Colin Briggs
Look North

A County Durham teenager has returned home after surgery at Bolton Royal Infirmary, following Monday's terror attack in Manchester.

Image source, Family photo

Laura Anderson had shrapnel removed from her leg and shoulder and is now recovering at her home in Newton Aycliffe.

The 15-year-old, who attends Woodham Academy, travelled to the Ariana Grande concert with her best friend and best friend’s parents, who were waiting for the teenagers outside when they heard the explosion.

Image source, Getty Images

A father of three young Ariana Grande fans is being praised online after penning an open letter to the singer re-assuring her that her fans "aren't going anywhere".

The 23-year-old pop star singer last night pulled the next two weeks of her tour, following Monday's tragedy in Manchester, including two gigs in London tonight and tomorrow.

But now some "unsolicited advice from a fat dude in Georgia", aka Patrick Millsaps, has really caught the attention of social media.

He starts: "Dear Miss Grande, I am the father of three daughters - aged 13, 12 and 12. So, you have been a part of our family for years."

He then goes on to advice her she doesn't have a thing to apologise for and to sing again when and only when she is ready.

Check out the full letter below.

Read more.

The response to this letter on social media has been incredible.

Millie Robson, 15, said it was "lovely" to talk to the Queen from her hospital bed, where she is recovering from a leg injury after Monday's bomb attack.

At the end of the concert, Miss Robson describes waving to her father David, who was waiting to pick her up in the foyer, when the bomb went off.

"I just remember the explosion in my ears," she said. "People were screaming".

Image source, Getty Images

Her father rushed to her aid to stop the bleeding from her legs.

"My dad ran over to me and picked me up and we tied jumpers and stuff around the two main wounds on my leg."

Miss Robson is recovering in Manchester Children's Hospital, which the Queen visited earlier today.

Chesire Police have laid flowers in memory of their colleague, Elaine McIver, who was one of the victims of the Manchester bombing.

The 43-year-old, who was off-duty at the concert, was described by her family as "the best we could ever have wished for".

She was with her partner Paul, who was seriously injured, and two children, who were also hurt.

The Liberal Democrats will not be showing their party political broadcast tonight, but instead will air a "personal and non-political message" from their leader, Tim Farron.

The film, which will be shown on BBC One, will see the Lancashire-born politician talking about his experience of Tuesday's vigil.

He will say: "It feels raw now, it really feels raw, but I want to just say those children they're our children. We're all Manchester. We're all Britain."

BBC Radio 5 live

Manchester Council leader, Sir Richard Leese, has described media reports that parts of Manchester are "hotbeds of radicalism" as "deeply offensive to us as a city" and based on "very slight anecdotal evidence" that "defames whole communities in this city".

He told 5live he was "very upset" by the reports.

Sir Richard also said it was "much too soon" to think about a permanent memorial to the victims and he described this week as "possibly the worst week the city has ever had".

He said that the fact that the perpetrator was born in the UK and grew up in Manchester was "almost irrelevant" and that he had carried out an "act of evil".

Coronation Street creators will dedicate a bench on the TV show's set to victims of the Manchester terror attack.

The bench will be located in the new extension to the set which is being built at the programme's Trafford site.

This is the first time armed officers will travel on trains outside the capital.

British Transport Police Chief Constable Paul Crowther said: "Since the devastating events in Manchester on Monday evening, our force has radically increased the presence of our officers nationwide.

"By having firearms officers on board trains we're ensuring that trains remain as safe as possible for passengers.

"Our patrols will be highly visible and passengers should feel comforted by their presence."

The family of Martyn Hett, say they are 'heartbroken', as Mariah Carey also pays tribute to him.

The Simple Minds frontman on why they went ahead with their Manchester gig, a day after the terror attack which killed 22 people.

The New York Times has defended its decision to publish crime scene photographs of the Manchester Arena bombing.

It said the "images and information presented were neither graphic nor disrespectful of victims".

Suspected attacker Salman Abedi was in Turkey just four days before the bombing, the BBC understands.

A Turkish official said Abedi, 22, "transited through Istanbul and did not spend time in Turkey".

He added that Turkey had not been given any information about Abedi from any foreign government prior to the attack.

The former boxer, Ricky Hatton, who grew up in Greater Manchester, was in St Anne's Square in Manchester for the minute's silence this morning.

He said: "Nothing can be said other than it's a tragedy. You know, being a Mancunian, you know what I mean.

"The Manchester Arena was my home, I must have had 20 fights there, it was like my second home. In fact the night before, my ex-girlfiend was there the night before. In the space of 24 hours my kids could've lost their Mum. It's just a tragic event.

"Manchester, we might not be the biggest city out there but we pull together like none tomorrow and I think the whole of the country and the whole of the world will see what Manchester have done after this event."

South Tyneside Council has made Books of Condolence available in the old reception area of South Shields Town Hall.

The people of Manchester read tony Walsh's poem "This is the Place".

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Manchester United will not be having a parade following their Europa League final win over Ajax last night.

Image source, Getty Images

It had been suggested - by former United defender Phil Neville among others - in the light of Monday's atrocity, that United should have a parade ending at the Manchester Arena - as it did after the 1999 Treble-winning campaign.

However, it is understood there were never any plans to hold a parade. United's players touched down in the early hours after flying straight back to Manchester following their 2-0 victory in Stockholm.

Gordon Corera
Security correspondent, BBC News

There is "disbelief and astonishment" across Whitehall at the New York Times publishing photos and details of the investigation, one Whitehall source told the BBC.

Image source, PA

Nicola Sturgeon led tributes at First Minister's Questions this afternoon.

She said: "I know we will all want to send our love and thoughts to Eilidh's mum and dad and to all of her family and friends at this dreadful time for them.

"Our thoughts are also with Eilidh's friend Laura MacIntyre, who remains in hospital."

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: "The thoughts and prayers of these benches are with the families of those who lost loved ones on Monday, particularly today with the family of Eilidh MacLeod, her friends and the whole Barra community."

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale added: "A death like this shatters most communities but it hits particularly hard in an island community like Barra.

"The family of Eilidh MacLeod are grieving. The family of Laura MacIntyre are just hoping and praying that their daughter will get better."

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

The acting US ambassador to the UK tells Martha Kearney the United States government is "determined to investigate" the leak of information about the Manchester bombing and "bring appropriate action".

He said: "We have heard the message loud and clear from Her Majesty's government."