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Manchester Arena witness: 'It was absolute carnage'

A witness who was in the arena when the blast went off described a "massive bang" and people being trampled as they tried to flee.

Ryan Morrison, 19, from Northumberland, went to the concert with friends.

He told the Manchester Evening News: "It was one massive bang and then I saw smoke. I heard someone shout 'bomb' and then everyone started running. It was carnage.

"People were injured being trampled as they tried to get out. It was absolute carnage."

A rough sleeper has described how one woman died in his arms as he went to her aid following the explosion.

Chris Parker, 33, was in the foyer where he regularly goes to beg for money as concert crowds leave.

He said: "I saw a little girl... she had no legs. I wrapped her in one of the merchandise t-shirts and I said 'where is your mum and daddy?' She said 'my dad is at work, my mum is up there'."

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Mr Parker said he also tended to a woman in her 60s who had serious leg and head injuries.

He said: "She passed away in my arms. She was in her 60s and said she had been with her family. I haven't stopped crying.

"There were nuts and bolts all over the floor. People had holes in their back."

John Young was at the arena with his wife and nine-year-old daughter and decided to leave early to beat the traffic.

He said they were going to stop to buy a poster or t-shirt for their daughter but decided against it after seeing the queues.

He told Sky News: "There were young children terrified, crying their eyes out. It was just pure panic.

"If we'd delayed it by 20 seconds, God knows what would have happened.

"My daughter was in absolute bits last night. No nine-year-old girl should see anything like that.

"It should have been the best day of her life and it's turned into the worst one really."

Catherine Macfarlane, who was at the gig, told the Reuters news agency: "We were making our way out and when we were right by the door there was a massive explosion and everybody was screaming.

"It was a huge explosion - you could feel it in your chest. It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out of the area."

Majid Khan, 22, said: "It was one bang and essentially everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard from suddenly came running towards us.

"Everyone was in a huge state of panic, calling each other as some had gone to the toilet whilst this had gone off, so it was just extremely disturbing for everyone there."

Gary Walker, from Leeds, was with his wife in the foyer waiting to pick up his two daughters who were at the concert.

He said the explosion took place next to the foyer door and that glass and metal nuts and bolts were left on the floor.

He told the BBC: "We heard the last song, and quite a few people were flooding out and then suddenly there was a massive flash and then a bang, smoke.

"I felt a bit of pain in my foot and my leg. My wife said 'I need to lie down'. I lay her down, she'd got a stomach wound and possibly a broken leg.

"I was about three metres from the actual explosion. I am surprised I got away so lightly."

His daughters, Abigail and Sophie, managed to contact their parents by mobile phone to say they were safe.

Andy Holey was waiting to collect his wife and daughter at the end of the concert, and said he was blown "about 30ft" by the force of the blast.

He told BBC News: "It's shocking what happened. Just carnage everywhere. There was a good 20 to 30 of them [victims].

"Some were young kids, some were disabled people."

Amelia Senior, 11, had just left the arena when the explosion went off.

She said: "We walked out, we'd gone through the gates to actually go out, suddenly something really hot just flew over us and behind me and my sister and we all dropped to the floor.

"I couldn't really hear anything, it was just really scary."

Oliver Jones, 17, was at the concert with his 19-year-old sister.

He said: "The bang echoed around the foyer of the arena and people started to run.

"I seen people running and screaming towards one direction and then many were turning around to run back the other way.

"Security was running out as well as the fans and concert goers."

Anne-Marie was at the concert with her 13-year-old daughter. She told BBC News: "You just felt this utter shudder of the building and... there seemed to be a smog at the top of the stadium and around you.

"People were dropping to the floor and thought there might be a gunman in there.

"Unfortunately the security were at a loss as much as anybody else and it was just each to their own."

Nikola Trochtova, from the Czech Republic, told Czech public radio: "There was almost no security check, rather zero. They let us get in without any check if we have anything with us.

"The only thing they were interested in was if we had any bottles of water with us. They almost didn't check our bags, they didn't take a look."

Paula Robinson, 48, from West Dalton, said she was at the train station when she felt the explosion and saw dozens of teenage girls screaming and running away.

She said: "We ran out. It was literally seconds after the explosion. I got the teens to run with me."

Mrs Robinson took dozens of teenage girls to the nearby Holiday Inn Express hotel and tweeted out her phone number to worried parents to get in touch with their children.

"Parents were frantic running about trying to get to their children. There were lots and lots of children at Holiday Inn."

Police have confirmed 22 people died in the explosion, including children, and 59 others were injured.

:: A hotline has been set up for those with concerns over loved ones who remain unaccounted for. Those worried about their friends or family should call 0800 096 0095