A MINUTE'S silence will be held across the UK at 2.30pm this afternoon to remember the victims of the Manchester Arena atrocity a year ago.

Twenty-two people were killed and hundreds were injured when a suicide bomber detonated explosives inside the venue as fans were leaving at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

The minute's silence will form part of a range of commemorative events, chief of which will be a remembrance service at Manchester Cathedral this afternoon, to be attended by survivors, victims' families, the Duke of Cambridge and Prime Minister Theresa May.

The invitation-only service will take place between 2pm and 3pm.

Mrs May has called the atrocity on May 22 last year "the targeting of the young and innocent as they enjoyed a carefree night out", and "an act of sickening cowardice".

Ms Grande says her thoughts remain with all those affected by the bombing, and tweeted "thinking of you all today and every day I love you with all of me and am sending you all of the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day".