BBC news is reporting that a blast/ huge bang was heard at an Ariana Grande concert.
There are now reported fatalities. (Approx midnight UK time).

First BBC reports are that there was a large explosion at 22:35 local time, outside the foyer entrance, near the ticket office to the Manchester Arena building, one man was blown into the building entrance by the blast.

The explosion was made just as the Ariana Grande concert ended. 50 injuries and 19 deaths are reported. (Public reports of 2 explosions, but this could be a resulting echo??) The building capaciy is 21'000 people.

Some people had already left the building but thousands of young people are being kept inside the building, for their own safety, until the area has been secured, many teenagers are screaming and panicking, fighting to get out of the building.

Bomb disposal team is on site. Trains have been halted at the nearby Victoria Station, police ask the public to keep away. Police consider it a possible terrorist act.
.

2hrs on and it's still early days. Think all my friends in the area have checked in on fb thank god. Several heard the blasts from their homes. Weird thing...past the initial shock and rage, finding it immensely frustrating having news reporters getting stuff wrong about the locations of the social media footage they're using. Can only guess it must have been the same for people who were very familiar with Paris, etc... It takes seconds to bring up a map of the venue and station beneath it.

The last trains are held back after a gig until the venue and concourse are clear. I've heard that the trains have been moved down the lines to block off all routes into Victoria. Holiday Inn Express and Premier Inn have taken in kids who've been separated from their friends and parents.

Latest information is that 19 are confirmed dead and another 50 injured.

So far 19 confirmed dead

https://twitter.com/gmpolice/status/866808564316344321

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BBC news: Emergency number for enquiries is 0044 161 856 9400 The number of casualties is around 59 with 19 confirmed deaths.

I just can't understand the mentality of someone who could do this. I hope that whatever heaven or paradise they think they were going to end up in proves to be their personal hell instead.

And though we may moan at times about social media, again it comes to the fore with people offering rooms or lifts home for those affected by the bombing and also people offering to search for lost relatives. BBC talked to a parent this morning who said she'd been contacted by people who'd taken a copy of her daughter's picture from her facebook/twitter and were going out to look for her after she appealed for any info on her missing child.

Now being referred to as suspected terrorist attack. I'm sure "suspected" will be removed soon.

22 confirmed dead including children. Suicide bomber among them.

Looks like Alan's Snackbar strikes again.

What sort of a lowlife attacks a concert venue filled with teenagers and kids. These people are just sick.
Latest reports say it was a nail bomb.

bodies arent even cold yet.


You stay classy, Loz.

what

Aren't we all thinking it?

Yes it may not be politically correct, but let's be real, chances that this is exactly what it is, yet again, are pretty high.

Happy to be proven wrong though.


I will never understand these attacks and there are not enough words to describe how despicable and pathetic I find them. All of these attacks are horrible, this one is even worse in a way when it's clearly at a concert where there's mainly children and teens.

Don't worry, by 3pm it'll all be Katie Hopkins' fault. Rinse. Repeat. Zzzzzzz.

My heart goes out to those suffering in Manchester.

Terrorism is such a cowardly, lack of any moral fibre thing to do. When and where does the brainwashing of these terrorists begin? Why do they think this is their calling? Where is the spark that ignites this evil flame and how can we put it out?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...es-afghanistan

?

Alienation, lack of stability, lack of prospects (real or imagined), general anger, problems with identity, feelings of exclusion from mainstream society etc.etc.


We can't put it out. Terrorism has always existed, it's just this particular type that is "new". And even that isn't really new anymore. As a matter of fact, while I still have a reaction of shock every time, it's getting less and less and a part of me literally thinks: "oh, another one, well, what else is new". Which is a really horrible reaction. It's almost become "normal".

Or just being an evil self-righteous bastard.

Well yeah, or that... One could start a philosophical discussion about whether you are born evil or turned evil though