A teenager injured in the suicide attack at Manchester Arena feared he was going to die in the moments after the terrifying blast.

Robert Hay, 18, from Osbaldwick, was at the Ariana Grande concert with friend Jack Chilton, also 18, when the blast blew them both off their feet.

Shrapnel from the improvised explosive device struck Mr Hay, who works at the Derwent Arms pub, and the friends fled the scene amidst a scene of panic and pandemonium.

At least 22 people, including children, are now known to have been killed and 59 injured in the attack.

The friends left the venue at 10.30pm to try and get an earlier train back from Manchester Victoria Station to York, but were caught up in the blast.

Mr Hay said: "If it had been 10 seconds before that we both would have been dead.

"I had put one foot out of the door when there was a blast and I got hit in the head.

"There was a bang and it was like a film.  Everything felt like it was in slow motion and we were both looking at each other as we were falling.

"I put my hands to my head and it was really hot, my hands were covered in blood, so we started running to the main entrance.

"I thought I was going to die.

"We were just trying to get out, but everyone was panicking and screaming."

Mr Hay was helped by a stranger from Darlington who placed their cardigan against his head to put pressure on the wound and he took a taxi to Manchester Royal Infirmary.

His parents Sarah and Andrew drove through the night to pick the two teenagers up and arrived in Manchester at 1am.

Mr Hay added: "Some people in the hospital were in a mess and there was blood everywhere."

The pair arrived back in York around 7am and Mr Hay is visiting a doctor this afternoon to have his injuries checked.

He added: "We are both fine but very shaken.

"It will put us off going to more concerts for now, but it won't stop us going forever."

Mr Chilton, a student at Archbishop Holgate's Sixth Form, added: "When the bomb went off there were so many sparks and stuff flying about.

"If we had been 10 or 20 seconds earlier we would have been in a lot of damage.

"Everyone was screaming and shouting and we didn't know what to think.

"It's hard to take in.  I'm a lot luckier than these people that have died, but it's mad that in a matter of seconds I could have died."

Mr Hay’s father Andrew and mother Sarah, both 47, were contacted shortly after the blast by Mr Chilton, who explained what had happened to their son.

“Jack called my husband’s mobile because Robert was in shock,” said Mrs Hay.

“He said there had been a bomb, but they were Okay.

“He told us not to worry because they were being seen to, but there was a lot of noise and we couldn’t really hear.

“We got straight in the car and set off without really knowing what had happened apart from a few texts.”

The parents drove straight to Manchester “without really speaking” to each other and arrived to find their son being treated at Manchester Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Hay added: “When your child is in Manchester you want to get to them as quickly as possible, and that’s what we did.

“Like any parent, we panicked and thought the worst.

“We feel extremely lucky he is alive because a few seconds earlier he could’ve died.

“It’s a huge sense of relief, but we feel for the victims.

"I would like to thank Jack for helping and looking after Robert.

"He was so calm and mature for an 18-year-old and I don't know what would've happened if it hadn't been for him."