MANCHESTER

22 people dead and 59 reported injured at the Manchester Arena last night at 10.30pm attending an Ariana Grande concert 

so mostly very young people many in her demographic noted as 6-12 years old and young teens in particular.

Ariana touchingly tweeted as she had finished the concert "broken. from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words." which summarised many responses including my own in response to this senseless, cowardly attack upon our most innocent of youngsters going to a music concert. It is believed by the authorities that a lone suicide bomber was responsible and they were or are known to the authorities but as the investigation carries it relentless way forward, we spend today and the next days sending all our love and thoughts out to those who have lost loved ones, the families and injured still recovering and to those still searching for missing loved ones who still remain unaccounted for. 

A word goes out also to those who helped the staggering professionalism of our emergency services, fire, police and ambulance men and women,  nurses, doctors in the eight hospitals involved in caring for the injured [there being such a surge of staff rushing in to help that they had to be asked to go home as they would be needed later spread and organised across shift later in the days and weeks ahead] but also the taxi drivers charged with carrying people through the city of Manchester for no charge, to the hoteliers and house owners who threw open their doors for those stuck or in need of a place to rest overnight. This is the British way and I would say, especially although I was born on Merseyside my parent's were both Mancunian, and thus typically northern.

Our thoughts and love go out to all touched by this monstrous act.