Wayne Swann from Manchester said he went to the vigil to "show solidarity" to the families of victims the Manchester Arena attack and "support my fellow Mancunians".

He said many of his colleagues worked through the night to help casualties.

Image source, Getty Images

The prime minister continued: "As a result of Jtac's decision, the police have asked for authorisation from the secretary of state for defence to deploy a number of armed military personnel in support of their armed officers. This request is part of a well established plan known as Operation Temperer in which both the armed forces and the police officers involved are well trained and well prepared to work in this kind of environment. The secretary of state for defence has approved this request and Operation Temperer is now in force. This means that armed police officers responsible for duties such as guarding key sites will be replaced by members of the armed forces, which will allow the police to significantly increase the number of armed officers on patrol in key locations. You might also see military personnel deployed at certain events, such as concerts and sports matches, helping the police to keep the public safe. In all circumstances, members of the armed forces who are deployed in this way will be under the command of police officers. "

Image source, Peter Byrne

• Twenty-two people were killed and 59 people injured in a suicide bomb attack at the Manchester Arena on Monday evening.
• About 21,000 people attended the Ariana Grande concert, with a large number of audience members under the age of 18.
• Three victims, eight-year-old Saffie Roussos, 18-year-old Georgina Callander, and John Atkinson, 28, have been named by police.
• Police believe 22-year-old Salman Abedi, a Salford University student, committed the attack. His body has not been formally identified by coroners.
• Greater Manchester Police has carried out two raids on properties owned by the Abedi family, who have origins in Libya.
• A 23-year-old man was arrested in Chorlton, south Manchester, in connection with the attack.
• Due to the complexity of the bomb produced by Abedi, it is thought that there could be a network of collaborators.

• The UK's terror threat level has been raised to critical - which means an attack is imminent.
• Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has authorised armed military personnel to assist the police with securing key sites across the UK in what is being called Operation Temperer.

Dominic Casciani
Home Affairs Correspondent

This is a major and very rare move by the UK's security chiefs. For the past few years, ministers, police chiefs and others have been at pains to try to warn the public that the threat faced by the UK was severe.

But they have steered clear of warning, even when a major plot was being tracked, that an attack could be close.

This time, they feel they have no choice other than to say it may be imminent. In short, nobody at this stage can say for sure whether Abedi acted alone or with the help of others.

They can't rule out whether there are other people out there.

You can read about the occasions when the threat level has been raised on the MI5 website., external

In the meantime, what does it mean for us, the public? Some of us will see the Army in key locations that need guarding, so that armed police can be freed to focus on policing rather than guarding.

We should expect additional time-consuming security checks at ports and so on. The aim for security chiefs is to ratchet up the security while keeping the country moving.

The University of Salford said the man suspected of carrying out the Manchester Arena attack Salman Abedi was one of its students.

Image source, Google

Pro-vice chancellor student experience Dr Sam Grogan said in a statement: "We can confirm that Salman Abedi was a student of the university."

Dr Grogan said: "All at the University of Salford are shocked and saddened by the events of last night.

"Our thoughts are with all those involved, their families and their friends. We have provided, and continue to provide, support to all students and staff who have been affected."

Dr Grogan added the evacuation of three buildings for a short period of time earlier this evening was "unrelated" and it has "returned to business as usual".

The UK's terror threat level is now at critical, the third time it has been at the highest level since the alert system was introduced.

The first time the critical level was reached was in 2006, when a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners with liquid bombs was foiled in a major operation.

In 2007, the terror threat level was raised to critical again when a man tried to bomb a London nightclub, before going on to attack Glasgow Airport.

Members of the armed forces will be deployed across the UK as part of the raising of the UK's terror level.

Prime Minister Theresa May said members of the military would be under the command of the police as part of what is being called Operation Tempora.

Armed forces personnel will be visible at "big events" such as football matches and concerts, she said.

It is possible that there is a "wider group of individuals" responsible for the Manchester explosion which has killed 22 people, said Prime Minister Theresa May.

The UK's terror threat level has been raised to critical - meaning an attack is expected imminently - after 22 people were killed by a suicide bomber in Manchester.

Prime Minister Theresa May made the announcement after a meeting of Cobra, the government's crisis response committee, on Tuesday evening.

The terror threat level had been severe - meaning an attack was highly likely - since 2014.

Greater Manchester Police has confirmed they believe 22-year-old Salman Abedi, who was born in Manchester, detonated a suicide bomb at the Manchester Arena on Monday evening after an Ariana Grande concert at the 21,000-seater venue.

The youngest known fatality is eight years old, and 59 people remain injured

Friday's Arcadis Great CityGames is to go ahead as planned, the Great Run Company has announced,

It said it has consulted with Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council over the decision.

Installation work for the event, which takes place on Deansgate, is starting tonight.

A decision on the Great Manchester Run due to be staged on Sunday is expected in the next 24 hours.

Chris Long
BBC News Online

Bouquets of flowers were left in St Albert's Square, Manchester, ahead of a vigil.

A taxi driver who was offering free lifts to people caught up in the Manchester attack has talked about driving home a man who had "lost his girlfriend".

Pictures of AJ Singh have been shared hundreds of times on social media, and his taxi firm has driven victims of the attacks as far as Birmingham.

He told BBC News the most harrowing story he had heard was that of a man whose girlfriend had died.

"I took him to the hospital, he found out his girlfriend passed away.

"He didn't have a phone, he didn't have any money, he had no way of communicating with his family."

He added that children told him "it was like being in a warzone".

About 200 taxi drivers from his firm continue to drive clothes, food and drink to those who need it.

West Midlands police said a 39-year-old Birmingham man - who is known to police and is thought to have a history of mental ill-health - was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.

Superintendent Andy Parsons said: "Officers spotted the man acting suspiciously and spoke to him. At this point they have arrested him.

"The man was carrying a bag, and as a precaution, Victoria Square where the vigil was being held, was cleared for around 15 minutes.

"A small axe was recovered along with a large stick."

Salman Abedi, the 22-year-old suspected suicide bomber, "probably" attended the Manchester Islamic Centre, also known as the Didsbury Mosque, officials there have said.

Fawaz Haffar, a businessman and trustee of the mosque, said he did not know the bomber or recall having seen him at the mosque.

But he said he "probably" had attended, given his father used to perform the azan - the call for prayer - and his brother attended as a volunteer at the mosque.

Mr Haffar, who is a member of an advisory group liaising with police- stressed the mosque was what he called a moderate, modern, liberal mosque.

Naomi Fisher said she had left Manchester Arena 10 minutes early on Monday and watched the horror of the attack unfold on TV.

She said it was important to take her daughter to the vigil to "show we support our community".

Image source, Reuters

Crowds spilled from Albert Square on to nearby roads, as they stood together in an act of solidarity.

Image source, EPA