this is bbc news. british police confirm at least 19 people have been killed in an explosion at a pop concert in manchester. they accept it's a "terrorist incident." witnesses report hearing a powerful blast at the end of the ariana grande concert. dozens of people have been injured. senior counter—terrorism officers are meeting in london and co—ordinating with the government. the prime minister condemns it as an "appalling terrorist attack." the explosion was behind us. it blasted us forward. everyone of seven foot was pushed behind us. as isaid seven foot was pushed behind us. as i said before, seven foot was pushed behind us. as isaid before, quite seven foot was pushed behind us. as i said before, quite a seven foot was pushed behind us. as isaid before, quite a number of people were fatally injured. this is footage of ambulances flooding to the venue to help those that were injured. welcome to bbc news,

with karin giannone and tom donkin. we start with our breaking news from the north—west of england. police say at least 19 people have been killed and more than 50 others injured in an explosion at manchester arena. they're treating it as a "terrorist incident." witnesses reported hearing a loud bang in the venue at the end of an ariane grande concert. eyewitnesses reported nuts and bolts strewn around the floor and the smell of explosives. britain's prime minister theresa may has said her thoughts are with victims and their families, describing it as an appalling terrorist attack. downing street says an emergency cobra meeting is expected to take place in the morning at around 9am local time. sarah corker is with me to update us. what has been

confirmed about what happened in manchester arena? we know it is a fast—moving situation. we have been told emergency services are still at the scene, at manchester arena, treating casualties. also, police officers are trying to piece together, really, what happened. we can talk you through the sequence of events then. we know there was a huge bang described as an explosion inside the venue at around 10:1i0pm last night. that was just as big concert by ariana grande was finishing. thousands of people were inside at the time. it was just at the end. people were filing out while that explosion happened. manchester police have confirmed it was a terror incident. a number of fatalities. 19 people dead. 50 people injured. we have heard they have been taken to five hospitals gci’oss have been taken to five hospitals across the city. some have been

treated for crush injuries, others for shrapnel injuries. as tonight has gone on, we have heard what witnesses had seen. summer have said they saw nuts and bolts on the floor, there was an explosion in the foyer. —— some. a man said he was blown off his feet by the force. we saw videos of panic and people trying to escape. it is an ongoing situation. there is an emergency meeting happening here in london at 9am. you can see the enormous mobilisation of emergency services very, very quickly en masse into the streets around the venue. absolutely. we know there was a bomb disposal team deployed. the cordon

area has been gradually widened. that is really the protocol when it comes to a large antiterrorism operation like this. large patrols around manchester. emergency services are well drilled for a situation like this. they plan and prepare for it. manchester arena has a capacity of 21,000 people. they, themselves, will also have there own evacuation drills. whether they were put in place in time, whether they worked, those are questions for another day. this is a huge response that has happened very, very quickly. i should also mention that a second suspect device was found. there was a controlled explosion. that was found to be not suspicious. it shows how seriously police have to ta ke it shows how seriously police have to take things in that area and take action quickly. we are hearing reports of van vehicles carrying

resources into the area for many injured children. many of these casualties had to have been children. those were the demographic. teenage fans, parents with children, young people. that is what makes it even more shocking. perhaps this was a targeted attack against younger people. there would have been many 16— 17 year olds going out for the evening. we have heard reports the manchester community was putting together some help. we know there is a hotel in manchester taking in children who we re manchester taking in children who were alone and helping them get back in touch with their parents. this

was a difficult time for them. we have had a tweet from the north west ambulance service earlier, they said please only call us for life—threatening emergencies at this time due to this issue. 50 people injured. we don't have updates on their conditions. it will be a difficult time for hospitals across manchester. absolutely. we know that testimony from these people inside and outside the venue will be key to piecing together the events leading up piecing together the events leading up to exactly what happened when this explosion detonated. you would have heard we had a number of eyewitnesses on bbc throughout the night describing the scene. some would have said it was quite chaotic, really. we saw people running towards the exits. when there is something like this in a very busy venue, crush injuries can occui’ very busy venue, crush injuries can occur as well. people panic. the

climate is that people are worried about terrorism. unfortunately, a lot of people panic when they hear a bang. we had reports of one loud bang. we had reports of one loud bang. others said they had a couple of loud noises. these are things police investigators will be looking through now. they will be taking accounts from witnesses and trying to piece together exactly what happened, what the motive may have been, and what type of device this was. but i think the information coming through seems to suggest it was some kind of shrapnel device, something with nuts and bolts in, that, sadly, could have been put in theirto that, sadly, could have been put in their to cause more damage and injury. -- there. the prime minister and police are saying it did not only just attack the most vulnerable, children, but at the most vulnerable time, when they were leaving, waiting for parents, so

unguarded. that is the conclusion many people are drawing. we have obviously had no conclusion of that. but people are rising at 6pm last night. it goes on for a good few hours. thousands and thousands of people. it ends at 1030. people living at 1030 — 11. he explosion happened at 1035. you can only draw the conclusion that this was meant to happen at that time. they were moving out through the ticket office and the merchandise area. that is what people will be looking at. we have not heard for a manchester arena other than confirming an incident did happen. they are saying that it happened outside the arena. that tallies with what british transport police have said, that it

happened in the foyer area, rather than being inside the arena. just inside the building, but not in the auditorium where the concert was. yes. that is what they are saying. people who are familiar with the venue, you get out through the ticket office into the foyer area. and that is where the merchandise is as well. exactly. people have been watching their pop idol, they want to buy merchandise to remember what was supposed to be a fine evening out with family and friend. could that device, or whatever caused this explosion, could it have been put there on purpose? again, that is something that police will be looking at. and, of course, we have got this emergency cobra meeting in westminster. that is top security officials from across the country meeting to look at what evidence they have got so far and where you

go forward from this. and that is at 9am uk time on tuesday morning. two reports from us officials are suggesting this attack has been carried out by a suicide bomber. does are unconfirmed from unnamed officials. but it is significant it is coming out at this moment. they have been coming out for the past couple of hours. they were citing us officials. we have not heard any kind of confirmation from british authorities. we are waiting for some kind of press conference with greater manchester police to update us on greater manchester police to update us on the situation. but as you can imagine, it has been an extremely busy night for them. they will have had to mobilise huge numbers of officers, the armed response. there will be someone co—ordinating this major incident. they want to make sure that what they are putting out,

the information, is correct. 0f course, they don't want to worry people more than they need to. they need to make sure the information they have is correct and substantiated. as always, these attacks, terror attacks, police will be looking at all things it is curious we have had reports from the us saying this could be a suicide attack. and is now further reports from the us, police and security forces. and at the cobra meeting, they will be discussing and looking at the idea that this was an isolated incident, hats they were not localised in the uk. that is why they take information from witnesses and people that were they are very, very seriously. when we saw that, you know, potential second device, they took that very, very seriously. it turned out to be nothing. but

they cannot... they have to look at every single lead. they will investigate to try and find the cause of this and the motive, really. and in the last few minutes 01’ really. and in the last few minutes orso, we really. and in the last few minutes or so, we have had another update from greater manchester police. they have released an emergency phone number available for those who are concerned about loved ones or anyone who may have been in the area at the time. let me be that out for you. 0161 856 9400. time. let me be that out for you. 0161856 9400. any time. let me be that out for you. 0161 856 91100. any parents struggling to contact their family, thatis struggling to contact their family, that is a dedicated number where they can speak to someone to get some more information. that reminds us some more information. that reminds us of just how some more information. that reminds us ofjust how young many of those attending the concert were. teenagers. teenage girls possibly on

their first outing. a teenagers. teenage girls possibly on theirfirst outing. a big teenagers. teenage girls possibly on their first outing. a big treat the big one person said it was a christmas present, a celebration with a pop idol. —— one person. christmas present, a celebration with a pop idol. —— one personm draws fans who are young. 0ne with a pop idol. —— one personm draws fans who are young. one person said they were making an evening of it to be they came over to manchester for evening out. they stayed in a hotel. it was supposed to be family time, a joyous event. that is why it is shocking that it would even happen here! obviously, large arenas, unfortunately they are often the target of these kinds of security scares. but it is the nature of this gig, the type of people that were there, that will, inevitably, lead police to ask questions. "why here and why now?"

people were so young. the softest of soft targets. thank you. 50 casualties at six hospitals across the manchester area. and now, greg dawson. a p0p a pop concert filled with young people transformed into a scene of multiple deaths. the lights had just come up at the end of ariana grande's show and suddenly a loud bang was heard. audio of the moment of the explosion was recorded by someone of the explosion was recorded by someone inside the arena. police say they believe the explosion happened in the foyer of the arena and are treating it as a terrorist attack. reports from two unnamed us officials suggested it was carried out by a suicide bomber. that is yet to be confirmed. i was in the box office of the foyer when it happened. i was waiting for my family to come out. i was talking to

one of the girls. then a door opened and someone looked injured. because the door was open, we got blown forwards through the door towards the arena. and explosion behind us did so. —— an. everyone got injured. casualties have been taken to hospitals across the city. medical staff say they have been treating shrapnel —like injuries. it has a capacity of 18,000 people and is right in the heart of manchester. the building next door has been evacuated and services suspended. police continue to ask the public to avoid the area. greg dawson, bbc news. we have heard from british prime minister theresa may in the last few minutes.

she issued a statement saying, "we are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack." she goes on to say, "all our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected." we have also heard from britain's main opposition leader, jeremy corbyn, who has tweeted, "terrible incident in manchester. my thoughts are with all those affected and our brilliant emergency services." a meeting of the government's emergency committee, cobra, as it is known, will be held at 9am. and government and security officials are liaising with the prime minister. let's turn to somebody who was there at the concert. stacey thompson is on the line. tell us what happens. tell us what happenslj tell us what happens. i was at the concert with my younger cousin, and

as the lights came up, we decided that we would, like, set off towards the victoria exit to get the train. and we werejust the victoria exit to get the train. and we were just walking, there was quite a few people walking with us and wejust quite a few people walking with us and we just heard a massive explosion. and, like, at first it and was just looking at each other and was just looking at each other and just carried on walking and all ofa and just carried on walking and all of a sudden everyone just stopped and turned and ran back towards us, and turned and ran back towards us, and werejust and turned and ran back towards us, and were just shouting to go, go, go. and as we got towards the other exit there was just another explosion. but we felt that one. like, we felt the floor moving. everyone just started panicking, people were falling and being trampled, and yes, it wasn't nice. so you experienced what you think our two explosions? yes. and you had just come out, you are actually in the foyer at the time. yes. tell me what it was like in those moments, after what you say was the second

explosion that you experienced. the second explosion, it was... people really started to panic and people realised it wasn'tjust... after the first explosion i thought maybe she had just gone back on stage, and maybe it was a speaker or a confetti cannon or balloon, but after the second one, people realised that it was something a bit more serious, and everybody just ran, was something a bit more serious, and everybodyjust ran, and people we re and everybodyjust ran, and people were falling, people were crying. like, there were parents in the street, looking for their children and screaming for them and things. and it was just mad and screaming for them and things. and it wasjust mad panic. stacey, you were there with your 14—year—old cousin. this was supposed to be a really special night. yes, it was a christmas present. it was herfirst ever concert, as well. and what was it like when you get outside, how we re it like when you get outside, how were people behaving? well, people

we re were people behaving? well, people were looking for their children, people were looking for their pa rents. people were looking for their parents. i so one girl on the floor with her medical team, her hand had been cut open really badly, and her leg or she had to get it stitched up. isaw leg or she had to get it stitched up. i saw people, like, just covered in other people's blood. i came home with someone else's blood on my face as well. it was just... with someone else's blood on my face as well. it wasjust... it with someone else's blood on my face as well. it was just... it was just manic. and how was your cousin? i don't think it hit him, i don't think it had sunk in yet. i did message earlier to see if he was ok, and he said he was fine, i don't think it has actually sunk into him yet. yes, so he was in the state of delayed shock, almost. and you mentioned that people were looking for people who have they had come to the concert with, daughters, sisters. where you were aware of a lot of people not being able to find

other people they were with? yes, the goal i saw on the floor with like the medical team, she had lost herfriend, she like the medical team, she had lost her friend, she didn't know where her friend, she didn't know where herfriend was, her friend, she didn't know where her friend was, and there was a lady stood on a green electricity box, like, looking over the crowds of people, shouting the names of the doctor, and when i left she still hadn't found her. and stacey, when you saw the injuries, was an apparent to you that this was caused by an explosion, or could this have happened in the big crush, the rush for the doors that we saw, so many people trying to get out?|j for the doors that we saw, so many people trying to get out? i don't think so. like, some of the injuries i thought maybe were just from people getting trampled, but there was so much blood and the girl i spoke to who put her hand up and was going to hospital to get that stitched, i asked what happened, and she said something had just flowed through the air onto her hand, it wasn't like she had fallen over and

being trampled, it was something in the air. she was closer to it than i was. tell us how you are now, and what you are doing and where you are. well, i got home about... about 12:30 a.m., ijust... i don't know, i washed my hair and washed my face and put the hairdryer on, and i had to turn it off, because it scared me, and my mum just said to turn it off, because it scared me, and my mumjust said it is to turn it off, because it scared me, and my mum just said it isjust shock and i just me, and my mum just said it isjust shock and ijust need to rest, and... yes. and when you hear what has actually happened now, when you look back, can you almost not believe it? like, hearing what has actually happened and putting myself back there, it doesn't... it is just crazy. like... in that moment, you arejust thinking crazy. like... in that moment, you are just thinking about nobody else. ijust didn't are just thinking about nobody else. i just didn't even are just thinking about nobody else. ijust didn't even think are just thinking about nobody else. i just didn't even think about what could have actually happened if i would have been closer, maybe. it is

crazy. stacey, we really appreciate you talking to us. thank you so much for your time, you talking to us. thank you so much foryourtime, and our you talking to us. thank you so much for your time, and our best wishes to you. thank you. micky betteridge was at the concert with his wife and daughter. i was there with my girlfriend and my daughter. it was actually a christmas present for my daughter. and just as ariana grande left the stage, we were just all walking, we were in block 113, on row l, so we were quite close to the stairs, where everyone was leaving. and just as we were passing the shops where they sell t—shirts and all the caps and everything, we were just walking across there, and we heard this big bang. we didn't obviously know what it was. i did wonder whether it was, you know, a terror attack, or i didn't know whether they we re dismantling the stage and maybe dropped something, which caused a big bang.

then all of a sudden, just... there were just screaming, and people started running from behind us, just saw, like, there were hundreds of people. and micky, just give us a sense — are you safe now, are you safe with your girlfriend and daughter? i hope and assume you are out of the area. yeah, we're back in leeds now. we drove to the event. when we got out, i turned to my daughter and said, run, and there were obviously hundreds of people screaming and running. it werejust... again, they were running down the stairs and trying to get out. and then i looked behind me and i couldn't see my girlfriend, because they were that many people just screaming, and as we got outside and i crossed straight over the road, we were looking back, and luckily she were ringing me as i pulled my phone out,

and she came across and we walked back up to where we parked the car. and your daughter, i'm not sure how old she is, but she must be a huge fan of ariana grande, but she must now be very shaken by what has happened. how do you even come to terms or explain what did happen? yeah, i mean, she's a massive fan. she's loved her for years. she were really excited. she's got all her albums. i got the tickets for christmas. she has been looking forward to it since december. she came out from school today, we drove over, and obviously she was shaken up. she didn't know what were going on. she's nine years old, so quite scary for her. she was saying, what is happening, what is happening? and i said, just keep running. and we got outside, and she saw lots of parents and kids crying and shouting. so, you know, she was in tears when we got outside. and i understand at one point you lost your girlfriend, so you must have been at a state of confusion for most of it. how much information

were you getting in the aftermath of the explosion? there were nothing. i don't think really anyone knew what had happened. like, when everybody started running, i thought maybe it were a gunshot, and people had seen it, and werejust running for their lives. but nobody knew exactly, because where we were, i don't know where it actually happened, but we heard it, but we didn't actually see anything. i've heard people say that they felt things. we just literally heard a huge bang. don't know where it had come from, what it was. and it was just everybody else running that made me run, and i thought maybe it was a gunshot. obviously still, until we got in the car and put the radio on, we didn't know what had happened. in the last few minutes, greater manchester police have given this statement. ican i can confirm the details of last night's incident as we currently know them. at around 10:33pm we received reports of an explosion at

manchester arena, in the city centre. this was at the conclusion of the ariana grande concert. currently, we have 19 people confirmed to have lost their lives in the explosion, and around 50 casualties that are being treated at six hospitals across greater manchester. my thoughts are very much with those that have been injured and lost their lives and their loved ones at this terrible time. we are doing all that we can to support them. officers from greater manchester police and emergency services are working at the scene, and are supporting those affected. we are to automating the operation here at greater manchester police headquarters. an emergency number is available for all those concerned about their loved ones, or anyone who may have been in the area. the number is 0161856 91100.

we are currently treating this as a terrorist incident, until we have further information. we are working closely with national counterterrorism policing network and uk intelligence partners. this is clearly a very concerning time for everyone. we are doing all that we can, working with local and national agencies, to support those affected. as we gather information about what happened last night. as you will understand, we are still receiving information and updates, so we will provide further detail when we have a clearer picture. i wa nt to when we have a clearer picture. i want to thank people for their support, and ask them to remain vigilant. and if they have any concerns at all, to report them to the national anti—terrorist hotline. the number is zero 800 789, 321. it

is important also that people here in manchester avoid the area around manchester arena, so that emergency services can continue to effectively deal with the incident at that location. thank you very much. that was greater manchester police updating us on the situation. it has to be said, little more was added at that press conference. sarah, obviously the priority for the police is still reconnecting parents with their children and friends and families, back together. not much of the operation itself. i think what i picked up in particularfrom that press statement there is that this is still very much an ongoing situation, five hours since that explosion occurred. it is still very much hands—on for all of the emergency services, who are still at the scene. we have heard in a date, as well, from the manchester fire service. they said crews are still

supporting greater manchester police and the north—west ambulance service at the scene of this horrific incident, and they added please don't dial 999 unless you really need a huge operation. so i think that sums it up pretty well. it is incredibly busy around that area in manchester. the court and has been moved back to take in quite a vast area, as security checks are carried out —— cordon. i think we have seen some pictures as well of sniffer dogsin some pictures as well of sniffer dogs in the area and police patrolling the streets of manchester. it is quite a worrying scene but police reassuring people there well that they are on top of things, very much trying to piece together what has happened. we have also heard from north—west ambulance service. they of course will have had an extremely busy night working in difficult conditions. they have confirmed 59 casualties being treated in six hospitals, and they

also said there has been a number of walking wounded coming in. and also a theme which is coming through, a picture which is emerging, everyone we have spoke spoken to are passing on their thanks to emergency services, who it appears responded extremely quickly, working in a difficult situation. and they have been on the scene fast to respond to this. it is something, u nfortu nately, this. it is something, unfortunately, they do have the plan for, rehearse, almost, and as we have heard, this is being treated as a terrorist incident. earlier we saw a device that turned