night, said he heard a ‘loud boom’ and knew instantly it was a bomb.

Some 22 people were killed and a further 59 were injured after suicide bomber Salem Abedi targeted the concert at Manchester Arena.

The victims of the Manchester Arena bombing
The victims of the Manchester Arena bombing

Jason said: “We were very lucky, another minute or so and we’d have been in the foyer.

“It was pandemonium after the bomb had gone off. I knew straight away it was a bomb, the floor shook, and all hell broke loose. There were just so many kids. The crowd just split and there were kids climbing over chairs and down balconies.

“People were shouting ‘it’s a bomb’ and others were screaming.

“Someone said there were people with guns. We didn’t know if there would be another explosion, it was just sheer panic.

“I just knew we had to get out, and dragged the girls to the exit.

“When I got outside there were adults hysterical.”

People gather on the steps of St Peter's Parish Church to remember the victims of the Manchester Arena attack
People gather on the steps of St Peter's Parish Church to remember the victims of the Manchester Arena attack

Jason said he was still coming to terms with what happened and is plagued by what could have happened.

“It was an horrendous experience, so many young kids, I still can’t take it all in. I can’t believe there’s people out there that can cause this type of misery.”

Jason said he nearly didn’t go to the concert and could have been with the parents waiting in the foyer as had done for previous gigs.

But he said while his experience was distressing it was nothing compared to what the victims’ families were going through.

He added: “It’s been a tough week, lots of what could’ve been thoughts have been going through my head. But are very lucky we are still here. Those poor little kids, I just don’t know how anyone could ever do anything like this.”

Jason, like thousands of others, fell silent for a minute’s silence at 11am as the country united behind a city in mourning.