Manchester bombing victim’s body identified from Deirdre Barlow tattoo, family reveals

The family of a Coronation Street “superfan” who was killed in the Manchester Arena bombing identified his body from a tattoo of Deirdre Barlow on his leg, they have said.

Martyn Hett’s father and brothers made a video which showcased his talents as a social media star and soap opera impressionist, and called on others to “be more Martyn.”

“Over the years Martyn made many hilarious videos, enjoyed by many all over the world. We hope this lives up to his high standards,” his father said.

In the video he was seen doing impressions of Deirdre Barlow and Audrey Roberts, characters from the soap opera.

There were also clips from his appearances on Channel Four’s Come Dine with Me and Tattoo Fixers.

In the second he had a picture of Deirdre Barlow, while the character – played by Anne Kirkbride – was in prison, tattooed on his leg.

His father told the inquiry: “Sadly this was one of the reasons we were able to identify him so soon after the tragedy. After all, who else would have such a thing?”

He said that his son “loved life with passion, courage and laughter”, and encouraged others to “be more Martyn”, the title of a play written about him.

“In your life you should just go for it, just do it and don’t leave anything out,” Mr Hett said. “This is way Martyn lived his life and we should all be more Martyn.”

Paul Hett spoke next to his wife, Kath, Martyn’s step-mother, and his other sons, Dan and Matthew, in a film taken in his back garden.

He told the inquest his son was “so full of energy I would need hours and I would only scratch the surface”.

As a teenager he had “plucked up courage to tell us he was gay after stressing about it for a long time”.

“It was something that had been obvious to us for a long time,” Mr Hett said. “We sat him down and told him we didn’t love him because he was straight or gay, we loved him because he was Martyn.”

As a child he was constantly making up plays and forcing his brothers to take part “whether they wanted to or not”.

As an adult he worked as a social media manager for a PR firm called Rumpus, and started to post his own videos “every single one starring Martyn”.

“One constant thing was everyone was having fun,” his father said.

Martyn Hett even has fishing boat named after him in the Gambia, his father said.

“We have no idea how that came about as he had never been there but such was his influence,” Mr Hett added.

His brother, Dan, described Martyn as “by far away the most confident” of the brothers, and said he was the “loudest, the showman, the centre of attention”.

“It’s been three years but I still reflexively go to text him,” he added.

The family have their favourite photographs of their son around the house.

“We want to see them but every time we do they break our hearts,” his father told the inquiry.

Breaking down in tears, his father added: “His future was so bright. He had just been promoted and was ready for the holiday of a lifetime. This was cruel beyond belief.

“Due to Martyn’s huge social media following we have been asked many, many times by people, is Martyn Hett your son? We reply with all the pride in the world: ‘Yes Martyn’s our son.'”

The inquiry also hear from the mother of 14-year-old musician Eilidh MacLeod, who said her “whole world has been shattered”.

Eilidh travelled from her home in Vatersay, the most southern occupied island of the Outer Hebrides, which has a population of about 90.

She travelled with her mother, Marion, and her friend, Laura McIntyre, who was badly injured in the attack.

In a film made for the inquiry, her mother said: “Eilidh was a special girl, of course she was, she was my girl.

“She was a little bit different, not run of the mill. A happy fun-loving girl who adored her family and would do anything for you.

“The world was her oyster and whatever Eilidh had put her mind to she would have been good at.”

She “loved her social media, loved her phone, loved having a laugh” and toyed with the idea of becoming “the next big makeup artist”.

“She was good at it. She had better makeup than mine, and would spend hours putting makeup on, just to wash her face and take it all off again.

“It was just fun for her, something else to do. There was so much more to her. My whole world has been shattered. We miss her always.”

Her father, Roderick, talked about how her confidence grew when she joined the Sgoil Lionacleit Pipe Band which takes members from across the Western Isles.

The band was “placed” in the World Pipe Band Championship 2016 in Glasgow Green park and her parents were there to see it.

“To hear little Eilidh and her band getting a placing in their category was stunning, absolutely stunning, she was so proud that day,” her father said.

“She was growing into a lovely, lovely young woman. It really was amazing to see.

“Her friendships around the band, young people in other bands, she would be in touch on social media, through her phone, she had an incredible circle of friends.

“It’s a friendly world and they are all friendly and were supportive of each other when they found out that Eilidh had passed away.”

Her aunt and godmother, Margaret Macneil, described Eilidh as “extremely funny and absolutely gorgeous”.

Another aunt said: “If you’re listening up there and wonder if we miss you? Always.”

Family and teachers talked of her infectious laugh and how she would have them in fits of giggles and “howls of laughter”.

Teachers at Castlebay, a primary and secondary school on Barra with 170 pupils, talked about her sense of humour and her hard work and said her best subjects were English, French and music.

Michelle Mclean, a primary school teacher at the school, said it was a “privilege to have her in my class as a lovely young woman”.

“She was the kind of girl who smiled all the time, giggled, was happy. We are taught not to have favourites but some children stick with you and she was certainly one of those.

“She came into school every day so happy and so jovial. She had this special warmth and glow about her and special sparkle in her eyes.”

(c) Sky News 2020: Manchester bombing victim’s body identified from Deirdre Barlow tattoo, family reveals