Arena Inquiry hears police officer did not tell emergency crews terror response had been launched

Rachel Townsend reports from the Manchester Arena bombing inquiry.

The police officer in charge in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing did not tell other emergency services the response to a terror attack, Operation Plato, had been declared.

Chief Inspector Dale Sexton then an Inspector, was the force duty officer in the Greater Manchester control room.

He broke national guidelines by keeping the Operation Plato decision secret and not informing the ambulance or fire service, as rules meant the area would be declared a "hot zone".

This meant the site would have to be cleared, leaving the injured left untreated, while any armed terrorist or active gunman was dealt with.

Operation Plato was the strategy to react to a terror attack involving firearms

Operation Plato was declared by Dale Sexton at 10.47pm 16 minutes after Salman Abedi's device went off.

The response is the strategy to respond to 'a marauding terror attack', with guidance on how emergency services should be co-ordinated.

Twenty two peopled died in the attack. Dale Sexton says he was trying to save lives

The inquiry also heard audio recordings he made on a dictaphone in the minutes after the attack.

Chief Inspector Sexton had taped the incoming calls from officers at the scene to log his decisions and reactions to the unfolding atrocity.

The inquiry is looking at the overall response by emergency services to the unfolding atrocity

The inquiry has heard that confusion had seen delays in fire and ambulance crews entering the area where the bomb went off on the night of the attack.