Manchester bombing victim saved her own life by using her handbag strap to stem bleeding
A MANCHESTER bombing victim managed to save her own life using her handbag after being struck by shrapnel in the blast on Monday evening.
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Josie Howarth claims her bleeding quickly became uncontrollable after a piece of shrapnel hit her leg, striking just one millimetre just above a main artery.
Determined to survive, Josie broke her handbag strap and constructed a tourniquet, tying it around her bleeding leg until emergency services could reach her.
A piece just missed Janet's lung, but she was hit in the collarbone
A keen horsewoman in her 50s, Josie was waiting in the foyer of Manchester arena, for her nieces and sister when the explosion when off.
Her sister Janet has also survived, but she sustained serious injuries to her collarbone.
While they were struggling with their injuries, the two sisters lost each of their daughters.
Josie Howarth, pictured left, saved her own life after the Manchester bombing using her handbag
But after two hours away from their mothers, cousins Jenny and Jodie were discovered at a nearby hotel.
A family friend Sophie Wright, 21, told the Mirror: "It's just terrible.
"Josie and Janet were incredible lucky. Shrapnel hit Josie just a millimetre from a major artery in her leg and a piece just missed Janet's lung, but she was hit in the collarbone.
Survivors help each other leave Manchester arena after the bomb
"Apparently Josie was able to stem the bleeding by breaking her handbag and using the strap.
“Their nieces are totally traumatised by it all. They came out of the stadium and feared the worst when they couldn't find their aunts."
Teenagers Chloe Rutherford, 17, and her boyfriend Liam Curry, 19, are the latest victims to be named after Salman Abedi unleashed a suicide bomb in Manchester arena killing 22.