MI5 missed significant opportunity to prevent Manchester Arena attack, finds inquiry

 The security service MI5 missed a significant chance to take action that might have prevented the Manchester Arena attack, an inquiry has found. 

Chairman Sir John Saunders said the reasons for the missed opportunity included a "failure" by an MI5 officer to act swiftly enough.  Twenty-two people were killed when Salman Abedi detonated a homemade bomb after a concert on 22 May 2017.

Reunited after the Manchester Arena bombing

 Usman was a teenage steward working at Manchester Arena. Sharon was a mum collecting her daughter from an Ariana Grande concert.

Manchester Bombing VIctims

8-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos second victim to be named

Sandra Laville

A “beautiful little girl” has been named a victim of the suspected suicide attack after the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester that has left at least 22 dead and 59 people injured.

Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos, was at the concert with her mother Lisa Roussos and Saffie’s sister, Ashlee Bromwich who were later found injured in separate hospitals.

Chris Upton, Headteacher at Tarleton Community Primary School, where the 8-year-old was a pupil said:

Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word. She was loved by everyone and her warmth and kindness will be remembered fondly. Saffie was quiet and unassuming with a creative flair.

The news of her death had come as a “tremendous shock”, he added. “The thought that anyone could go out to a concert and not come home is heartbreaking.”

The tight-knit school would be helping staff and pupils to cope with the shocking news, he said.

The first victim to be named in the aftermath of the attack was 18-year-old Georgina Callander.

Runshaw College, where Callander was a student, released a statement, saying: “It is with enormous sadness that it appears that one of the people who lost their lives in Monday’s Manchester attack was one of our students here at Runshaw College [...]

“Our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to all of Georgina’s friends, family, and all of those affected by this loss.”

Deaths confirmed after Manchester Arena blast reports

Police have confirmed a "number of fatalities" following reports of an explosion at Manchester Arena.

Witnesses reported hearing a "huge bang" following an Ariana Grande gig at Manchester Arena.

Network Rail said train lines out of Manchester Victoria station, which is close to the concert venue, were blocked.

Greater Manchester Police tweeted to urge people to stay away from the area.

'Screaming and running'

A number of eyewitnesses have described the confusion in the aftermath.

Robert Tempkin, 22, from Middlesbrough, said: "Everyone was screaming and running, there were coats and people's phones on the floor. People just dropped everything.

"Some people were screaming they'd seen blood but other people were saying it was balloons busting or a speaker had been popped.

"There were lots of ambulances. I saw somebody being treated. I couldn't tell what had happened to him."