- An explosion at an Ariana Grande concert in the Manchester Arena last night has been called a terror attack by British Police.
- The attack occurred at around 10.35pm last night.
- 22 people have been killed and 59 have been injured in the incident.
- It has been confirmed that there are children among the dead.
- Police have said they believe a lone male attacker, who died in the blast, was carrying an improvised explosive device which he detonated.
Update 11.50am: A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the Manchester bomb attack, Greater Manchester Police said.
Police are said to have detained him in south Manchester this morning.
Update 11.50am: The Manchester Evening News have reported that the evacuation of the Arndale centre is not thought to be related to last night's bombing at Manchester Arena.
Their reporter Charlotte Dobson has said that police found a suspicious bag at the centre which has now been made safe.
Police have lifted the cordon around the area.
Update 11.42am: The first victim of the Manchester Arena bombing has been named as Georgina Callander.
Georgina was 18-years-old and a student of Runshaw College in Leyland.
She was in her second year of a health and social care course.
Update 11.25am: Sky News are reporting that a shopping centre in Manchester has been evacuated.
A BBC reporter has says police have not confirmed what the nature of the threat at the Arndale shopping centre but they did say that people need to get away from the centre.
Dan Johnson quoted a witness saying he heard shots. There are also reports that a man has been arrested.
BBC News Online reporter Nafeesa Shan said: "People were running as police told them to keep moving, No-one knows what's going on. Everyone just panicked. It's very scary."
Update 11.05am: A suicide bomber deliberately chose the place where he could cause "maximum carnage" when he detonated a bomb at a pop concert in Manchester, the British Prime Minister has said.
Theresa May said "many" children and young people were among the 22 dead and 59 injured in the attack.
She confirmed that police and security services believe they know the identity of the man responsible and are now working to establish whether he was acting alone or as part of a group.
Speaking outside Downing Street after chairing a meeting of the British Government's Cobra emergency committee, Mrs May condemned the "cowardice" of the attacker and hailed those who rushed to help, who had shown "the spirit of Britain ... a spirit that through years of conflict and terrorism has never been broken and will never be broken".
She vowed: "The terrorists will never win and our values, our country and our way of life will always prevail."
Update 11am: Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester metro mayor, has said the attack was an “evil act” that had caused anger, shock and hurt. He said: “We are grieving today, but we are strong. Today it will be business as usual, as far as possible in our great city.”
Update 10am: President Higgins has offered his sympathy, and that of the Irish people, to those affected by the Manchester Arena bombing.
In a statement, Mr Higgins said: "This cowardly attack on innocent citizens will have appalled all those who care for democracy, freedom and the right to live and enjoy the public space.
Manchester has been home to the Irish and so many nationalities for centuries and at this terrible time I want to send the people of this great and welcoming city not only our sympathy but our solidarity.
Our thoughts in Ireland are with all of the people of Manchester and our neighbours throughout the United Kingdom at this time.
I am conveying this message to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham and I will be writing formally to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth to convey the sympathy of the Irish people."
9.50am: President Donald Trump has expressed his "deepest condolences" to the victims of the Manchester bombing calling attackers "evil losers".
8.20am: A suicide bomber has killed 22 people, including children, as an explosion tore through fans leaving a pop concert in Manchester.
Some 59 people were also injured when the blast caused by an improvised explosive device carried by the attacker detonated at the Manchester Arena.
Announcing that the death toll had risen, Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins said: "What I can confirm is that there are children among the deceased."
He said: "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."
Mr Hopkins said a "fast-moving investigation" had established the attack was conducted by one man, although detectives are working to establish if he was "was acting alone or as part of a network".
"The attacker, I can confirm, died at the arena.
"We believe the attacker was carrying an improvised explosive device which he detonated, causing this atrocity."
Police were called to reports of an explosion at the Manchester Arena at 10.33pm, shortly after US singer Ariana Grande had finished her performance.
Victims described being thrown by the blast that scattered nuts and bolts across the floor.
More than 240 calls were made to the emergency services, with responders including 60 ambulances flooding the area.
More than 400 police officers were deployed as part of the operation, with a visible presence remaining on the streets of Manchester on Tuesday.
The dozens of victims injured in the attack are being treated at hospitals across Greater Manchester, and a hotline has been set up for those with concerns over loved ones who remain unaccounted for.
A large cordon remains in place around the arena and nearby Manchester Victoria Station, which was evacuated during the incident and remains closed, while forensic investigators gather evidence.
Police have appealed for concert-goers and witnesses to provide police with footage from the scene if they believe it can assist the probe.
Meanwhile anyone who witnesses suspicious activity is urged to report it to the anti-terrorist hotline.
Anyone with concerns over loved ones can contact 0161 856 9400 or 0161 856 9900 for assistance.
Any footage from the scene can be uploaded at ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk or ukpoliceimageappeal.com
The Anti-Terrorist Hotline is 0800 789321. Anyone with urgent concerns should contact 999.
Update 7am: Last night's explosion at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena is being treated as a terror attack.
Earlier: Twenty-two people are dead and dozens injured after a suspected terrorist bombing tore through music fans leaving a concert in Manchester.
Children and young people are feared to be among those killed and wounded in the blast at the Manchester Arena which police are treating as a "terrorist incident".
Police have not said what caused or who was behind the suspected atrocity, although unconfirmed reports have suggested it was carried out by a suspected suicide bomber.
Witnesses reported hearing a "huge bomb-like bang" at around 10.30pm on Monday, as fans were leaving the arena shortly after the show finished and described glass and metal nuts on the floor.
The Prime Minister has condemned the "appalling" incident and General Election campaigning has been suspended.
Downing Street said a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee is expected to take place at around 9am on Tuesday morning chaired by Theresa May.
Ariana Grande, the US singer who had finished performing just minutes before the blast, said she had been left "broken" by the events.
Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said they are treating the blast as a "terrorist incident until we have further information".
If confirmed as terrorism it would be the worst attack in the UK since 56 people were killed in the 7/7 London bombings in 2005.
As investigators begin to piece together what happened, here is a summary of events so far:
:: Police said around 50 people were injured, while North West Ambulance Service said 59 casualties had been taken to six hospitals around the city. Sixty ambulances attended the incident.
:: US media outlets reported officials in America as saying a suicide bomber was suspected as being behind the blast, although this has not been confirmed.
:: Home Secretary Amber Rudd described it as a "barbaric act", while Mrs May said her thoughts are with those affected by the "appalling" incident.
:: Officers carried out a controlled explosion on a second suspect item, which they later said was abandoned clothing.
Gary Walker, from Leeds, was with his wife in the foyer waiting to pick up his two daughters who were at the concert.
"I was waiting for the kids to come out. We heard the last song, and quite a few people were flooding out and then suddenly there was a massive flash and then a bang, smoke," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I felt a bit of pain in my foot and my leg. My wife said, 'I need to lie down'. I lay her down, she'd got a stomach wound and possibly a broken leg.
"I was about three metres from the actual explosion. I am surprised I got away so lightly."
Mr Walker said the explosion was by the door in the foyer, next to the merchandise, and that glass and metal nuts were left on the floor. He said he lay down next to his wife for up to an hour, until she was stretchered on a table to an ambulance.
His daughter Abigail, who was still in the auditorium with sister Sophie at the time of the explosion, said: "I had to make sure I had my sister. I grabbed hold of her and pulled hard. Everyone was running and crying.
"We were just trying to figure where everyone was. It was absolutely terrifying."
Abigail and Sophie contacted their parents by mobile phone, a moment Mr Walker described as "fantastic news".
One fan, Majid Khan, 22, described the explosion and ensuing panic.
"A huge bomb-like bang went off that hugely panicked everyone and we were all trying to flee the arena," he said.
"It was one bang and essentially everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard from suddenly came running towards us as they were trying to exit."
Oliver Jones, 17, who attended with his 19-year-old sister, said: "The bang echoed around the foyer of the arena and people started to run.
"I seen people running and screaming towards one direction and then many were turning around to run back the other way."
The area around the arena was swamped with police and emergency services and approach roads were closed.
Manchester's Victoria station, which backs on to the arena, was evacuated and all trains and trams cancelled.
Grande, who was unhurt in the incident, later tweeted: "broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words."
Her management team, SB Projects, praised the actions of Manchester's emergency services.
They said: "Words cannot express our sorrow for the victims and families harmed in this senseless attack.
"We mourn the lives of children and loved ones taken by this cowardly act.
"We are thankful for the selfless service tonight of Manchester's first responders who rushed toward danger to help save lives.
"We ask all of you to hold the victims, their families, and all those affected in your hearts and prayers."
