22 dead in Manchester suicide bomb attack

A suicide bomb attack at the end of an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena last night has left at least 22 people dead and 59 injured. Police have said that the bomb was detonated by a man who also died in the blast. Reports say that the blast occurred in the foyer area of the Manchester Arena just before 10.35pm, shortly after Grande had left the stage. Eye-witnesses interviewed by the BBC have spoken of a blast and flash of fire, causing glass to shatter and the whole building to shake.

The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Ian Hopkins, said in a statement: "This has been the most horrific incident we have had to face in Greater Manchester and one that we all hoped we would never see. Families and many young people were out to enjoy a concert at the Manchester Arena and have lost their lives. Our thoughts are with those 22 victims that we now know have died, the 59 people who have been injured and their loved ones. We continue to do all we can to support them".

Take That at the Echo Arena, the debut Amazon Prime show with Blondie and London's Radio Festival were all been postponed in the aftermath of the Manchester bombing.