People across the region will pause and fall silent today to pay their respects to those who died in the Manchester bombing.

A minute's silence will be observed at 11am today to mark the nation's solidarity with those who were injured in the blast as well as others affected by the atrocity.

Flags will remain at half-mast on government buildings until the evening of May 25, said a statement released jointly by 10 Downing Street, the Foreign Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

MORE: Heightened security and armed police patrols as terror threat is raised to critical after bombingStaff in council and government buildings across the region are expected to observe the silence.

It is understood that the silence will be followed by the resumption of local campaigning by most political parties, with the General Election contest restarting in full on Friday.

Officials said there was no national event planned for the silence but that individuals and organisations across the country are expected to decide for themselves how to mark the moment.