Emmerdale actress Isabel Hodgins has told how she was at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester last night.
The star, who plays Victoria Barton, has given an eye-witness account of what happened during the event.
Isabel, 23, was at the gig with her friend, when the bomb exploded.
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Talking to Sky News this morning, she said: “The concert had just finished and we were all leaving and then there was a big bang to out left. Everybody ran away from that immediate area.
“We didn’t know what had happened. People were screaming and running but then it kind of died down.”
She also said that there was a lot of confusion, as many thought that the loud bang was due to several large pink balloons being released.
“We didn’t know if a balloon had gone off, because balloons had been released in the concert so we didn’t know if it was that.”
Describing the horror of the aftermath, she said: “Everybody was panicking, there was pushing up the stairs. People were obviously running, climbing down and over the chairs.
“As we got out, everybody was screaming and crying and then the corridor was full of – it smelled of burning and there was quite a lot of smoke as we were leaving.”
The actress added: “The area had been blocked off so we couldn’t go any further but we managed to get out quite quickly and then there was just lots of police and ambulances arriving as we were leaving.”
She added: “It’s just terrifying and it’s really shocking. My heart goes out to anybody that’s been hurt or anything like that. It’s just terrifying.”
Isabel continued: “We didn’t know what was happening. We just wanted to be out of Manchester and be safe.
“As it’s progressed and the story has developed it is shocking. We feel very shaken up. We are lucky to have got away safely.”
Ariana Grande has since posted a tweet, saying: “Broken. From the bottom of my heart, I am so so sorry. I don’t have words.”
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Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said it is being treated as a “terrorist incident until we have further information”.
If found to be a terrorist attack it would the worst atrocity in the UK since 56 people were killed in the 7/7 London bombings in 2005.
22 people have been reported dead, and 119 are injured.