Powerful memorial to Manchester Arena victims revealed ahead of seven-year anniversary

A spectacular drone display is set to feature as part of events to remember the 22 innocent people killed in the Manchester Arena bombing. Wednesday will mark the seventh anniversary of the atrocity, which happened on May 22, 2017.

The concept is the brainchild of Andrew Roussos, the father of eight-year-old Saffie-Rose Roussos, the youngest victim of the attack, with the support of Andy Burnham. The exact nature of the display is being kept under wraps.

But Andrew told the Manchester Evening News that the display, which has been drawn up with other families, will be ‘absolutely beautiful’. The Mayor said the event will be ‘very personal and poignant’.

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People are being invited to congregate on Cathedral Approach from 10pm to watch the display, which will culminate in the ringing of the bells at Manchester Cathedral. The display will be centred on the Glade of Light, a memorial opened by the now Prince and Princess of Wales ahead of the fifth anniversary.

Andrew told the M.E.N. that he wanted a ‘more vibrant’ memorial to reflect the life of his daughter. He said: "I certainly feel there should be more to mark May 22. We obviously had the first year and the second year and I just think things have gone a little bit quiet.

"I know the Cathedral marks the 22nd and the bells chime at 10.31. But I just think for us certainly, and Saffie, being so young and vibrant, I just think there should be something a bit more vibrant and something a bit more than what's been happening over the last couple of years.”

He has been working with a specialist company to create the display. "To be honest, it's beautiful,” Andrew said. “It's absolutely beautiful.

"It's just bringing the city together. I feel it's a gift from us, the families, to the city which has supported us.

"Manchester has never had a drone display before. I think it's something positive and vibrant.”

Andrew said he’d been in touch with a number of families of the 22. "Everyone that I've been in touch with have all been taken back by it and have supported it,” he added.

"It would be lovely for us and the families for Manchester to come and support us, and show the love again that was greatly appreciated.

"I feel personally that this is a gift for Manchester, as well as something beautiful for the 22. It's a modern way of remembering our loved ones.”

Andy Burnham told the M.E.N.: "The families are always in our thoughts and this year we wanted to show that in a very personal and poignant way by supporting an idea that has come from one of them. We know that not everyone finds it easy to travel to Manchester and that some do not wish to be here at this difficult time of year.

"We also know that minutes silences and church services are not the only way that some families wish to remember their loved-ones. So this unique display is our response to that and will show Manchester’s unending love for them and those we lost.

“We would encourage anyone who wishes to view the display, and show their support for the families, to gather on Cathedral Approach from 10pm on Wednesday. We are grateful to the following businesses whose generous contributions have helped make this possible: Galloway Construction, Armstrong Projects, Ask Real Estate, P.P. O’Connor, Schroders, Fact3, Stock Exchange Hotel, EssenceMediacom and Roland Dransfield.”

Suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, detonated a device in a rucksack as crowds left an Ariana Grande concert at the venue on May 22, 2017, in the deadliest terrorist attack in the UK since the 7/7 London bombings in 2005. Greater Manchester Police estimate there were 940 victims of the attack who survived. Of those, 337 people were in the City Room blast zone at the time of the explosion and a further 92 people were in the immediate vicinity.

Of the victims, 237 people were physically injured. A total of 111 people required hospital treatment, with 91 categorised as being seriously or very seriously injured.