A survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing has kept his promise to the paramedic who saved his life by taking him to see Manchester United at Wembley in the FA Cup over the weekend.Better still, he’ll be taking him to the final as well.
Martin Hibbert, who was tragically left paralysed following the Arena attack, struck up a special friendship with paramedic Paul Harvey after the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) veteran was crucial in saving his life in the hours after the bombing.
Despite being instructed to take Martin to Wythenshawe Hospital on 22 May 2017, Paul chose to take him to Salford Royal‘s major trauma unit to be given a blood clotting agent — a crucial decision that stopped him from bleeding to death. His daughter Eve also survived severe brain injuries on the night.
Knowing full well that he played a huge role in saving his life on the night, Martin promised that if United ever made it to an FA Cup final, he would take him along as a thank you and on Sunday, with a bit of help from the club, the pair went along to see them beat Brighton in the semi-final.
Promised @peejayharvee I’d take him to an FA Cuo Final if we ever got there and today I hold true on my promise. Everyone close to me knows Paul, as he’s the Paramedic that saved my life on the night of the Arena terrorist attack. Thank you @ManUtd for not letting me down!!! See… pic.twitter.com/siYDopdpMW
The Arena survivor and his life-saving paramedic watching United win at Wembley.
With United beating the Seagulls 7-6 on penalties and booking their spot in the FA Cup final — the first time it has ever been a Manchester derby — Martin will be seeing out his promise to the fullest and taking Paul along to cheer on their team again in the club’s second final this season.
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Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester, Martin said that “if it wasn’t for a lovely guy called Paul Harvey, I definitely wouldn’t be here”, explaining how although Paul knew he had survived, the two had never found each other until the hero’s wife spotted him on an ITV documentary about the attack.
Meeting up afterwards and discovering that he was also a big Red, he took him on his first of many visits to Old Trafford just a few years ago, making his FA Cup promise and enjoying a “special relationship” ever since. Paul sadly suffered similarly serious spinal injuries following an accident in 2021.
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With Paul having recently left the NWAS after more than 22 years of service, going on to become a PCN para, he was then surprised by Martin just a few weeks ago with tickets to the semis (his first-ever trip to Wembley) and the belief that United would make it to the final — and now they have. Storybook stuff.
Emotions all over the place last night, my last time in green 🚑💚 Goodbye after 22 years, but pastures new ahead!! A new challenge & nearly 50 😮😉 Thankyou to my Green family 💚 pic.twitter.com/BKxU2fysIf
He went on to add that “[Sunday’s win] was about more than just football: it was about love, friendship and what can come out of something so horrible… something beautiful”. Heartwarming stuff and beyond well deserved — we only hope that the pair get the result they’re hoping for on 3 June.
With his spinal cord being severed in the attack, the 46-year-old survivor has gone on to become a massive disability advocate and campaigner, becoming both a motivational speaker and the vice president of the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).
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As if this pair weren’t inspiring enough, last year Martin went on to become the second paraplegic to ever summit Mount Kilimanjaro and has raised nearly £1 million for the SIA. Simply incredible.
Featured Image — Martin Hibbert/Paul Harvey (via Twitter)
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
25th April 2023 
