Smiling selfies of Ariana Grande fans posing inside Manchester Arena just moments before terror attacker’s deadly nail bomb blast
FANS of Ariana Grande smiled for selfies with their loved ones just moments before the suicide bomb that killed 22 people went off at the Manchester Arena.
Dad Maarten Smit, 49 grinned from ear-to-ear while his teenage daughter Jasmin sang along to her idol's pop songs wearing a pair of the iconic kitten ears.
The Dutchman wrote under the selfie: "What an incredible evening" moments before 22-year-old Salman Abedi detonated an improvised explosive device killing 22 - including children as young as eight - and leaving 119 injured.
Maarten, who initially thought the blast was one of the stage balloons bursting, described the arena to be in a state of complete hysteria once concert-goers realised what had actually happened.
He said: "We had to stay out of the hysterical crowd to prevent us being trampled or losing each other."
While shielding his daughter from the chaos the 49-year-old also tried to protect three British girls who were at the concert without their parents.
Mum Helen Baxter posed for a selfie with her 13-year-old daughter Katy and best friend India at sold-out pop concert.
Both of the youngsters were given tickets for Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman World Tour as a Christmas present.
The 36-year-old mum said: "It was total chaos and an enormous noise of screaming people, low-flying helicopters and sirens."
Thai psychiatrist Joe Nuttorn also posed for a gleaming family photo alongside just moments before the fatal blast.
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The attacker has been named as 22-year-old Brit-born Salman Abedi who died at the scene after detonated the improvised explosive device at 10:33pm.
Joe and his two daughters managed to escape the blast after deciding to leave the concert early to catch the last train.
He said: "While we were climbing down the stairs we heard a loud bang and some people yelled 'Bomb' and 'Run', followed by screams."
The horrific attack came as:
- The Sun has launched '' appeal and donated £100,000 to get it going
- At least 22 people died and a further 59 were injured
- Victims included an eight-year-old girl and an aunt who shielded her niece from blast
- Homeless heroes told how they pulled nails out of kids' faces
- Terrorist named as British-born Salman Abedi, 22, who was 'known to MI5'
- Cops raided two addresses and arrested Abedi's brother Ismail, 23
- Theresa May raised the UK threat level to "critical"
- The Queen praised the people of Manchester for their compassion
- Emotional vigils were held across the UK
- More than 100 people came forward to donate blood
- Terrified family and friends pleaded for information on missing people online
- US President Trump brands suicide bomber "an evil loser"
- Arndale shopping centre in Manchester evacuated and man arrested over false alarm
Follow The Sun's live blog for the latest coverage on the Manchester Arena terror attack
Petrified concert-goers managed to capture footage of screaming fans, many of them young girls, fleeing the venue after Britain’s deadliest terror attack in 12 years.
Schoolgirl Saffie Roussos, eight, 18-year-old Georgina Callander and 26-year-old John Atkinson were among those killed in the attack. Last night 32-year-old Kelly Brewster was named as the fourth victim to have lost her life.
The death of missing Olivia Campbell, 15, was also confirmed by the mum broke down in tears during an emotional TV plea into her daughters whereabouts.
Alison Howe, 44, and Lisa Rees, 43, from Oldham, have now been identified as the sixth and seventh victims of Monday's attack. Both were killed in the arena foyer when warped killer Salman Abedi detonated his bomb at the end of the show.
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The US pop star had left the stage and concert-goers were exiting the venue when an explosion tore through the foyer outside the main hall – detonated by a lone attacker.
Ariana said she was "broken" in a tweet shortly after the terror attack.
Last night thousands congregated for a vigil was held in Albert Square, Manchester to show solidarity for those affected by the terror attack.
The city was overwhelmed by support throughout the day as hundreds queued to give blood to help those butchered in the attack.
Worldwide tributes were also held to those killed and injured at the teen pop concert as iconic monuments including Germany's Brandenburg Gate and Dubai's Burj Khalifa were lite up in red, white and blue imitating the the British flag.