Minute's silence in remembrance of Arena victims

Royton mums Lisa Lees (left) and Alison Howe were killed in the Manchester Arena attack

Members of the public across Greater Manchester have been invited to take part in a minute’s silence on Tuesday, May 22, in remembrance of those who lost their lives at the Manchester Arena bomb attack.

It’ll be a year since suicide bomber Salman Abedi blew himself up following the end of an Ariana Grande concert, which played in front of a sold-out crowd at the arena on that fateful night.

Twenty-two people lost their lives that night, including mothers Alison Howe and Lisa Lees from Royton, while hundreds more were wounded as a result of the blast, which destroyed the foyer of the building.

Now, on year on, Government officials and those who work in the buildings, will fall silent at 2.30pm on May 22 to mark the anniversary of the attack.

In addition to the silence, a service of remembrance will take place at Manchester Cathedral along with a number of other events across the city.

The memorial service at the Cathedral will be before an invited congregation.

It will be screened in Cathedral Gardens for the public as well as at York Minster, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Glasgow Cathedral.

Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said music was "in Manchester's soul", as was shown in the aftermath of the attack when "spontaneous song captured the city's spirit".

A crowd broke into a rendition of Don't Look Back In Anger by Oasis at a vigil after the attack.

"Coming together in song will once again demonstrate that remarkable sense of togetherness," he said.

"It is a fitting way for us to honour those who went full of joy to a music concert but never came back, or saw their lives changed forever."