Mother of Manchester attack victim Martyn Hett forgives terrorist who murdered her son

The mother of one of the 22 people who died in the Manchester Arena bombing says she has forgiven the terrorist who killed her son.

Martyn Hett, 29, was murdered when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated an explosive device at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May.

His mother, Figen Murray, said: "The man who did this was a young man who was brainwashed and radicalised from an early age.

"He did what he thought was the right thing in his crazy mind and he did it and that was the end of it.

"I can't change that. But actually, I choose to forgive him."

Stepfather Stuart Murray added: "I think he's just a sad, misled person. He stood behind Martyn and Martyn had a wonderful life and this person just wasted their life."

Thousands of people are expected to attend Martyn's funeral at Stockport Town Hall on Friday (30 June).

The popular PR manager was well-known for his love of Salford-based ITV soap Coronation Street, and even had a tattoo of character Deirdre Barlow's face on his leg.

His mother said her son, who had appeared on reality TV shows Tattoo Fixers and Come Dine With Me, had even planned his own funeral.

"Martyn actually had discussed and planned his funeral and the way he wanted to exit," she said.

"He wanted to be cremated, he wanted to have two white horses and he wanted everybody to be dressed in black, with something fabulous."

She said the funeral they had planned will be "almost theatrical".

The family have asked for donations to the Kidscan Children's Cancer Charity, Beechwood Children's Bereavement Service and Beacon Counselling in Martyn's memory.