Exit doors could be closed in minutes Manchester Arena bomb inquiry hears

Exit doors leading to the Manchester Arena foyer where terrorist Salman Abedi struck could have been closed within "a minute or two" in the event of security concerns, a public inquiry has heard.

The probe into the attack on May 22nd, 2017 has been told that concerns about Abedi were not passed to the venue's security control room before he detonated his suicide bomb at 10.31pm, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds of others at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.

The concert's duty manager, Miriam Stone, said those concerns should have been relayed so a decision could have been made on what to do next.

A member of the public, Christopher Wild, approached Showsec steward Mohammed Agha in the City Room foyer at 10.14pm and told him he was "very concerned" about a man hiding in the area with a large rucksack.

Mr Agha had previously told the inquiry that his role was to stand by a fire exit, that he had no radio and if he left his post - except for an emergency - he might lose his job.

He said he tried but failed to attract the attention of a Showsec supervisor, standing 30 metres away across the room, by raising his hand.

Asked by counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney QC for her response to that explanation, Ms Stone, the Arena's head of events, said: "I don't want to cast any aspersions on him and I can understand that it's difficult ... but I don't think it would have been difficult to contact somebody from that position. And

At 10.25pm Mr Agha shared Mr Wild's concerns with colleague Kyle Lawler, who went on to observe that the man with the rucksack was "fidgety".

In his evidence, Mr Lawler said he attempted to use his radio to alert the security control room but claimed he could not get through due to radio traffic.

He then left the area and took up his position on a walkway bridge outside the City Room and made no further attempt to raise the alarm.

Ms Stone said his comment about radio traffic at that time "does not really accord with my own experience".

Mr Greaney asked her: "Kyle Lawler was told about something of concern and he saw a man who was fidgety and seemed to be out of place. Is that something you would have expected to have been brought to control's attention speedily?"

Ms Stone replied: "Absolutely, yes."

Mr Greaney went on: "So, you can make a decision on what to do about that?"

"Yes," said the witness.

Mr Greaney said: "If, during the period shortly before egress - say 20 minutes - if you formed the view that it was necessary to prevent people leaving from the City Room doors, how quickly could you achieve that?"

Ms Stone said: "Very quickly - minutes. Once we made the decision we can be quite clear that needs to happen immediately, instantly."

Mr Greaney asked: "A minute or two?"

"Yes," said Ms Stone.

The public inquiry is expected to last into next spring.