Cumbrians speak of horror during terrifying Manchester attack

Some 59 people were also injured when the blast caused by an improvised explosive device carried by the attacker detonated at the Manchester Arena.

Cumbrians were among those attending the show.

Fans have described how they were exiting the venue when "a huge bomb-like bang" went off. People panicked and tried to flee from the arena as quickly as possible.

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Caught up

Jordan Brown from Carlisle was with his girlfriend.

He said: "The building was shaking and everyone was rushing and pushing and running down the stairs to get away.

"I instantly thought, we have to go with them, so we started pushing through together. I can't explain it. It's shocking.

"No one ever wants to be in one of these situations and for so many young people to be in that situation, it's a venue that attracts a lot of young folk and me and my girlfriend are two of them.

"To go through that experience at such a young age - it's going to be with you for the rest of your life."

A mum from the county has spoken of her horror after her daughter rang her as she tried to escape during the terrifying ordeal.

Zoe Tunstall, whose daughter was at the Ariana Grande concert with three friends, described the heart-stopping moment she answered the phone as the events unfolded.

"My 14-year-old was there, she rang me running for her life. Worst phone call of my entire life. Thank god she is safe. Praying for those less fortunate right now," she said.

"Thank God she's safe. She's shook up and absolutely devastated but safe, thank the lord."

Cumbrian PR executive Jacqueline Fletcher was also at the concert.

She said: "I made it safe from the concert. An awful end to the evening.

"I heard a loud explosion and then scrambled with everyone else to get out.

"I saw lots of bloodied and injured people."

Another Cumbrian mum has spoken of her horror as she desperately searched for her daughter at the venue.

Rebecca Jackson's 14-year-old daughter Amy was at the concert with her school friend Ellisa, also 14.

The two girls were attending the gig on their own, having been dropped off by mum Rebecca and Amy's older sister Charlie who went for tea while the concert got underway. They made their way back to the arena at 10pm.

"Amy's seat is close to the box office, which is where the explosion happened but thankfully she had decided to go to the toilet five minutes before the end," said Rebecca.

"All of a sudden we heard this loud, dull thud and the ground shook. It was like nothing I'd heard before.

"I kept trying to ring Amy and eventually got through, then there was a second explosion, which sounded like a gunshot, and she was screaming. Then the phone went dead.

"I was desperately trying to run inside, shouting for Amy, as all these people were trying to get out.

"It was probably only a couple of minutes, but it felt like a lifetime, and then she was there. I just grabbed them and we ran to the car. We still didn't know what had happened but we just wanted to get as far away from there as possible."

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Horrific

Announcing that the death toll had risen, Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins said: "What I can confirm is that there are children among the deceased."

He added: "This has been the most horrific incident we have had to face in Greater Manchester and one that we all hoped we would never see.

"Families and many young people were out to enjoy a concert at the Manchester Arena and have lost their lives.

"Our thoughts are with those 22 victims that we now know have died, the 59 people who have been injured and their loved ones.

"We continue to do all we can to support them."

Mr Hopkins said a "fast-moving investigation" had established the attack was conducted by one man, although detectives are working to establish if he "was acting alone or as part of a network".

"The attacker, I can confirm, died at the arena.

"We believe the attacker was carrying an improvised explosive device which he detonated, causing this atrocity."

Police were called to reports of an explosion at the Manchester Arena at 10.33pm, shortly after US singer Ariana Grande had finished her performance.

Victims described being thrown by the blast that scattered nuts and bolts across the floor.

More than 240 calls were made to the emergency services, with responders, including 60 ambulances, flooding the area.

More than 400 police officers were deployed as part of the operation, with a visible presence remaining on the streets of Manchester on Tuesday.

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Support

Cumbria police said today that some of its officers may be sent Manchester to assist.

A spokeswoman said: “Cumbria Constabulary have Counter Terrorism officers who work as part of a national Counter Terrorism network. These officers will be deployed to support the investigation in Manchester as and when required.”

North Cumbria Univerity Hospital NHS Trust also took to Twitter. It said: "We are thinking about NHS colleagues in Manchester today as they responded to the devastating attack and continue to care for those injured."

The Great North Air Ambulance Service is on stand-by to assist with critical care transfers.

Health workers from the county who were visiting Manchester were among those who offered to help care for the injured.

Kirsty Withers, a theatre clinical manager at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay (UHMB) NHS Foundation Trust, wrote online: "We are visiting for a health conference from Morecambe Bay Trust tomorrow. 3 Theatre ODPs available if needed."

Stuart Hosking-Durn, an emergency preparedness, resilience and response professional with UHMB, also used Twitter to offer help, posting: "Do you need extra hands, we have staff in Manchester, have ID and can attend."

The news sent shock waves around the country this morning as people woke up to the terrible news.

A joint statement released by the Right Reverend James Newcome, the Bishop of Carlisle and the Right Reverend Robert Freeman, the Bishop of Penrith, said the attack was "truly terrible".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected and their families. Together we pray that these people receive all the necessary support in the coming weeks and months," they said.

"We give thanks for the wonderful actions of all the emergency service personnel who once again demonstrated tremendous professionalism and care, attending to all those people who were affected."

They said communities should respond to an attack motivated by a desire to create fear, division and hatred by demonstrating "an outpouring of love and compassion for all those caught up in last night’s incident."

A minute's silence is to be held at Greenmarket Cross in Carlisle at noon.

Colin Glover, leader of Carlisle City Council, took to Twitter to say: "Devastating news of the cowardly attack on children, teenagers and families in Manchester. Thoughts are with you all on this very sad day."

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Suspended

Theresa May will chair a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee this morning.

Mrs May said: "We are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack.

"All our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected."

Flags at Downing Street have been lowered to at half mast and General Election activities have been suspended until further notice.