'I'm not a hero' were the words of Adam Lawler as he left Olivia Campbell-Hardy's funeral.

He spoke openly about being called a hero but said he had 'just survived'.

Adam, aged 15, attended Olivia's funeral at St Anne's Church, Tottington, on Tuesday in a wheelchair as he is still recovering from the injuries he suffered in the Manchester Arena terror attack.

While he was wheeled to and from the church he walked inside using crutches and said he stood every time the vicar asked, saying: "I was going to pay my respects."

He spoke strongly about his feelings on the attack and how he had been treated since the bomb in May.

He said: "I don’t like being called a hero, I just survived but I do want to be an inspiration.

"This is Manchester, this is England. You can try and threaten us and destroy us but you won’t, we are Manchester.

"This is the city that was beaten down by the IRA. We will never be beaten, Not by one man with a nail bomb, not by 10 men, 100 men or million men.

"We don't look back in anger."

Emotional scenes at funeral of Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, killed in Manchester Arena terror attack

Adam earned plaudits after he was mentioned at the One Love Manchester fundraising concert by Ariana Grande's manager Scooter Braun.

At the concert Mr Braun said: "Adam, aged 15, lost his friend Olivia and when we went to visit him he asked me to pass on one message, and he said 'hey Scooter, don't go forward in anger, love spreads'.

"Adam, if you're watching you're our hero tonight."

Adam is recovering well from his injuries he said, adding he was out of hospital sooner than expected.

'A girl with a sense of humour, who knew how to laugh, smile and have fun' — Olivia Campbell-Hardy's funeral

He said he was laughing through the pain 'rather than crying' as that is what Olivia would do and was pleased to see the turn out for the funeral, calling it 'phenomenal'.

He said: "I have laughed at my injuries. Pain is temporary as long as you let it be.

"I try to stop the pain from ruling me and let the good times be more prominent."

He added his thanks to Ariana Grande and the rest of the artists who performed at the One Love Manchester concert.