Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Mother Stephanie Hill and her daughter Kennedy, were at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester last night when a blast went off in the foyer at the Manchester Arena.

The Muslim Council, the UK's largest Muslim umbrella body, has tweeted this in response to the attack.

Campaigning being suspended during a national campaign is rare. This is when it has happened before in recent years:

2016 EU Referendum - The murder of Jo Cox

2005 General election - The death of Pope John Paul II

1997 Scottish devolution referendum - The death of Diana, Princess of Wales

Afshin Shahi, a security and terrorism expert, told BBC Breakfast he “very much doubts” the attack was carried out by a lone wolf, saying it was “absolutely consistent” with other terror atrocities carried out in Europe.

He said so far no one from so-called Islamic State had claimed responsibility on social media for the attack. But he said accounts that are affiliated to the group have celebrated the news and warned there may be more attacks to come in other cities in Europe.

Mr Shahi says it is important to talk about the attack because there is a limit to what the security services can do.

He says the problem is not just a security issue, but also a political, cultural, ideological and mental health one.

He says to address the issue "we need to broaden our lenses".

Chinese president Xi Jinping has sent a message to the Queen, expressing deep condolences to the victims and heartfelt thoughts to the injured and families of the victims, according to official Xinhua news agency.

Mr Xi said that the Chinese people stand firmly with the British at this difficult time.

Image source, Getty Images

Cressida Dick, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has given her reaction to the attack and says extra police officers have been put on duty in London.

"This is an utterly appalling attack. My thoughts are with the people of Manchester as they try to come to terms with the horrific events that took place in their city last night.

"Our colleagues from Greater Manchester Police and their emergency services showed huge bravery as they ran towards the confusion and danger.

“We are providing every possible support through the counter terrorism network as investigators work tirelessly to understand what has happened.

“Here in the capital we put extra police officers on duty as Londoners started their journeys into work," she said in a statement.

"This will continue for as long as it is needed, and the mix of armed and unarmed officers are there to reassure."

Image source, Getty Images

Thousands of people have turned to social media to help find missing relatives amid the chaos that followed the blast at Manchester Arena.

Image source, Family photo

Olivia Campbell's face was one of many to appear on Twitter with the #MissingInManchester hashtag as her family appealed for information.

Olivia, 15, from Manchester, has been missing since the Ariana Grande concert, where the explosion happened on Monday night.

Her mother Charlotte has appealed for people's help in finding her.

BBC Radio 5 live

Former Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell has praised the solidarity and support of the people of Manchester following the bomb attack on the Manchester Arena.

Powell told 5 live Breakfast: “The people have come together to try and support families, children that have been separated from their parents, and that is the spirit of our city and that spirit will never be killed, will never die.”

“That is the positive that we can take out of this horrific and heart-breaking attack.”

Dominic Casciani
Home Affairs Correspondent

What investigators will be trying to answer is how the attacker got hold of such a device. If they can answer that, they will learn a great deal more about this appalling incident.

There are three possible sources:

• The attacker was taught how to make it
• He taught himself
• He was provided with the device by someone else

If he was taught, this could point to someone who has returned from IS territory in Syria and Iraq.

If he taught himself, how did they go about it? This takes skill and time. Such an outcome would demonstrate how difficult it is to learn about a threat if the individual is acting entirely alone and taking exceptionally well-planned precautions to avoid surveillance.

The third scenario is the worst-possible world because it would point to an active bomb-maker on the loose, someone who is completely beneath the security services radar. Someone who has found ways of reaching out to potential recruits without compromising themselves.

Find out more: Why this type of attack matters

The German chancellor says her country stands 'shoulder to shoulder' with the UK.

The father of a girl from an island in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, who is missing with her friend after the Manchester attack, has made an appeal.

Laura MacIntyre and Eilidh MacLeod have not been seen since the attack.

Laura's father Micheal MacIntyre tweeted: "Please...please retweet. Looking for my daughter and her friend. Laura Macintyre and Eilidh Macleod #Manchester Arena attack"

An appeal by Eilidh's aunt Margaret MacNeil has also been shared thousands of times on Facebook, external, and the SNP candidate for the Western Isles Angus Macneil has tweeted that he was very worried.

Image source, Facebook

Image source, Reuters

More on what US President Donald Trump said in response to the attack.

During a speech in Israel he said "so many young beautiful innocent people. They were murdered by evil losers.

"I won’t call them monsters because they would like that term. They would think that's a great name.

"I will call them, from now on, losers, because that’s what they are.

"And we will have more of them but they are losers, just remember that...

"Our society can have no tolerance for this continuation of bloodshed.

"This wicked ideology must be completely obliterated."

BBC Radio 5 live

The Bishop of Manchester David Walker says the targeting of young children makes the attack in Manchester particularly "abhorrent".

"We've had terrorist events in major cities before but this seems uniquely to have been aimed at a very young audience," he told radio 5 Live.

"This is a time we need to rally together.

"Manchester is a wonderfully diverse city, that's one of the things I really love about it. We can pull together - we've pulled together in the past."

The US President Donald Trump spoke during a press conference in Bethlehem - he is currently on a visit to the Middle East.

He went on to "praise and thank our brave emergency services and thoughtful, caring, resolute Manchester community".