Hundreds gather to remember victims of deadly Manchester bombing one year on

[Ulquiorra]

MANCHESTER has united in its grief today to remember the 22 killed in the bomb blast one year on as the nation fell silent.

Prince William and Theresa May have joined mourners at a service in Manchester Cathedral to pay tribute to those affected by the terror attack on May 22, 2017.

Tears were shed ahead of a minute silence held across the country for the victims, which included a six-year-old girl and an off-duty police officer, an aunt who shielded her 11-year-old niece from the bomb,The Sun reported.

Families of the victims, the injured and the first responders to the scene are also at an invitation-only service today in Manchester Cathedral.

There were emotional scenes in Cathedral Gardens, where the service is being broadcast, as people wept and hugged each other.

Manchester has rallied together to mark the first anniversary of the terror attack.

A choir performed in St Ann’s Square this morning, while hearts have been left in Exchange Square.

Others have been hanging messages of support on the Tree of Hope set up in the city centre.

Stones decorated with bees, which became the symbol of Manchester in the wake of the devastating blast, have also appeared across the city today.

The invitation-only service was laos attended by Jeremy Corbyn, Andy Burnham and the Lord Mayor of Manchester June Hitchen.

It included a reading by Prince William from the book of Corinthians.

He said: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face-to-face.

“Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

“And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”

The choir sang the National Anthem and Somewhere Over The Rainbow, which Ariana Grande sang at the One Love Manchester concert in the wake of the atrocity.

The Bishop of Manchester the Rt Rev David Walker gave a lengthy address, saying: “Here in this building is where Manchester remembers a specific moment in its history.

“This place, so close to the spot where lives were lost and so many changes forever. By gathering today we have it for all the tomes to come. Manchester is here.”

The hour-long service was rounded off with a final message from the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who said: “Go forth into the world in peace.”

More than 3,000 singers from local choirs will later join forces at the Manchester Together — With One Voice event in the city’s Albert Square from 7.30pm to 9pm.

The choir will be formed of the Manchester Survivors Choir, a group made up people who were at the Arena on the night of the attack, and Parrs Wood High School’s Harmony Group.

At 10.31pm, bells will ring out from buildings across the city centre to mark the moment when the attack took place 12 months ago.

It comes after Grandesent her fans “love and light” a year after ISIS terrorist Salman Abedi slaughtered 22 people and injured 800 more at her concert.

The warped bomber detonated a homemade explosive device made of shrapnel, nuts and bolts in the Arena foyer as young fans left the concert.

Grande, 24, who returned to Manchester the month after the attack to hold a tribute concert, wrote on Twitter today: “Thinking of you all today and every day. I love you with all of me and am sending you all of the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day.”

The atrocity also claimed the lives of several parents who were waiting in the foyer of the venue.

Manchester-born attacker Abedi, 22, had targeted the Arena after travelling to Syria for ISIS training.

He later visited terrorist hotbeds in Germany where he liaised with fellow jihadis.

Hours after the bombing ISIS celebrated the “successful and surprising” attack and claimed it was “revenge for Mosul air strikes”.

But, speaking today Theresa May will say that Abedi’s “sickening” blast failed to “break our resolve and divide us”.

She will add: “Such appalling acts of wickedness will do nothing but strengthen our resolve to defeat such twisted ideology.

“The resilience and determination shown by Manchester in the 12 months since is testament to that.”

The comments will come in a piece in the Manchester Evening News as the PM attends a memorial service in the city.