The estranged mum of a homeless man who rushed to help children injured in the Manchester terror attack has been reunited with her son.

Eastern Daily Press: Chris Parker, who rushed to help victims of the Manchester terror attack. Picture: Sonya Duncan/Jessica ParkerChris Parker, who rushed to help victims of the Manchester terror attack. Picture: Sonya Duncan/Jessica Parker (Image: ARCHANT EASTERN DAILY PRESS (01603) 772434)

Jessica Parker, of Gilman Road in Sprowston, saw Chris, 33, on the news after the bombing at the Manchester Arena last week.

Her son, who was sleeping rough in Manchester and had been begging in the venue's foyer at the time of the blast, has spoken of how he helped a young girl who lost her legs in the incident and looked after a dying woman.

The pair have been estranged for several years, and Mrs Parker admitted they had a rocky past - but said she was desperate to be reunited.

And on Friday, they finally met in Manchester in a reunion Mrs Parker described as 'incredibly emotional'.

'He phoned me and we talked, and then I just asked the question - 'do you want me to come up?' He said that he did so I was straight on a train.'

They arranged to meet at a hotel in Manchester.

'I remember sitting there and he walked past the window,' she said, 'and it was so emotional. It was very much a case of mixed emotions, as it's so awful to know what he's been through. He came straight in and gave me a big hug.

'We walked around Manchester and he took me to the memorial, where he goes every morning and evening just to think.'

Mrs Parker said she was cautious of overstepping the mark, and that it was now up to Chris, who lived in Norwich until he was seven, to decide how the relationship developed.

'It has certainly opened up the possibility of a relationship, but it is up to him,' she said.

'We will take baby steps, but I am delighted.'

So far, more than £51,000 has been raised for Mr Parker on an online donations page.

'I don't think he knows what he wants to do with it,' Mrs Parker said. 'He said there is a centre which looks after homeless people in Manchester, and their greenhouse is in bad shape, so he would like to buy them a new one.

'He's just a good person like that.'

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