Manchester was home to Norwich Theatre Royal chief executive Stephen Crocker for more than 11 years before he moved to Norwich late last year.

'Today my head and my feet are in Norwich but my heart is absolutely in Manchester. My love and my thoughts go to everybody in Manchester and everybody affected,' said Mr Crocker, who said he had both direct and indirect connections to people injured and affected by the attack at Manchester Arena on Monday night.

'It's a city that was home for some time and it's a venue that I know exceptionally well. It hits home the atrocity of it.

'I lived in Manchester for just under 12 years and in the city centre for some of that time. I adored my time in the city centre, living literally a stone's throw from the arena.'

Mr Crocker, who was previously deputy chief executive of The Lowry, in Salford, added: 'There is something completely shocking and barbarous about attacking a whole load of people just wanting to have fun, It is utterly shocking.

'But Manchester is a strong city where people genuinely care for each other and the response from the local communities and residents has been heartening to watch. It is what makes Manchester a really great city.'

He said while the whole of Manchester was in shock at what has happened he hoped this horrific act would not stop people going about their everyday lives.

'The perpertrators of these terrible, terrible things should absolutely not stop the rest of the world going about their everyday lives,' he said.