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
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
25th April 2023 
