THE family of Bronwen Vickers who was left fighting for her life after the Warrington bombing will always be proud of her astounding courage and unwavering determination.

The mum-of-two had travelled to Warrington town centre with her husband Paul and daughters Hannah, four, and newborn Harriet when the two bombs were detonated.

“It was a rather unusual event as we had never been shopping to Warrington before,” said Paul, 61.

“It was out first day out with Harriet. She was just two weeks old.

“I was outside Boots with Harriet in the pram who was fast asleep and Bronwen and Hannah were inside.

“The first bomb went off and everyone started to pour out of the shops. I was waiting for Bronwen and Hannah to come out.

“They eventually came outside and were walking towards me when the second bomb went off and impacted Bronwen significantly.

“Fortunately Hannah and Harriet were uninjured apart from a small flake of metal on the back of Hannah’s scalp.

“Harriet didn’t even wake up which was staggering given the noise of the explosion.

“Hannah had been holding her mum’s hand as she was walked towards me but suddenly she was standing on her own in tears. Bronwen was on the floor."

After rushing to his wife's side, Paul immediately knew that her injuries were beyond his basic first aid training.

“She said her legs had gone and I said ‘what do you mean?’" recalled Paul.

“I went to look at her legs and I’ve said many times over the years that I can’t remember what I saw.”

Paul, who needed an operation after suffering a shrapnel wound to his left leg, immediately started to shout for help, and members of the public rushed to their aid.

“We got moved into the ambulance and there was a surreal moment when we had to give Harriet to a stranger because we couldn’t take her in the ambulance with us,” said Paul, from Knutsford.

“Someone out of the crowd came forward and said they would take Harriet to the hospital and we had to let go of her.

“We caught up with her in hospital.

“It was very hard but we had to be treated for our injuries.”

Bronwen spent 10 hours in surgery as doctors desperately tried to save her left leg but they were left with no choice but to amputate it above the knee.

The loving mum, who spent six weeks in hospital, inspired staff and fellow patients with her courage in learning to walk and drive again with the use of an artificial leg.

But just over a year later Bronwen died, aged 34, from the same skin cancer disease that she had once beaten while at university.

“It was surreal as everybody could not believe – ourselves included – that this had happened on top of everything,” said Paul.

“We both felt like the trauma of her injuries didn’t help.

“It was a very difficult time but, as we had such a young family, it was about trying to keep things as normal as possible while fitting in trips to Christie Hospital for chemotherapy treatment.”

Throughout her life Bronwen always vowed to live in the present, there was no time for self-pity. Her family naturally followed suit.

Her daughter Harriet was inspired by her mum’s courage and is now working for The Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace.

“I have nothing but praise for the foundation in terms of how they help survivors and the reconciliation work,” said Paul.

“I am hugely proud of Harriet and I know her mother would be as well as she would have been there herself.

“She would have been in the centre working and helping if she had still been alive.

“I have been very fortunate as I met my present wife and we were married in 2000 but Bronwen will always be a part of me as I see her every day in the girls.”