A NURSE who helped families who lost loved ones in the Manchester Arena bombing has received national acclaim for her work.

Laura Prescott was one of a team of eight people representing the Manchester emergency services at the Woman of Year Awards.

At the national event celebrating the achievements of extraordinary women, the team collected the Barclays Women of the Year Award for direct involvement in the response to the attack in May.

Mrs Prescott is a bereavement liaison nurse based at the Royal Bolton Hospital, who supported victims on its wards and was also part of a specialist team who comforted bereaved families.

She said: "I am a little bit taken aback by the award and a bit overwhelmed. What I did, I did as part of a team.

"Things like this don't usually happen for me. I'm a nurse, I go work and try to do some good.

"I'm collecting the award on behalf of the trust and for everyone who came out that day and did what they do best and hopefully made a difference for the people who were affected by what happened.

"I cannot praise enough the people who came together to support the families."

On the morning following the attack, the 34-year-old arrived on duty at the hospital and was among the army of nurses supporting the injured.

She recalls: "The ward was like something out of a film, there were so many injured people but it was so calm at the same time.

"It was a rollercoaster of emotions. The things the victims were going through they just couldn't process. It was the shock, wondering what was happening and how they went from being in a concert to a hospital. Some of the injured didn't know where loved ones were or if they were hurt.

"Everyone was in shock because it happened so close to home but you had to work off the adrenaline and overcome it to work with the people in the ward.

"Part of my role was was just listening. Letting someone talk is sometimes the best way to help. They were talking about hearing the bomb, the last thing they remembered, worry about family and friends. It was a long day and I don't even remember going home at the end."

At home in Hindley Green, the mother-of-two's role did not end as she supported her daughters Abigail, aged nine, and Isabella, aged seven, after they heard about the bomb.

Her work helping those affected also stretched into the following weeks as part of a team of nine bereavement nurses sent to help families staying at a hotel in Oldham.

Working with police liaison officers, The Red Cross and hotel staff, she was there for families who had lost a loved one in the attack or were missing.

It was the first time a team of this kind had been put together.

Mrs Prescott explains: "It was very difficult but we did what we had to do to provide comfort, sit with them and provide a safe environment over the two weeks.

"We went on a long journey with all the different disciplines showing support and colleagues working together and pulling together to help."