Bus tribute to 'forever 15' arena attack victim

A bus bearing the name of a teenage girl who was killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena attack has been unveiled in tribute to "a young lady who will remain forever 15".

Olivia Campbell-Hardy, described by her family as a "funny kid who loved music, dancing and singing", was one of the 22 people who died in the attack.

Her name has been placed on the front of a yellow Bee Network bus that was unveiled at her school, Tottington High School in Bury, by Olivia's grandmother Sharon Goodman.

She said the bus, which will run along the teenager's former 469 school route between Bury and Tottington, was a "fitting tribute to have a little bit of Olivia's spirit coming to this area".

Olivia was one of twenty-two people killed by a bombing after an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.

"I remember Olivia as the cheeky little girl that she was - always singing, laughing," Olivia's mother, Charlotte Campbell told the BBC in June 2017.

Her family later set up Liv's Trust which promotes musical education, dance, drama and the arts for young people across Greater Manchester.

Teachers from Tottington Primary School, where Olivia had also been a pupil, were invited to the unveiling on Monday.

"Members of our staff were honoured to attend an event to see the unveiling of a Bee Network bus named after Olivia Campbell-Hardy, who was tragically killed in the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017," the school said in a statement.

"Olivia attended both Tottington Primary School and Tottington High School. The bus is set to run through our local area, serving the community she loved.

"Her memory will live on."

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, also in attendance, said: "When Olivia's family asked us to dedicate a bus, we all thought it was a wonderful idea and it all fits with the spirit of the Bee Network.

"Olivia will be forever 15, but forever on the school run with everybody because of the bus.

"Her name will always be there at the front of people's minds."

Ms Goodman said: "It's fitting that it'll be used by young people for a young lady who was 15 and will remain forever 15."

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