Desperate hunt for loved ones

Frantic hunt for missing spreads online

The frantic search for family and friends after the deadly blast at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester spread to social media last night. The suspected suicide bombing at the end of the pop star’s show yesterday killed 22 people and injured at least 59 more, and has left panicked families scrambling to find their relatives in the ensuing chaos.

The hashtag #MissingInManchester soon began to gain momentum as people desperately shared pictures of people who hadn’t returned home after the concert.

One mother called Good Morning Britain to plead for sightings of her daughter, Olivia Campbell, 15.

Olivia went to the concert with her friend, who has been found in hospital. Olivia’s mother did not know what condition he was in, and there had been no news of her own child.

“She’s not turned up yet,” the mother said in a tearful voice.

She had called all the hospitals, police, and hotels where children were known to have been taken, but nobody had been able to help her.

“I’m waiting at home just in case she turns up here.”

Charlotte Rowe tweeted a photo of two young people with the words: “Looking for Chloe Rutherford and Liam Curry. They were at Ariana in Manchester tonight and can’t get in touch please share #Manchester.”

In a series of chilling tweets, Christina wrote that her friend Martyn Hett was missing after the concert. “Everyone else is home safely. Martyn got lost,” she wrote. “Called everyone I can think of.”

Collages of faces of those still missing are spreading across social media with users urging others to share the pictures until the people are found.

People have also been tweeting, saying numerous children without guardians are being kept at inns and hotels around the city.

The #RoomForManchester hashtag began trending, with people offering their couches, spare rooms and cups of tea for those who were stranded after the huge explosion.

Hotel Gotham offered free rooms and taxi company Streetcars arranged a meeting point at its offices, promising to help people get home safely, or let them stay at its headquarters for the night.

In one BBC video a tiny girl is escorted by a police officer, apparently on her own.