Ariana Grande pays tribute to youngest Manchester Arena bomb attack victim Saffie Roussos in touching Instagram post

ARIANA Grande has paid an emotional tribute to Saffie Roussos, the youngest victim of the Manchester Arena bombing, on what would have been her ninth birthday.

Saffie was with her family when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a home-made device, with seven children among the 22 who were killed.

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After performing in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, Grande posted on social media: "Saffie, we're [thinking] of you baby" alongside a birthday cake emoji.

The youngster, from Leyland, Lancashire, would have celebrated her ninth birthday on July 4.

Saffie's family also marked the occasion by speaking out, remembering how she had looked forward to the concert.

Ashlee Bromwich, Saffe's older sister, said the super fan was "elated" as she watched her idol on perform on May 22.

"She was Ariana Grande-obsessed, so to see how happy she was, it was just ... obviously I had to go with her," she told the BBC.

Her father, Andrew Roussos, said: "You couldn't be out with Saffie without having fun, but her dream was to be famous.

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"It was her everything and we bought her the tickets for Christmas.

"She was just counting the days, the seconds and it was just Ariana Grande until nine, 10 o'clock at night. And she would sing and dance every single song."

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The explosion ripped through the arena foyer as thousands of fans, mostly young girls, left the venue following Grande's performance.

Mr Roussos, who said "all hell broke loose" after the bombing, was later told by a police detective that Saffie had died.

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"We've lost everything.

"We have, we've lost everything, because life will just never be the same," he said.

Hundreds of people released balloons in Manchester to mark Saffie's birthday.

A minute’s silence was held before the colourful balloons were released into the air.

Family friend Mike Swanson : "I’m speechless.

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"I can’t believe that this has happened in the space of just 12 hours."

The crowd sang the Robbie Williams track Strong, before Saffie’s favourite, Ariana Grande, was played.