Manchester attack: UK threat level reduced from critical to severe – as it happened

Hello, Bonnie Malkin picking up the blog for the next little while. Our latest report from Manchester describes how detectives investigating the bombing say they have “got hold of a large part of the network” and made “immense” progress in arresting people suspected of assisting Salman Abedi.

You can read the full story here:

A local shopkeeper has described how armed police boarded a bus in Rusholme, Manchester and arrested a 44-year-old man in connection with the attack.

Daryl Lawson, a 29-year-old store manager of Spar on Oxford Road in the city, told the Press Association that up to six people rushed into his shop as armed police stormed the bus they were on. He then saw a police van pull up at the back of the bus, and believes a male passenger was taken away in it. Lawson said: “Basically some other people from the bus came running in the shop absolutely terrified, they said a number of armed police were on the bus. So I just got them in the back of the shop. I stood and guarded the front.” The passengers “were too scared and panicked” to get a good look at the man, but told Lawson he had been sitting at the back of the number 41 bus.

Relatives have been paying tribute to 47-year-old Lisa Lees, who died in Monday’s bombing.

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Her daughter, India Lees, said:

You were the best mum in the universe and the bestest friend that I could ask for. You always cheered me up when I was upset and have always been there for me. You have the most beautiful smile and most caring eyes. You are loved by everyone. I will forever miss our girly days out and talking to you about everything. You taught me to ‘believe’ in myself and to do my best. I will make you proud mum, I promise. I love you soooo much, more than anything and always will.

My Angel- RIP <3

Anthony Lees, Lisa’s husband:

Lisa you are my beautiful, gorgeous wife. You are my life, my soulmate, my best friend. I love you so much and always will. Life will never be the same again. My heart has been ripped apart, Lisa you really were such an amazing woman, the perfect mum to India and Lauran, and the coolest nanna to Jayden. You brought joy and happiness wherever you were and whoever you were with. You achieved so much in your career as a beauty therapist. We are all so proud of what you achieved, Lisa you really were such an amazing woman.

RIP babe we all love you so much.

Till we meet again, love and always forever, Anthony xxx

And Elaine Hunter, Lisa Lees’ mother, said:

To my beautiful amazing daughter Lisa, I am so proud of you for what you achieved. Little did I know that when I spent the day with you on Sunday 14 May it would be the last time I got to hold you as your life was cut short before your time, through a cowardly act of murder and worse was I was on holiday in Turkey.

You were a wonderful daughter, wife and mother and sister. You achieved such a lot in your life, graduating only last year from university. Before that you won an award of excellence in London for your work with children who had complex mental health issues.

You were an inspiration to all and should have had a great life ahead of you. Instead at the age of 43 your time on earth ended, you are now an angel in God’s garden.

The last five years you looked after and supported me through my illness along with your brother Lee.

Don’t know how we will go on without you but I know you would want us too, my Darling Daughter I love you now and forever.

Greater Manchester police say they have arrested a 44-year-old man in the Rusholme area of the city “on suspicion of offences contrary to the terrorism act”.

He is the 11th person to be detained by UK police; two of whom have since been released without charge. That leaves nine men in custody, police say.

26 May 201714.42 EDT

Helen Pidd

Fesl Reza Khan, a council worker who helped to organise a Muslim vigil in Manchester’s St Ann’s Square on Friday night, addressed part of his speech to the non-Muslims present.

How can I begin to express the love we have for you? We are your neighbours. We went to school with you. We work with you. There’s but a hair’s breadth difference between us. It’s important for you to know that when you are worried, we want to put our arms around you. When you cry, we feel your pain. And when you fall, our first instinct is to help pick you up.

The half-hour vigil also featured a rendition of Wonderwall by singer Hussnain Lahori and a minute’s silence, which saw several hundred people - including the politician George Galloway - make a heart sign with their hands.

Theresa May will chair a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee in Whitehall on Saturday morning to discuss the latest developments with senior ministers, officials and security officers, Downing Street says.

Ariana Grande, at whose concert the terror attack took place on Monday night, will return to the city for a benefit concert. She says her “heart, prayers and deepest condolences” are with the victims of the bombing.

26 May 201714.04 EDT

Helen Pidd

The Great City Games have begun in Manchester this evening. The women’s pole vaulting is underway in Albert Square, where thousands gathered for a vigil on Tuesday night. A 200m running track as been set up on Deansgate, one of the city’s main thoroughfares, which leads down towards the arena.

Colin Jackson, the Olympic hurdles medallist and BBC commentator, told me it was right that the event goes ahead.”

Sport can galvanise us as a nation. I think it’s really important that sport carries on and we show what we can do. I think people will come out because they want to support, not just for the event but for each other. There is something reassuring about rubbing shoulders with like-minded people, who share the trauma that everybody feels.

He said he wasn’t at all scared to be in Manchester. Shortly Greg Rutherford, the 2012 Olympic champion, is due to compete in Albert Square.

26 May 201713.43 EDT

Jessica Elgot

Greater Manchester’s mayor, Andy Burnham, said he did not agree with Jeremy Corbyn’s interpretation of the influence of foreign policy on terrorism.

The Labour mayor said Corbyn should not seek to lay the blame with governments. “I have a different view to Jeremy on this,” he told TalkRadio on Friday.

“9/11 happened before any interventions overseas, and the ideology was in existence before that... The people who committed this appalling act are responsible for it, 100%.”

Burnham said radical Islamists had “used things” to justify violence. “We didn’t create it. [There is] a tendency to blame governments for everything, and I don’t think we should.

“Actions of governments can contribute, but let’s remember 9/11 happened before interventions anywhere. We’ve got to deal with what this is – a twisted ideology that has no connection to being representative of the Muslim religion.”

26 May 201713.31 EDT

Helen Pidd

A charity working with homeless people in Manchester has asked members of the public to consider donating to local homelessness charities, rather than directly to the rough sleepers who helped in the aftermath of Monday’s attack.

Steve Jones and Chris Parker have been in the spotlight after it emerged they had gone to help those injured following the bomb blast, prompting several crowdfunding campaigns that have raised more than £40,000 for each man.

Barnabus, a charity which has worked with Jones, is concerned at the effect all the attention could have on these two vulnerable men and has issued the following joint statement with the Manchester Homelessness Partnership:

We want to end homelessness, but it cannot simply be solved by the provision of cash or a room – it is much more complex, and many of the people our trained support workers help have multiple or significant issues. These issues mean that additional support is vital when starting a tenancy, otherwise our experience shows that people usually end up back on the streets before long.

The publicity surrounding the heroics of two homeless people in the aftermath of the horrific terror attack at the Manchester Arena on Monday has brought a lot of attention and kind offers of support as a result.

We have previously worked to support Steve Jones and his situation and are continuing to offer support. As a result of our association, we have been contacted with many kind offers of help and support for Steve in recognition of his actions.

As one of the charities operating as part of the Manchester Homelessness Partnership , we would welcome the chance to end rough sleeping; but this requires an enormous amount of resources beyond a front door and a key.

We would therefore advise and request that anyone who does wish to make a contribution in this respect considers funding the charities who support those experiencing homelessness by providing the necessary support to help them move on with their lives.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the Manchester Arena victims at this terrible time.