The final landmark report into the Manchester Arena attack is due today (March 2), which will look into whether the deadliest terror attack in Britain since 7/7 could have been prevented.
Families of the victims say they expect a “whole catalogue of mistakes” to be laid bare, with MI5 braced to receive criticism into how they handled suicide bomber Salman Abedi.
Sir John Saunders, the chair of the public inquiry, will also scrutinise the role of counter-terrorism police and whether more could have been done to deradicalise Abedi before he completed the atrocities, which killed 22.
When was the Manchester Arena bombing?
On May 22, 2017, an Islamist-extremist suicide bomber detonated a homemade nail bomb as people were leaving an Ariana Grande concert.
What happened at the Manchester Arena bombing?
A member of the public reported Abedi, wearing black clothes and a large rucksack, to Showsec security. A guard observed Abedi but said that he did not intervene in case his concerns about Abedi were wrong and out of fear of being considered racist. The security guard tried to use his radio to alert the security-control room but was unable to get through.
Abedi detonated the nail bomb at 10.30pm, killing himself, 22 others, and injuring more than 1,000 more.
What has happened with the inquiry?
So far, the inquiry has looked into each victim and what could have been done differently to save their lives, if a response to their injuries was quicker.
But who were the victims who could have lived?
John Atkinson
A care worker, 28-year-old John had received tickets to the Ariana Grande concert as a Christmas present. He attended with friend Gemma O’Donnell.
When Abedi detonated his suicide bomb at 10.30pm in the City Room in Manchester Arena, John was six metres away. He received serious injuries, principally to his legs, and attempted to drag himself across the floor to seek help.
Ronald Blake, the first member of the public to call 999 to report the attack, was advised to apply a tourniquet to Atkinson’s right leg, which he did during the call using his wife’s belt. To help stem blood loss, police-issue leg restraints were applied around the top of both of his legs about 43 minutes after the explosion.
Atkinson remained in the City Room for 47 minutes after the attack and was not treated by paramedics during that time. He was conscious throughout, asking repeatedly if he was going to die.
At 11.47pm, while still waiting to be treated in the clearing station, he went into cardiac arrest. Paramedics and a doctor gave CPR and he was put into an ambulance. When he arrived at Manchester Royal Infirmary at 12.06am, he was again in cardiac arrest. He was taken to the resuscitation room and given advanced life support. This was unsuccessful and he was declared dead by the treating clinicians at 12.24am on May 23, 2017.
SaffieâRose Roussos
SaffieâRose Roussos was just eight years old and had received tickets to the concert as a Christmas gift. She went with mother Lisa, and big sister Ashlee.
Saffie-Rose was five metres away from Abedi when he detonated a nailbomb. Witnesses recalled seeing her briefly pushing herself up off the floor with her arms and raising her left arm in the immediate aftermath.
She remained in the City Room for 26 minutes. During that time, she drifted in and out of consciousness and was able to give her name to a member of the public. Members of the public, arena first aiders, Showsec security staff, and police officers – but not paramedics – helped her but no tourniquets or leg splints were applied to her injuries.
At 10.56pm, while she was still conscious, police officers and two members of the public placed SaffieâRose on an advertising hoarding and she was put into an ambulance. At 11.17pm, 46 minutes after the detonation, the ambulance left for the Royal Manchester children’s hospital. She was declared dead at 11.40pm.
Who were the other victims?
A total of 22 people died in the atrocity.
Nell Jones, 14, from Cheshire
The popular schoolgirl, who went to the concert with a friend, was praised by her teachers and classmates as having a “contagious smile”.
Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, from Leeds
Sorrell had gone to the Manchester Arena with her family to pick up her sister, who was at the concert. She was killed and her mother Samantha and grandmother Pauline were both seriously injured.
Eilidh MacLeod, 14, from Outer Hebrides
“Easy to love” Eilidh MacLeod went to the Ariana Grande concert with a friend, who suffered serious injuries in the attack.
Megan Hurley, 15, from Liverpool
The teenager, described by her parents as a “beautiful beauty queen”, Megan had been given a ticket to the concert as a birthday surprise and had been at the show with her elder brother, Bradley.
Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, from Manchester
Olivia Campbell-Hardy was at the concert after being given a spare ticket by a friend on the day.
Her father, Andrew Hardy, said she had been a “daddy’s girl” with an “infectious smile”, while her mother Charlotte Hodgson described her as her “princess” and her “shadow”.
Chloe Rutherford, 17, from South Shields, Tyne and Wear
“English rose” Chloe Rutherford had been at the concert with her boyfriend, Liam Curry, who was also killed.
Liam Curry, 19, from South Shields, Tyne and Wear
Liam’s mother Caroline said he was a “fine cricket player” and an avid cyclist, who also loved to ski and had met Chloe after becoming friends with her brother.
“Chloe and Liam were made for each other - just completely at their best when they were together,” she said.
Georgina Callander, 18, from Lancashire
Georgina Callander, who has been described by family as “always smiling and laughing”, was at the concert as she was a huge fan of Ariana Grande and had previously met the pop star.
Courtney Boyle, 19, from Tyne and Wear
Courtney Boyle, described as “gorgeous and caring”, was killed, along with her stepfather Philip Tron, as they waited to pick up her sister from the Ariana Grande concert.
Philip Tron, 32, from Gateshead
Philip Tron was killed, along with his stepdaughter, Courtney Boyle. His uncle, Ken Mullen, said he had been a “bonny lad” who “always had a smile and cheeky grin when talking to you and was a great source of one-liners”.
Martyn Hett, 29, from Stockport
Martyn Hett had gone to the concert with a friend and had the “most incredible passion for life”.
Kelly Brewster, 32, from South Yorkshire
Kelly Brewster had been “so excited” going to the concert, because she and her “soulmate” Ian Winslow had had an offer accepted on a new four-bedroom home that morning. The pair were trying for a baby.
Elaine McIver, 43, from Cheshire
Cheshire Police officer Elaine McIver, who was off-duty at the concert, was described as an “extraordinary person”.
Angelika Klis, 39, from York
Parents Angelika and Marcin Klis, who grew up in Poland, were both killed while collecting their daughters from the concert.
Marcin Klis, 42, from York
Marcin died alongside wife Angelika, while picking up their daughters. Aleksandra and Patrycja said their parents “did everything in their power to ensure we had everything we wanted and more”.
Alison Howe, 45, from Manchester
Alison Howe and her friend Lisa Lees were killed while waiting to pick up their daughters from the concert.
Lisa Lees, 43, from Oldham
Lisa went with friend Alison to pick up their daughters. Her husband Anthony said Lisa had been “the heart and soul of our family”, adding that she had “had so much more to give in life”.
Michelle Kiss, 45, from Lancashire
Michelle Kiss was killed while waiting in the foyer of the arena to pick up her daughter, who escaped uninjured.
Wendy Fawell, 50, from West Yorkshire
Wendy Fawell had travelled to the concert with her friend Caroline, who was seriously injured, and their children.
Jane Tweddle, 51, from Lancashire
Jane Tweddle, who was originally from Hartlepool in County Durham, had gone to the arena with a friend to pick up the friend’s daughter.
