Manchester terror attack will not divide people

Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the East Kilbride News.

There is only one place to start this week’s piece.

The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the East Kilbride News are with the families and friends of the victims of Monday night’s terror attack at the Manchester Arena.

On pages 8 and 9 of today’s paper, we tell the story of East Kilbride girls Sophie MacInnes and Angela Lumsden who were caught up in the blast.

We would like to thank them for their time yesterday morning and agreeing to share their experience with us.

Young children have been confirmed as among the dead and injured which is nothing short of heartbreaking.

These kids would have been giddy with excitement just hours earlier as they got ready to attend a concert by the pop star Ariana Grande.

What happened to them was barbaric, evil and wrong.

The whole of the United Kingdom will mourn with Manchester over the coming days. But amidst the grief and the sadness, strength will be found.

That strength will come in the superb response of the emergency services; the random acts of kindness of those from all walks of life; the determination of people to go about their daily lives and not be cowered by terrorism.

People will continue to go to concerts and football matches. People will continue to socialise in busy environments.

Life for the families of the victims has changed irrevocably but, for the nation, it goes on because it has to.

Instead of being divided, we will be united. A people against an enemy that can never beat us.

They should know they will never win.