A COURAGEOUS schoolgirl who was seriously injured in the Manchester terror attack has spoken of her determination not let the outrage cloud her memories of the night she met her pop idol.

As Millie Robson and her friend Laura Anderson lay in the foyer of Manchester Arena after being hit by shrapnel and bolts in the blast, handbags were used as tourniquets in a desperate bid to stem the flow of blood from Millie's legs.

The 15-year-old pupils at Woodham Academy, in Newton Aycliffe, who had been "hyper" after realising her dream of meeting US pop star Ariana Grande, bravely directed medics towards those she thought were more seriously injured before being taken to the major trauma unit at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

It was found she had suffered significant holes in her thighs and tendon damage and has undergone surgery.

Speaking from the hospital last night, Millie's mother, Marie Wasforster Robson said: "It is very tough, but we feel very lucky - some people were not nearly so fortunate. She was in the thick of it. If they hadn't started running towards Millie's dad, it could have been far worse.

"She has been incredibly brave. Even on the night when she was in a bad way, she and Laura were telling people to go and help more seriously injured people. She is a tough little cookie. She is adamant that she will carry on going to concerts."

Ms Wasforster Robson said her daughter was expected to continue her recovery at home in the coming days and receive ongoing treatment in the North-East.

"She has been up a little bit on crutches, but we will have to keep her pain under control in the coming days. She is doing really well under the circumstances and we positive that Millie will make a full recovery, but we don't know yet what the psychological impact is going to be."

Ms Wasforster Robson said the girls had been on top of the world when the blast happened.

Millie had spent the hours before the explosion meeting Ariana Grande and being treated to a VIP night after winning a competition by producing a short video about spending a day in Durham with the 23-year-old singer.

Ms Wasforster Robson said she had raced to Manchester after learning her daughter had been injured, and suffered a nightmarish few hours trying to find which hospital she had been taken to.

She said: "It was horrendous, the worst two hours of my life. They weren't telling me what the injuries were. I thought she had lost her legs."

Her friend Laura, who was also injured in the blast left hospital yesterday, but remains in shock.

Laura's mother, Jana Anderson, said Laura had been unable to talk about the traumatic events.

She said: "It must have been so hard - what she's been through. I can't imagine it. I wasn't there and to think of the things she must have seen."