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Public raises thousands for Manchester's homeless hero Chris Parker

Chris bravely rushed inside Manchester Arena to help victims of the terror attack

manchester tributes
Gemma Strong
Online Digital News Director
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More than £27,000 has been raised to help the homeless man who rushed to help those caught up in Monday's terror attack. Chris Parker bravely ran inside Manchester Arena following the explosion on Monday night to aid victims, and held one woman in his arms as she passed away. Following his selfless act of bravery, a GoFundMe page has been set up in Chris' honour – and has already far surpassed its £1,000 target. One donor, Jessica Tunley, wrote: "The horrors you have seen can't be erased. Your bravery and compassion will never be diminished. Thank you Chris." Another, Shorna Gumbley, said: "I speak for the world when I simply thank you for your bravery. You are a hero and you fill my heart with hope for humanity."

manchester tributes1© Photo: Getty Images

Tributes left to the victims of Monday's terror attack in Manchester

Chris has revealed he went to the concert venue to ask for spare change when the bomb went off. He told the media that he had been knocked to the floor with the force of the explosion, but ran back inside to help the victims. The 33-year-old, who has been hailed a "true hero", described how he had first helped a girl who had lost her legs in the blast, before helping the dying woman, who had sustained serious leg and head injuries.

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"Everyone was piling out, all happy and everything else. As people were coming out of the glass doors I heard a bang and within a split second I saw a white flash, then smoke and then I heard screaming," he said. "It knocked me to the floor and then I got up and instead of running away my gut instinct was to run back and try and help.

manchester tributes2© Photo: Getty Images

The explosion killed 22 people and injured at least 59

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"There was people lying on the floor everywhere. I saw a little girl ... she had no legs. I wrapped her in one of the merchandise T-shirts and I said 'Where is your mum and daddy?' She said 'My dad is at work, my mum is up there'." He added that he thought that the little girl's mother had died from her injuries. Chris, who has slept rough in Manchester for about a year, said he believed the dying women he had tended to was in her 60s. "She passed away in my arms," he said. "I haven't stopped crying."

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