Manchester reacts to tragedy with love and humanity

Manchester reacted to Monday night's terrorist attack with incredible displays of humanity, with stories of strangers practicing random acts of kindness showing up all over the internet.

A crowdfunding project by the Manchester Evening News for the families of the victims hit its £50,000 target within hours and had passed £210,000 by 2pm (GMT).

"The M.E.N's fundraising campaign has been very, very important and raised thousands," a spokesperson for the city centre said.

If you would like to donate money to the families of the victims, you can find the Crowdfunding page here.

Numerous local restaurants offered free food and beverages for members of the emergency services, many of whom worked through the night without rest.

One woman reportedly collected a group of around 50 children from the concert and escorted them to safety at a local hotel. She then posted her phone number on social media and waited for parents to come collect their children.

Many local taxi firms reportedly offered their services for free, transporting some of the concert goers safely to their homes for free.

"The audience was a very young audience and there were a lot of people there without their parents who were a very young age," Sam Arshad, the owner of a local taxi company told the BBC.

"People were requesting taxis but they didn't have money.

"It's at that point when I made the decision that money isn't everything in life and we're part of Manchester and we need to do our part to make sure these people get home safe and sound."

The mobile phone store, EE, offered free phone charging facilities on Tuesday morning to help people with dead batteries contact their loved ones.

And in what one Twitter used terms a "beautiful act of hospitality, neighbourliness", at least four Sikh temples in Manchester were giving out food and shelter all day on Tuesday.

Local blood-banks have reported having to turn people away after hundreds of people queued to give blood.

A Rabbi from the Chabad Lubavitch synagogue was photographed handing out coffees to police officers near Manchester Arena, the morning after the attack.

"We are Manchester, we stand together," he told a reporter from BuzzFeed News.

"Today we're going to stand stronger and taller and get out and do that extra bit of kindness."

There will be a public vigil in Alberts Square, Manchester at 6pm on Tuesday evening for people to mourn the loss of the 22 people who died on Monday night.

"This event is an opportunity for everyone in Greater Manchester to show their support and solidarity for all the families going through unbearable pain," a spokesperson for the event said.