A RUNCORN woman has spoken of her relief after discovering her teenage granddaughter narrowly escaped the carnage in last night’s Manchester Arena terror attack.

Thousands of gig-goers were packed into the venue to see American Ariana Grande when a suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device.

Liz Howard, who founded the Curosity Book Shop on High Street, only heard today that 14-year-old Sophie escaped unharmed.

She said: “She’s not hurt as she was looking on the floor to make sure she hadn’t left anything when it went off.

“She grabbed her friend’s hand and they ran out to the left exit. Had they gone to the right they would have been in the middle of the carnage.

“Somehow she managed to stay calm during the exit from the arena and phoned her mother three minutes after the explosion to reassure them that she was Ok. At that time they weren’t aware of what had happened.”

Sophie’s dad Chris now runs the bookshop in the old town.

Liz added: “Her ticket was a birthday present from her friend Amy. Her birthday was in April so she has been looking forward to the concert for weeks.”

Sophie is a year nine pupil at Helsby High School.

The police have confirmed that at least 22 people have been killed and 120 injured in the suspected terrorist attack.

Greater Manchester Police say that children are among the dead.

The first victim has been named as college student Georgina Callender.

Eight-year-old schoolgirl Saffie Roussos was also killed.

John Atkinson, 26, is the third victim to be named.

The injured – including 12 under the age of 16 – are being treated at eight hospitals.