A ROYAL Bolton Hospital radiographer represented medical heroes at the Pride of Britain Awards.

Lead radiographer, Amanda Martin was chosen to represent the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust at the glittering star-studded awards. And teenager Adam Lawler was invited to the awards as a survivor and one of the people the medical team had worked so hard for on the night of the bombing.

Dr Martin, and other Manchester medics, received a special recognition award presented by Prince William. A group of survivors of the attack was onstage for the presentation, including Tottington schoolboy, Adam. Dr Martin, aged 53, of Chapeltown Road, Radcliffe, accepted the award, alongside her colleagues from the other Greater Manchester health trusts.

She said: “I was proud to be a radiographer representing my profession. Radiographers are on the frontline, patients come to us first and I was proud to be representing us. It was an amazing night but there was always this question, ‘did we deserve to be here?’ and ‘we’re only here because something horrendous happened’, that was always in the background.”

The Duke of Cambridge told the medics they had been honoured because of the way the region pulled together in the aftermath of the attack and because the attack in Manchester specifically targeted children.

On May 22, when bomber detonated his homemade device, Dr Martin had finished her day’s work. Like hundreds of other colleagues around Greater Manchester she returned to work to help the injured.

She said: “At first we didn’t think we were going to get anyone because we were so far away, but that first image we saw with the ballistics in was shocking.

“We are trained for major incidents and we deal with significant injuries, but this was very different. It had a psychological impact on us.”

Dr Martin said she and many colleagues struggled to deal with patients as they came because they could not act in the normal chatty way they would with people who have suffered an accident. She said in some cases the radiographers knew a patient’s family member had died.

Dr Martin said: “It was dealing with that, but we worked really well together, the whole team. Some of the radiographers were getting upset as they were being told stories of what had happened, I kept saying, ‘you’re a good radiographer, just do your job’ and that got us through the night.

“It was only when we finally went home and saw our families that we got upset.”

Adam, aged 15, was injured in the attack which killed his friend Olivia Campbell-Hardy, also 15, who he had gone to see Ariana Grande with.

He said: “It was quite an experience. Quite amazing.”

The event, held at Grosvenor House in London, was hosted by Carol Vorderman and stars of all professions were in attendance honouring the unsung heroes of the nation.

Adam said: “I had a 20-minute chat with Ed Sheeran, mostly about life and his role in Game of Thrones.

“You never think you’re going to meet these people, but I was in the same room as them.

“I met Paddy McGuinness and I told him I watched all of his comedy, like Max and Paddy and Phoenix Nights while I was in hospital.

“He said, ‘that’s amazing’ and he’s glad I’m doing better.”

Dr Martin said the celebrities were all ‘lovely’ but could not get Paul Hollywood to tell her who had won Bake Off.

She said: “They did an interview on stage and everyone in the room just stayed standing, It was very unusual seeing Alan Sugar, Joan Collins and Paddy McGuinness all standing, for us.”

The awards will be broadcast on ITV on Tuesday at 8pm.