Tower lights up in tribute to Manchester terror victims

The Blackpool Tower is illuminated in red, white and blue followed by an illuminated heart as a mark of respect and support to those affected in Manchester

Blackpool Tower lit up in the Union Flag colours of red, blue, and white tonight. At close to 10.34pm, the time of Monday's explosion, it went dark for five minutes before displaying a beating heart for the same amount of time.

It then turned back on. A book of condolences will be opened at the town hall tomorrow morning, where the flag was flown at half mast yesterday.

A vigil was also held at St John’s Church in Blackpool town centre from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, with people invited to say a quiet prayer for the victims, reflect on events, and light a candle.

Rev Steve Haskett said: “We wanted to offer the opportunity for people to express how they are feeling and how this incident has impacted them.

The Rev Steve Haskett holds a vigil for members of the public at Blackpool's St John's Church

“I find that quite often in these situations, even where people have no faith, they are looking to find a way of expressing their shock, sadness, and anger.

“Churches, as sacred buildings where people have gathered for generations to pray, can be very useful for that.”