Anguished husband's tribute to Manchester Arena bomb victim Alison on what would have been her 46th birthday

Alison was stood in the foyer of the arena waiting to collect her daughter, Darcie, along with her friend Lisa Lees, both from Royton, who was waiting for her daughter India to emerge from the Ariana Grande concert when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated his homemade device.

The family then spent an agonising 24 hours waiting to hear what had happened to the beloved wife, mum and daughter.

Steve Howe, aged 62, and his family - including daughters Sasha and Darcie, sons Lewis, Jack, Jordan and Harris and Alison's mum Sue - stayed away from the city centre memorials on Tuesday which honoured the 22 victims of the bombing and instead held a private service at St Annes Church, in Royton.

"It was beautiful," said Steve.

"It was in the memorial garden overlooking Alison's grave.

"We have been closely connected to the church for many years and Reverend James Read put together a very personal reading."

Devoted Steve struggles to put into words just how incredible the love of his life was and how much she was loved by so many people.

"We just want to let everyone know how much we miss her and what a fantastic woman she was to bring all my six children up," said Steve, who met Alison, a sexual health nurse, over 20 years ago and they were married for 15 years.

"My four sons all called her mum

"They don't call her stepmum or aunty or Alison, they all called her mum.

"My boys were all small when we met. One of my sons has had a big tree tattoo done on his side and he's had two roots with dad and Alison written underneath.

"She really did bind us all back together

"It's been well recorded how wonderful she was and how much people loved her.

"I never heard her call anybody, She was the absolute life and soul of the unit she worked for at the Integrated health Centre.

"I can't described how lovely she was and no one had a bad word to say about Alison. She was a marvellous mum, a marvellous wife and a marvellous daughter to her mum Sue who is on her own now.

"Everyone says the same about Alison, it's beyond belief. I know everyone says the same in this situation but I can honestly say she was perfect and that's what keep me and my two girls going; the fact that we just really truly know what a good person she was. It could not have happened to a worse person.

"It is her birthday and we just want to let everyone know how much we miss her."

Steve told of the anguish and pain the family has suffered since Alison was so cruelly taken from them.

He has done his upmost to protect "his girls" and continues to do so.

Daughter Darcie is now studying for her GCSEs at Blue Coat School under what he says is unimaginable circumstances.

"Darcie is soldiering through her GCSEs. She is trying to accomplish her exams through it all.

"I can't describe what this last year has been like.

"My sons and two girls have been a massive strength to me. We've all looked after each other. We've obviously been broken hearted and still are."

Fuelled by grief, resentment and anger Steve explained why he chose not to attended the Manchester memorials and said he feels badly let down by the police and he and the family are still desperately searching for answers.

He says they have many issues about the way the tragedy was dealt with and about how the investigation is being carried out, particularly regarding plans to extradite Adebi's brother, Hashem Abedi, from Libya. He also says they haven't been kept up to date with proceedings.

"We didn't go to the memorial because Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Ian Hopkins has not answered any of the families questions or even the public's questions

"I'll say it as it is; Alison was there for well over 24 hours under a sheet at the arena. We still don't know why they didn't tell us for 24 hours.

"We sat at home in agony for 24 hours which is unforgivable.

"For us and all the families there are still no answers 12 months on.

"I was thinking with it being the memorial and the anniversary I don't want to start making waves as, bitter as I am, but we still have so many questions.

"Alison was treated despicably by the police. They let her down before it happened and after it happened and they've let us all down since it happened and the sooner people realise how inadequate things have been the better.

"We love Alison but let's not forget all this lot because it's all going to get swept under the carpet.

"I am constantly fighting to get all the answers

"What went on on the night was handled disastrously. All those people who died and were injured - it wouldn't have saved Alison and all they keep saying now is lessons will be learned but they won't.

"As we sit here now my family are a strength in themselves. We're definitely not going to fold but we're not going to let this drop.

Steve described the horrific moments, minutes and hours of that fateful night on May 22, 2017, not knowing whether Alison was alive or dead.

"On the night we were there at the arena within 20 minutes of hearing what had happened.

"My daughter Darcie rang me at 10.32, it went off at 10.31. Darcie rang and said a bomb's gone off and mum's not answering her phone, so you tell me what you would think?

"I was in shock. Alison wasn't responding so I knew something bad had happened but I just hoped for the best and we just continued then for at least 12 hours following ambulances.

"We asked every policeman there what was going on and told them the information about Alison. Her phone was on satellite and we found it in the arena. We pinpointed her phone on the way down in the car.

"So we checked 'mum's' phone, she's not answering it but her phone satellite was showing up so you didn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to know she'd been badly hurt. She always answered her phone.

"So we knew from there on in but obviously because of the police operation not letting anybody in, including themselves, we just had to follow ambulances about all night hoping for the best.

"We went to every hospital, me and my sons, members of the family we drove about all night. We followed every single ambulance that left that arena.

"On the way down I phoned a friend of mine who worked for the security company in the arena at 10.33. My daughter rang me at 10.32. That person told me where the bomb had gone off and that it was a suicide bomber and obviously we knew where Alison was. He confirmed it was a suicide bomber and where Alison was stood so we were bereft then.

"I knew in my heart all night. I didn't want to say it to my kids and I was trying to cling to some kind of hope and numerous times I tried to pass this info on."

Steve said he and the family would have loved to have joined the solidarity of being with other victims' families, survivors and supporters on Tuesday but his resentment over what has happened since the attack prevented them.

"If Theresa May and Ian Hopkins had not been there we would have gone and would have loved to have met Prince William," said Steve.

"But to sit with the people who let us down would have been wrong and that is said straight from the heart."