A father from Bolton who suffered life-changing injuries in terror attack appears in new inspirational film

Martin Hibbert is among those featured in the short film, which has been created for the Simplyhealth Greater Manchester Run 2019, which he took part in last year.

The film shows the poignant words created by Walsh­— also known as Longfella ­— spoken by actors and runners.

The poem was read out at the start of last year's run, which took place on May 20, almost a year to the day of the attack.

Mr Hibbert, whose injuries were described as the equivalent of "being shot 22 times at point blank range" in the bomb attack after the Ariana Grande concert in 2017, will join Walsh and other runners who feature in the film, to officially launch this year's Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run, which takes place on Sunday, May 19.

Others invited to Wednesday's launch who feature in the film include Ella Chadwick, the Pride of Britain winner who was born congenital nephrotic syndrome, a rare illness which causes kidney failure, and raised thousands of pounds for Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. And 82- year-old Colin Pilkington, who is taking on his sixteenth run features in the film. He has raised thousands for The Christie in memory of his late wife.

Mr Hibbert suffered a T10 complete spinal injury when he was stood just 10 metres away from the bomb when it detonated. The injuries he suffered left him paralysed from the waist down after the Manchester Arena bombing. Last year he defied the odds and took part in the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run 2018 in a racing wheelchair.

Mr Hibbert hopes to walk again in the future and has undergone pioneering treatment in Australia which saw him regain movement in his toes after just two days.

He has also set up the Martin Hibbert Charity Foundation for the hospitals that saved his and his daughter’s life.

The money will go to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Salford Royal and Southport Spinal Unit.