Friends who were killed by Manchester suicide bomber as they waited for their daughters are laid to rest in heartbreaking funeral services
Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 47, were waiting to collect their teenage daughters on May 22
TWO mums murdered in the Manchester bomb were laid to rest with both services taking place at the same church.
Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 47, were waiting to collect their teenage daughters when Salman Abedi, 22, detonated a homemade bomb at an Ariana Grande concert on May 22.
Yesterday, the two friends were laid to rest at St Anne's Church in Oldham
Alison's husband Steve held his and Alison's daughters Sasha, 18 and Darcie, 15, as a horse-drawn carriage carried the coffin to the church.
Steve later told the congregation his wife was "beautiful inside and out" and "loyal, calm but also fiery and just perfect".
Mourners sang the hymn The Lord of the Dance as the service began and songs from Simon and Garfunkel's album Bridge over Troubled Water album were also played as the congregation gathered.
Some people were seen wearing 'Remember 22' shirts in tribute to the 22 victims of the attack.
Alison, a sexual health nurse, also had four stepsons.
The Rev James Read said: "Follow the example of Alison to build a better world, a world of peace."
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Just hours later, a service for Lisa was held at the same church.
Lisa’s daughter India, 15, paid tribute to her college tutor mum saying she was the “best mum in the universe”.
The Rev James Read said: "She had so many plans for the future but she was taken on that awful, awful day."
The vicar read out a tribute from her other daughter Lauren who said: "Our mum was not just a mum, she was also our best friend.
"As long as we have each other, part of her will be always with us.
"She will live in our hearts forever."
Ms Lees had been with her husband Anthony for 23 years. He said she was "the best wife a man can have".
Police have said they believe Manchester-born Abedi acted largely alone.
Steve has previously said he nearly instantly knew something had happened to his wife when he heard the bomb had gone off.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Steve, from Royton, Gtr Manchester, said daughter Darcy called him to say there had been an explosion and her mum wasn’t answering her phone.
He said: “I immediately knew something was wrong.
“I rang a friend of mine who works in security at the arena and he told me where it [the bomb] had gone off and I knew where my wife was going to be stood… because she didn’t answer her phone, we hoped she was unconscious.
"I can't describe the pain. I'm not a weak man. We are broken in half.
"I've still got enough in me to try to do something about this, if other people will help me."