Tip search continues in Arena bomb investigation

THE search of a tip as part of the investigation into the Manchester Arena bombing continued yesterday.

Officers returned to the Viridor Waste Management site on Pilsworth Road, just off the M66 between Heywood and Bury, for a second day.

Police carried out searches for a blue suitcase used by mass murderer Salman Abedi at the same site last year.

Officers returned to the tip on Monday this week.

A spokeswoman said the search would continue.

A Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) van and another two police vehicles were seen parked outside the tip on Monday and around 15 TAU officers were searching bushes around the site.

It is understood police could be at the tip for several days.

A spokeswoman for GMP said: “Officers are carrying a follow-up search in relation to the Arena attack.”

A spokesman for Viridor said: “Viridor is offering every assistance police at the waste and recycling company’s landfill site in Pilsworth. Site operations are continuing.”

Last year GMP said Abedi’s suitcase was not thought to contain anything dangerous, but warned members of the public not to touch it if they found it – and to call 999. The suitcase was not used in the attack.

GMP shared CCTV images of Abedi with the case hours before he killed 22 people and injured hundreds more.

He was seen with the case on Wilmslow Road and in Manchester city centre.