Elaine McIver: Cheshire Police officer killed in Manchester suicide bombing named

The police officer killed in the Manchester attack has been named as Elaine McIver.

The Cheshire Constabulary officer was believed to be at the Ariane Grande concert with her husband and two children when it was bombed on Monday.

Ms McIver's family described her as a " much loved daughter, sister, auntie, friend and colleague, the best we could ever have wished for".

“She was everyone’s friend, thoughtful beyond belief with an effervescent and outgoing personality," a statement said.

“She would have been devastated by the injuries sustained by her partner Paul, and we all wish him a speedy recovery.

“Elaine just loved life, and had a major love of music. Despite what has happened to her, she would want us all to carry on regardless and not be frightened by fear tactics, instead she regularly urged us all to rise up against it."

Ms McIver was one of at least 22 people killed in the bombing, which struck the foyer between Manchester Arena and Victoria station as thousands of fans streamed out of the concert.

Eight-year-old Saffie-Rose Roussos was among the victims, alongside several teenagers and families targeted in what Theresa May called a "twisted" attack.

Isis claimed responsibility for the atrocity, carried out by 22-year-old Salman Abedi.

Investigators are probing his links to militants in Libya, where he frequently travelled to visit relatives, as well as new reports he visited Germany just four days before the attack.

The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, admitted the 22-year-old was known to intelligence agencies “up to a point”.

Two men were arrested by police in Manchester overnight, bringing the number of suspects in custody to eight, following raids across the city and in Wigan and Nuneaton.

His father, Ramadan Abedi, was arrested in Tripoli alongside his brother Hashim, who Libyan security forces said was “aware of all the details” of the attack.

Abedi's older brother Ismail, 23, was detained in south Manchester on Tuesday.