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ARMED police patrol among the mulled wine and food stalls on the first day of a Christmas market.

Officers carried Heckler and Koch semi-automatic carbines in Manchester. Armed undercover police in plain clothes were also on duty.

Albert Square in the city centre is protected by a new ring of concrete and steel barriers, six months after the Manchester Arena bombing nearby which claimed the lives of 22 people.

Supt Chris Hill said: “People’s natural response when they see extra security can be one of fear or concern, worrying that it’s more dangerous.

“I want to assure people that we are strengthening protective security as an extra precaution and it should make people feel more comfortable.”