Father of 14-year-old bomb attack victim pays emotional tribute to the medics battling to save her life.

• Dad of girl left injured in the Manchester terror attack has paid tribute to medics
• Freya Lewis, 14, was rescued by a couple who cleared her airways after the bomb
• Nick Lewis said is he hoping Freya will regain consciousness in the next few days
• Freya's friend Nell Jones died at the scene of the explosion at Manchester Arena

The father of a schoolgirl left critically injured in the terror attack which killed her best friend has paid an emotional tribute to the medics that have fought to save his daughter's life.

Freya Lewis and Nell Jones, both 14, had been walking to meet Freya's dad Nick after the Ariana Grande concert when they were caught up in the devastating explosion.

Tragically Nell died at the scene, but Freya was rescued by a hero couple who took her outside the venue and cleared her airways.

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Freya Lewis, 14, who attends Holmes Chapel Comprehensive and Sixth Form in Cheshire, was critically injured in the Manchester terror

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Freya's friend Nell Jones, 14, became one of the 22 victims just hours after posting a selfie on Snapchat with the strapline: ‘Ariana Grande now X'

A terrified Nick ran round desperately searching for the pair, and discovered his daughter on the ground being given CPR. The teenager was rushed to hospital and spent ten hours in surgery.

She has since undergone a second operation to remove shrapnel.

In a statement via Freya and Nell's school Holmes Chapel Comprehensive and Sixth Form in Cheshire, Nick praised the hospital staff for everything they had done: 'Words can not really describe our thoughts about the staff and the care Freya is receiving here.

Awesome is as good as we can come up with, but that doesn't feel adequate.'We have nothing but the utmost respect for all of the professionals that have been caring for Freya and our family over the past few days.'

He added that Freya has been kept heavily sedated, but he was hopeful she would regain consciousness over the coming days.

'Then the real challenge starts as we discover how she is psychologically and we start to help her process what has happened over the past few days.'

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This photo shows the aftermath of the suicide bomb which ripped through the foyer of the venue killing parents and children

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Denis Oliver, headteacher at Nell’s school, said her family has been left ‘devastated’ by her death

At Holmes Chapel Comprehensive and Sixth Form, tributes to Nell are continuing to pour in and her family have since visited to see them.

Ernie Jones, Nell's father said: 'We are overwhelmed by the support that people have been giving us over the past few days. Everyone has been truly wonderful. 

'It was very difficult coming here to Nell's school but we are so glad that we did. We are deeply touched by what we have seen. 

'The level of support and beautiful messages from Nell's friends and the community are beyond what we could have expected and it really has helped us. Thank you to everyone.

'Nell was a lovely girl, never any trouble to anyone. She loved life and was very close to her friends. She was so excited about going to the concert with her friend Freya.

'We just hope now that Freya will continue to get well and we are thinking about her family.'