Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Helen Johnson

Applause rings out after bells toll across city centre on second anniversary of Manchester Arena bomb

A day of reflection and remembrance on the second anniversary of the Manchester Arena bomb came to an end tonight when bells were rung across the city centre.

At exactly 10.31pm tonight, bells tolled at St Ann's Church, as well as from Manchester town hall and Manchester Cathedral.

It was the exact moment two years ago when a bomb exploded in the concourse outside the arena after Ariana Grande's concert, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds more.

Hundreds of people stood in silence in St Ann's Square as the bells chimed for several minutes. As their ringing ended, the crowd broke into a spontaneous round of applause.

Earlier today a private service of remembrance was held at the church to honour the victims of the atrocity.

The families of those killed, people who were injured, and emergency service workers were invited to attend.

You can watch the commemoration from St Ann's Square here:

Moments of silence were also held around the city at 11am, 2pm and 2.30pm.

In line with the wishes of the families of those who died, the second anniversary is being observed in a more private way, in contrast to the first anniversary, which was marked by a series of high profile events. 

Today a number of new tributes have been placed at the base of the Boer War memorial statue in the square, along with messages of remembrance chalked on the ground.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.