People gather a week on to pay respects
HUNDREDS of people gathered in Manchester city centre to mark one week since 22 people were killed by a suicide bomber at the Arena.
Emotions were high as Mancunians paid their respects to those who lost their lives in the atrocity in St Ann’s Square.
It was a painful night, not only for those directly affected by the blast, but for the entire city.
The bells of St Ann’s Church rang out at exactly 10.31pm – the time Salman Abedi’s bomb was set off.
The crowd fell silent as tears were shed for those killed.
Earlier, a round of applause broke out after a member of the public shouted ‘thank you to the police and all the emergency services’.
Officers were seen placing bunches of flowers in the square as the crowd grew.
Scores of competitors from Sunday’s Great Manchester Run had left their race numbers at the scene, with tributes written on them.
City and United scarves were seen in among the flowers, with ‘A City United’ written on them.
Since last Monday’s deadly blast, St Ann’s Square has become a shrine to those who lost their lives.
Well-wishers have come from across the country to pay their respects.
The square has become a sea of flowers. Teddy bears, balloons and photographs of the victims have also been placed at the scene.
Messages of support – and defiance – have also been written on the pavement in chalk.
City centre chief Pat Karney said: “On this painful night, we were one family in Manchester.
“We were thinking about all the people who lost their lives and thinking about all the people in hospital.
“But we also thought about the pain the families are going through.
“We were there for them tonight – and we’ll be there for them every night – because of the way their lives have changed.
“Everyone in Manchester has been thinking about them.
“It’s an incredibly painful time for the families remembering the circumstances around those hours and the agony they have gone through.
“Manchester will get through. We’ll go through the pain and the grief.
“But the families, we want them to know we’ll be with them for as long as it takes. I don’t think you can come to St Ann’s Square and not be brought to tears.
“Lots of the messages are from kids. When you read them, it breaks your heart.
“It’s broken the hearts of the families and the hearts of Manchester.
“The nature of these events is that within 15 minutes, they become global events.
“The people of Manchester are grateful for all the messages of support we’ve had from all over the world.”