Arena bombing inquiry told police chief ‘looked like a rabbit in headlights’

THE most senior officer in command of the police response to the Manchester Arena terror attack was described as “like a rabbit in the headlights”, a public inquiry heard.

Retired Lancashire Police officer Andrea Bradbury arrived at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) HQ after being slightly injured in the deadly bombing and intending to report to the force what was happening at the Arena.

But Mrs Bradbury said she had trouble at the gatehouse, then saw a female officer also arriving.

Mrs Bradbury said: “All I had was a woman shoving a warrant card at me and saying, ‘I’m gold’.”

Assistant Chief Constable Debbie Ford was the gold commander for

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) on duty on the night. She told the public inquiry she had no recollection of meeting the ex-officer as she arrived at force HQ, 45 minutes after the suicide bombing.

Mrs Bradbury, who had served in a counter-terrorism role with Lancashire Police said she “screamed” a report to the officer of

“approximately 30 dead” from a single explosion, adding: “She looked like a rabbit in the headlights”.

She was then left outside the building and did not get the chance to give a report to officers.

Suicide bomber Salman Abedi murdered 22 bystanders and injured hundreds more in the City

Room foyer of the Arena as they left an Ariana Grande concert at 10.31pm on May 22 2017.

The public inquiry has heard of a delayed and sluggish response from fire and ambulance amid confusion about what was going on at the Arena.

It is looking at events before, during and after the attack.