Concert suicide attack: People determined to go on with their lives against heartbreaking backdrop

It is one of the country's most welcoming cities, but Tuesday brought feelings Manchester has never experienced before as the city started to come to terms with the brutal, indiscriminate, and shocking slaughter of children and concert goers.

One of the often repeated phrases that comes in the wake of every appalling terrorist murder is that people cannot let the fear change the way they live their lives. That to do so means a victory for the terrorists. It is almost a mantra, as people strive to remind themselves what separates the civilised from the madness of those prepared to murder innocent people.

Tuesday began with people across the country waking up to the news. Harrowing news that left everyone hollow.

As the people of Manchester made their way to work, uncertain what the day would bring, there was an unmistakable quiet over the city. With scores of roads closed off by police and cars prevented from driving into the city centre it was different to any other day. The noise of the daily traffic was replaced by the shuffle of those starting the day as they would any other.

This was not a city cowed by the cowardly slaughter, but one working on auto-pilot – people continuing their lives against the heartbreaking backdrop of an incomprehensible attack directed at the youngest and most innocent members of society.

While people do what they do naturally, it is unavoidable, there was still an unmistakable jumpiness at anything out of ordinary.

That was seen in full evidence when hundreds of people ran screaming from the Arndale Centre at around 10.30am with terrified shouts of "shots fired".

Shocked people stood on the streets, breathless, some crying. The incident showed how easily the frayed emotions of Mancunians could be exposed.

Thankfully, and to the relief of hundreds of nervous onlookers, the incident turned out to be a suspicious package and the centre was reopened two hours later, but the effect was illustrative of the fear and confusion that terrorism inflicts on the public.

Workers rushed from their shops, people abandoned their coffee in the food court, sprinting away from the perceived danger with no-one taking any chances in the wake of Monday night's attack.

Courtney Lansley, a 19-year-old Superdrug worker explained the panic that gripped those in the centre as the Chinese whispers of fear took hold.

She said: "All we heard was 'gun' and people were running, shouting and screaming so we just followed the crowd.

"I literally panicked and broke down crying and phoned my mum as soon as I got out."

Gary Bainbridge, a 50-year-old born and bred in Manchester said he believed the city would come together and heal in the wake of the horror, but that he fears the country will have to prepare itself for more tragedy in the future.

Mr Bainbridge, who lives two miles from the Manchester Arena, heard the blast as he was going to bed.

He said: "I had heard the explosion and then thought it was people near us because sometimes people let off fireworks and stuff.

"I think it is a scary time. Last year me and my nephew actually took part in a trial operation with the police at the Trafford Centre and I was expecting something like this to happen because the police had told us they were expecting something to happen.

"It is more and more frightening but I think we will come together but something more needs to be done about it.

"There is a lot of good people here in this city and I think they will come round and gel together again, I just feel sorry for the people last night."

Rogers Govender, the Dean of Manchester Cathedral was down at the scene with fellow church members as they staged informal prayers for those affected by the tragedy.

He said that people had been left confused and angry at what had happened.

He said: "I think we are all bewildered, we are all angry, all in sorrow and all in mourning.

"Twenty two lives have been taken from this city. These are young people, the next generation and they have been ruthlessly taken down by people hell bent on violence. It is a tragic day for the city."

Despite the shock, Dean Govender said the city would react with unity.

He said: "I think the spirit in this city is one of unity and standing together in the face of these attackers and I think Manchester will react in that way.

"There will be real support for the families and we will continue to build the relationships between the communities. We will not stop doing that."

Dean Govender said he believed the city will resist division in the aftermath of the attack.

He said: "I think it will be the far right element of our society that will try to exploit it for their purposes. The rest of the community will rally round and want to rebuild that spirit, and we will continue to oppose the far right in their endeavours. We are proud to celebrate the diversity of this city."