they said it was being treated as a terrorist incident. witnesses said the american singer ariana grande had just finished her performance at the manchester arena when a huge blast took place in the foyer, shaking the building. hello. welcome to bbc news, with david eades 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 said her thoughts are with the victims and their families, describing it as an appalling

terrorist attack. downing street says an emergency meeting of the cabinet office is expected to take place at around nine in the morning. that is local time. ed thomas is close to the scene of the incident in manchester and joins us now. it has been a few hours since the event. manchester police are treating it as a terrorist incident. they have confirmed that. give us an update. let it has been five hours now. several ambulances are still leaving. they are packed with injured people making their way down here and spreading them to hospitals gci’oss here and spreading them to hospitals across greater manchester. this is a sense of where i am. we have moved to the north of the city. the whole

area is cordoned off. there is no getting in or out. this is as close as we can get to it. you can see the kew park. to the back is where the arena is. most people have made their way out. you can see people just wanting to get out of the city now and leave and get home and get to loved ones. we have been told that 50 have been injured and i9 killed. obviously, a huge shock for the city, ed. it is focused on young people going to the concert. the target, i suppose, people going to the concert. the target, isuppose, could hardly be softer. the arena was filled with children, mainly young girls, who

wa nted children, mainly young girls, who wanted to see their favourite pop singer. thousands were making their way out of the foyer when the blast happened. it is confirmed it happened. it is confirmed it happened in the foyer, where people go to buy merchandise, t—shirts, scarves , go to buy merchandise, t—shirts, scarves, and where people wait before going home. that is where the blast was centred. a quick word on security. we know that when people go in, bags are checked, pockets emptied. security wants to know what you have new. one thing is clear. hundreds of thousands of people came out of the arena. i have done that before, waiting for my children. the door is opened and you can go freely through. greater manchester police and their chief gave a speech. he is

urging people to give information to the police, to speak to them. and also talk to the international terrorist hotline if you have any information. as we wait for more details to emerge about the horrific attack, a positive distraction, if you like, is the community spirit. cab drivers turning their metres to off. hotels letting children stay and wait for parents. we have seen taxi drivers giving free ride. two children, ten and i2, and there was a man on his phone desperately trying to get them out of manchester, even though they were not his own. he said he was not a taxi driver, hejust not his own. he said he was not a taxi driver, he just live not his own. he said he was not a taxi driver, hejust live the not his own. he said he was not a taxi driver, he just live the there. he was not looking for money. ——

lived there. people walking around in handing out drinks. a hotel giving cups of tea to police officers and people around. people are coming together and trying to help those who have witnessed such terror. that is what police are calling this. they say it is a suspected terrorist attack which has killed 19 people and left 50 more injured. are they starting to piece together the sequence of events that has led to this? i know it is early on, but it seems that it was one individual. is there much they can say at this stage? what we know now now. . . say at this stage? what we know now now... what we know that is fact is that there was an explosion. it happened at around five to ii when it finished and thousands were leaving. people talk about seeing a red fire. they saw smoke and felt

heat. one man said the blast cut open his leg and he was cradling his wife and at that time he saw nuts and bolts all around him. we don't know what the motive was. but one american source has said to us it was a suspected suicide bomber. we know that in some suicide attacks, bombers pack bombs with nuts and bolts and nails to cause the maximum impact. there is a lot we don't know. that is why the chief co nsta ble of know. that is why the chief constable of greater manchester police appealed to people to give him information. they will be checking the cctv cameras across manchester. there are hundreds of them in manchester, as it is one of them in manchester, as it is one of the most closely watched cities in the most closely watched cities in the uk. that will be looked over.

police are also going through media feeds. they are trying to find any clues that could help them understand what is happening thank you very much indeed, ed thomas in manchester. police are appealing for any information. they gave a press conference earlier which gave very little information, we have to say, but called for people to give information. i can confirm the details of the incident last night. at around 10:33pm we received calls ofan at around 10:33pm we received calls of an explosion in manchester arena in the city centre. this was in conclusion of the ariana grande concert. currently we have 19 people who have lost their lives in the explosion. there are around 50 casualties being treated at six

hospitals across greater manchester. our thoughts are very much with those who have lost their lives at this terrible time. we are doing all we can to support them. we are working to support those affected. we are co—ordinating the operation at manchester police headquarters. and emergency number is available for all those concerned about loved ones, anyone who may be in the area. the number is 0161856 91100. we are currently treating this as a terrorist incident until the have further information. we are working closely with national and international security partners. this is clearly a very concerning

time for everyone. we are doing all we can working with international and national agencies. we want 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 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 0800 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 number is 0800 789 321. thank you very much. the chief

co nsta ble of thank you very much. the chief constable of greater manchester police there. of course, scores of people are checking up on their own loved ones. for anybody concerned, you can contact the police emergency number which we will give to you on the screen. one of the fans inside the screen. one of the fans inside the arena also captured that moment when fans heard an explosion. audio issues. we are sorry about that. we will get that for you a little bit later. the first signs of what actually happened within the arena itself. we have also been hearing from the british prime minister, theresa may. in the last few moments she issued a statement. "we are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terror attack. "all of my thoughts

are with the victims and the families and all who have been affected. we have also heard that the labour leader, jeremy corbyn, he has described it as well as a terrible incident, and his thoughts are with all of those caught up in it. sarah corker once again with the latest. police are not giving much information away. they don't know it at this stage. they are piecing together the evidence. what i picked up together the evidence. what i picked up from the police statement there is this is still a very fast—moving situation, it is an ongoing operation. emergency services are still at the scene around manchester arena. it has been five hours since reports started coming in about that explosion. we have just reports started coming in about that explosion. we havejust seen reports started coming in about that explosion. we have just seen a couple of moments ago ambulance is still going past and people still being treated. the fire service bought out on social media in the last half an hour or so saying we

are still at the scene, please only call 999 if it is an absolute emergency. a picture is emerging as well of where people are being treated. six hospitals across manchester are treating 59 people who have been injured. we have not had much of an update on the type of injuries, but reports are coming in that some people have crush injuries. we have seen those images of people rushing to get out. when you hear a bang like that in an arena, unfortunately, in the current climate, you will think the worst. some have been trampled as they tried to get out. we have also seen footage of people with bandages around their legs, shrapnel injuries, in hospitals, and they have said they are treating those. and we also heard from our correspondent, ed thomas, that one witness said they saw nuts and bolts

on the floor. that is something police detectives will be looking into. because, so far, we have heard there has been an explosion and they are treating it as a terrorist incident, but we have not had much more information about what because of that was, what the device is. and i think the sense of nuts and bolts means that one avenue they may be looking at is that it was a kind of nail—bomb, for example. obviously, this is an early stage of the investigation. they will not rule anything in or out. they will look at all avenues of enquiry and be speaking to all those the event. pa rents were speaking to all those the event. parents were coming to pick up children. they will speak to them to see what they saw, what they heard. and we know the prime minister will be chairing an emergency meeting in london at 9am to look at the response to this. and, sarah corker, this was a concert, to put this in perspective, on a monday evening. a

p0p perspective, on a monday evening. a pop star in favour with teenagers, 20—somethings. parents would have been going along thinking it was perhaps the safest event they could go to. this was very much a soft target. not just that, go to. this was very much a soft target. notjust that, it happened at the moment when people were at their most unguarded, milling around buying merchandise. that is what people are flying shocking. why! who would target this audience at this type of event? ariana grande, she a tt ra cts type of event? ariana grande, she attracts younger people, teenagers so she was on her european tour pa rents were so she was on her european tour parents were taking their children, for some, the first concert they had ever been to. why would you want to target young people out on a weeknightjust target young people out on a

weeknight just wanting to target young people out on a weeknightjust wanting to enjoy a concert. i think we are getting a sense of defiance out of manchester. the only thing we can get out of this is people are rallying together. taxi drivers are giving lifts for free. people are saying if you need somewhere to stay, you can stay with me. and the council leader, he is summing it up. if it is confirmed it is a terrorist attack, it is monstrous, but futile. manchester is a strong city and will not allow terrorism, trying to make us not allow terrorism, trying to make us feel fear, achieve its aim. the other thing is the speed of the response. people are thanking the services for brilliant efforts over the evening. we saw some of that from the

descriptions of the ambulances pouring straight into action, and reflected byjeremy corbyn's remarks about the brilliant emergency services, so important. but your point about the mayor also saying we pick ourselves up and move on. that is almost a motif across europe for these various is, if this is indeed another terrorist incident. absolutely. unfortunately arenas like this, in the current climate, where the terror level is quite high, this is something that arenas, governments, authorities, emergency services, they have to plan for a situation like this. and when those reports came in around 10:30pm last night that there was an explosion, that protocol on these plans kick into action. we had bomb disposal experts on the scene, armed police are still patrolling the streets of manchester. every kind of

organisation in the emergency services, so the fire services, the ambulances, they have a plan for events like this. from what we have heard it kicked in pretty quickly. north—east ambulance services said they kicked in 60 ambulances to the scene, and from images we have seen, a lot of them are still at that site around manchester arena, the cordon has been moved outwards, as police will want to check the area, sniffer dogs looking to try and get clues and evidence. i did hearjust a suggestion that, immediately after the blast, an awful lot of people inside did not know what to do, and there wasn't much direction for them. i think it came from ariana grande's own management, the initial remarks about getting out as quickly and as calmly as you can. i have still be some questions about how

every a re na still be some questions about how every arena has to be ready to deal insta ntly every arena has to be ready to deal instantly with these sorts of things. i mean, manchester arena is the biggest indoor arena in europe. it has a capacity of up to 201000. they will have an evacuation protocol, and they will have officials, security staff there at the scene. but curiously, in the images we have seen, you know, we didn't see that many officials or security staff telling people what to do, ushering them out. the hats we re to do, ushering them out. the hats were the concert like this ends, the priority is normally let's get people out as quickly as possible. we don't want any bottlenecks. and thatis we don't want any bottlenecks. and that is something they have picked up that is something they have picked up on. could that have been the weak point? you don't monitor who comes in at the end of the gig, do you? it is just when people are arriving to do the security checks. and many eyewitness accounts of saying this is where most of the damage happened, with parents waiting for children to emerge from the concert. just give us a sense of how the

security apparatus works, what is happening in manchester? we got a sense when we heard from the police chief in that last clip that this is a fast moving situation. there is a huge counterterrorism operation now under way, notjust on the streets of manchester, where they will be collecting evidence, they will be speaking to witnesses, they will be presumably interviewing people at the arena to find out did they see anything suspicious, what was the sound of this device like, that will be happening in manchester. in westminster, in london, the prime minister will be holding this emergency meeting of top security officials in the next couple of hours, at 9am, and that is when they will look at what should the response be to this? do we need to up response be to this? do we need to up the terror threat level, do we need to review security, at big arenas, football grounds. they will be looking at all possibilities and

what should happen next. and no doubt they are co—ordinating with their partners in the us. we heard from the department of homeland security that they have no indication that any eminent attacks are coming on any of their music venues, but obviously we don't know any scenario, any perpetrators, any group that are involved in this. but the security services will be looking very closely at any potential scenarios and cool automating very closely with their partners internationally. yes, curiously we have been hearing reports coming in through the night over the last couple of hours quoting unnamed us officials, saying that they perhaps have intelligence that they perhaps have intelligence that it could be a suicide bomber. we haven't confirmed that, that is not official, and we have not heard that from british police, from greater manchester police. but again that will be something that will be investigated, and that will be looked at. what greater manchester police have said is that they are treating this as a terrorist incident. but so far no one has

claimed this attack, and we don't know who is behind it. thank you very much indeed. obviously a huge upset for so many people, not least of course for the performer herself. ariana grande has taken to twitter to express her own feelings, and that you are. that is what she had to say. we have also had a tweet from ariana grande's manager. she took to twitter also. just worth reminding you that 19

people are known to have lost their lives. something around 60 people, probably more than that, in the end, have been injured to varying degrees. the bbc‘s ed thomas spoke to a young girl who had been to the concert and a taxi driver from liverpool, who had driven to manchester to help people get home safely. we were walking out of the concert, towards the doors, and went to the wrong doors originally, and i said to my sister these are the wrong doors, we need to go to a different set. so we started walking to the other set, and that is when we heard an explosion. so i was, like, we need to run. so we started running. we ran straight out the doors, all the way down to the hotel. and all i could he was screaming, people crying, people just running everywhere, it was completely madness. and this was a concert. you're there to have fun. yes, it is a concert, people are there to go and see their idol, and it has

been ruined, really. and you were in the foyer, at the centre of the explosion. everyone just stopped still, and then itjust all went off, and everyone started running everywhere. and you ran all the way to this hotel here, where elizabeth, mum, you were waiting. yes, we were there, me and my husband, and just beating down the door, when fell in they opened it. and all the way down the flights of stairs in the hotel, and just basically fell in the doorway. and you are going on social media and sharing pictures. i'm sharing pictures of missing people, people that need help, people that have nowhere to sleep, people that need food or a stranded in manchester, to try and get their awareness out for people who are willing to help. elizabeth and nina, thank you for waiting and thank you for talking to us, and i hope you get home soon. where is home again? east yorkshire. and that's a story you hear from many, thank you very much. that's a story you hear

from many people here. this might be in manchester but people across the north of england have arrived here to go to this concert. and something else has happened, as well. we've seen ordinary people, people who live in the city, they've come out to hand out water bottles. they've come out to try and give people lifts. a procession of police cars going down there, some unmarked police cars. there is still an ongoing investigation. police, counter—terrorism officers, trying to piece together what is going on. but back to the effort of people here in manchester. we can speak to this man, you come from liverpool. what is your name, and what is yourjob? robbie, i'm a taxi driver. once we heard about it, a few of the lads phoned each other, and we stayed on the outskirts, picking people up by the mcdonald's, took them back. some of us have made our way back to see if there are any other people. and are your colleagues doing this as well? yes, it's a few of us up here. i don't know where

they are now, like. but parking the car where you can, asking around where scouses are, and trying to get them home. of course, many people still searching for their loved ones, still confused and dazed by this incident. to get in touch. a little earlier karin giannone spoke to imran, who was outside the concert waiting to pick up his partner and their daughter when the explosion happened. i was just waiting outside on the old bridge street. i got there at about 10:20pm, maybe. i text my partner at about 10:28pm, saying — telling her where i was, and she's saying she's just finished the last song, we'll

be on the way out. and literally minutes later, i heard a big explosion, and ijust saw my partner and my daughter running towards me. and my daughter was screaming, crying, and my partner said, quickly, let's go. quickly, there's been an explosion, let's go, quick as you can. and i just couldn't get out of there quick enough. and just all these people come running down the stairs, screaming, pushing each other, screaming, crying, and it wasjust — it were manic. but i only heard one explosion. that's all i heard, one explosion. so imran, your partner and your daughter had literally been seconds out of the building when it went off. yeah, it was literally — well, she was at the top of the stairs when the explosion went off, and literally ran down the stairs with her. and fortunately my car's quite distinctive, so she saw me straightaway. and there were just people running out in front of me, screaming, and ijust assumed that they'd seen a celebrity or seen, you know... because minutes before,

a coach had past me, i thought it might be ariana grande's coach. and maybe they'd seen a celebrity. but then when i saw my partner running towards me, screaming, and my daughter crying. but i'd already heard the explosion, but i thought it were a pyrotechnic going off. you know, like, when you hear a concert, and when it all finishes, and something goes off to say goodnight, or whatever. i assumed it was that, i really, really did. because you could hear the vibrations from the music from where i was stood outside, then obviously you heard this big explosion, and it were just manic after that. but we fortunately got away. it has taken me over 2.5 hours to get back home. that's extraordinary. and just as you were leaving the scene, could you see scores of people running out onto the street? oh, hundreds and hundreds of people. it were just manic.

they were just pushing each other out of the way, people were struggling to get out of the way. it was manic, it really was, yeah. and when you say it took you 2.5 hours to get home, you're in leeds now, are you? yes, that's right, that's right. how far away are you, for people who don't the region. about 45 miles. well, it took me about 45 minutes to get from my house to manchester arena, but it took me two hours to get home. and did you have any idea, when now you hear what has happened, and how terrible the night has been inside manchester arena — i mean, how do you respond to it, how do you react? i feel sick. my partner wouldn't even speak to one of yourjournalists on the phone. she's laid in bed, she's in bits. she's absolutely in bits. she's saying that minutes later i could have been caught up in that. i could have been split up from our daughter. and our daughter has cried herself to sleep. she actually wanted to sleep in bed with us. she's 12 years old, and she's been looking forward

to this since christmas. she has been counting the days down, and she had a great evening, and this is... it's crazy, absolutely, absolutely crazy, what's going on. kids at a concert, and some absolute lunatic doing what they are doing, it is crazy. and i would imagine that there are many, many other girls like your daughter, that age, who are fans of ariana grande. oh, god, yeah. like i say, i got there around 10:20pm, and it were already busy outside with people leaving early. i checked and assumed it must have finished early, because there were 70 or 80 people already outside. and she's like, no, the last song is still playing. it is just about to be over, and we will be out. so i texted at 10:28pm, and she texted me back, and i'd left that scene within 12 minutes. i'd gone, i had literally sped off. as soon as they got in the car, i got my way through everyone and made it through, really fortu nately. really fortu nate. did you imagine that there were casualties inside, from what you heard and saw?

no, no. i didn't until — wejust got near the motorway, we heard on the news that there had been fatalities, and my daughter obviously heard it on the radio, my partner heard it on the radio, and they both just burst out in tears, both of them. for a 12—year—old girl at her first concert, this must be very traumatic indeed. oh, she's in bits. she just wanted to get home. she's absolutely in bits, she really, really is. you know, i mean, we've been home since i think about 12:30am when we got through the door. we have gone to sleep. we are not even tired, just going around in our head what could have happened, what has happened to the people, i've just read on the news about the kids in the hotel, where they can't find the parents and their guardians, its absolute crazy, and that could have been my daughter. and i wasn't even going to pick them up.