Fans out in force for Manchester tribute gig

The American singer appeared in front of an estimated 50,000 fans at the One Love Manchester show less than two weeks since her gig was targeted by a suicide bomber.

Grande had arranged Sunday’s concert at Manchester’s Old Trafford cricket ground in tribute to the 22 people killed and 116 injured at the Manchester Arena on 22 May.

The 23-year-old star arrived on stage an hour into the show, for which there were extra security measures in place following Saturday night’s terror attack in London.

Grande wore a white jumper emblazoned with the slogan One Love Manchester as she performed.

Many in the crowd were in tears as Grande sang with a choir from Parrs Wood High School.

Some members of the choir had been present at the tragic 22 May show.

Grande comforted soloist Natasha Seth, who was overcome with emotion, mouthing to the schoolgirl: “Babe, it’s ok.”

In between songs, Grande told the crowd: “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for coming today, I love you so, so much. Thank you.

“I think the kind of love you’re displaying is the kind of medicine the world really needs right now. So I want to thank you for being just that.”

Grande described how she changed her plans for the show after the mother of bombing victim Olivia Campbell had revealed the 15-year-old “would have wanted to hear the hits”.

She joined Coldplay to perform Oasis hit Don’t Look Back In Anger, recalling how city centre crowds had spontaneously burst into a rendition of the song in the days after the Manchester bombing.

Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Usher, Miley Cyrus, Liam Gallagher, Niall Horan and The Black Eyed Peas were among other A-list acts to appear on stage, with the Old Trafford show raising money for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund.

More than £10m has already been raised, with £2m of the total sum donated during the three hours of the benefit concert solely through text and online pledges.

All of those who had attended Grande’s concert last month had been offered free tickets to Sunday’s show, while those who were still recovering from their injuries in hospital were watching on TV.

The large crowd had fallen at the start of the concert to remember those who were killed and injured in both Manchester and London.

Kicking off the concert, Marcus Mumford told concert-goers: “Let’s not be afraid.”

Robbie Williams led the thousands inside the venue in a chorus of: “Manchester, we’re strong, we’re strong, we’re strong.

“We’re still singing our songs, our songs, our songs.”

Additional security measures were in place for the concert following Saturday night’s marauding van and knife attack in London.

Some of those attending Old Trafford admitted to feeling nervous in the wake of the third mass casualty terror attack in the UK within four months.

Before Grande’s appearance, the star’s manager Scooter Braun told the crowd: “Last night, this nation was challenged and all of you were challenged and you had a decision to make if you were going to come out here tonight.

“And this is so beautiful, you guys made that decision, you looked fear right in the face and you said ‘no we are Manchester and the world is watching’.”

Grande was in tears after being joined on stage by all her fellow artists. She ended the concert by singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow.