Woman survived Manchester bomb thanks to her phone, husband says

The husband of a woman who was struck by the blast that claimed 22 victims in Manchester on Monday has said her mobile phone may have saved her life.

Lisa Bridgett, 45, was speaking into her iPhone after the Ariana Grande concert when the explosion sent a steel nut towards her head.

Bridgett, who manages a boatyard in Pwllheli, North Wales, lost a finger when the nut struck and smashed her phone, and her husband Steve, 45, said she was “very lucky to be alive”.

He said he believed the smashed phone had slowed down the nut, and diverted its trajectory.

Bridgett, who was at the concert with her daughter and her daughter’s friend, sustained multiple injuries, including a fractured ankle and a large wound on her thigh. She had surgery on Tuesday and was due to have another operation.

Her husband said: “The fact that she was on the phone at the time probably saved her life. The nut has hit her phone, which has more than likely not only diverted it but also slowed it down considerably.”

“This may seem a bit graphic but at the end of the day it’s a reality,” said her husband. “She will make a full recovery although I don’t think the finger will grow back.”

He thanked the emergency services for their help in the aftermath of the attack. “All of us want to thank the police for their incredible work after the incident and all the staff at both the MRI [Manchester Royal Infirmary] and Wythenshawe for all the work they have done and are doing,” he said.

But one hero was singled out for special praise: the Manchester Arena steward who had helped his wife away from the scene of the explosion. “In particular, [I want to thank] Peter the steward at the Manchester Arena for helping Lisa outside and getting her to safety,” he said.