Separated by hundreds of miles, Sam Clarke and Kerrie Buesnell were brought together by the spirit of Manchester, five years after one of the city's darkest days.
Their paths crossed by chance after hundreds of beautifully crafted hearts, created by people across the world, were placed around city centre landmarks. Visitors were encouraged to take one home, the hearts providing a colourful symbol of how we remember the 22 people tragically killed on May 22, 2017, as well as the hundreds more injured.
On Sunday morning at Exchange Square, that spirit of togetherness in the face of evil was personified by the meeting of Sam and Kerrie. Sam, a 30-year-old mum from Shaw, Oldham, spent three months creating more than 150 of these one-off hearts, for people to enjoy and cherish.
