Crowds flee 'loud bang' in Manchester shopping centre panic

Crowds flee 'loud bang' in Manchester shopping centre panic
Witnesses report hearing a "loud bang" inside the shopping centre which created a panic and a rush to exit the area, close to a terrorist attack the night before.
1 min read
23 May, 2017
Police confirmed the incident was not connected to last night's attack [Getty]
Crowds of people were seen running in panic from a shopping centre in Manchester on Tuesday morning after a loud 'bang' was heard.

A spokesperson for the Manchester police said that one person had been arrested in connection to the attack and that the event was not connected to the attack of the night previous.

The Arndale shopping centre has since reopened after it was temporarily closed by police to inspect the scene.

Collette Nicholls, a shop worker inside the shopping centre, told the Manchester Evening News that people were "running and screaming".

"We were all told by our manager to come out," she added. "We're all a bit shook up."

Initial reports suggest the evacuation was a result of a "false alarm" as tensions run high following Monday's attack.

The evacuation happened only hours after a suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured 59 others in the same part of the city.

Family members have posted emotional appeals on social media for members of the public to come forward with updates on the location of their loved ones.