A PUBLIC inquiry is to be held into the deaths of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena terror attack.

Home Secretary Priti Patel made the announcement after being told by Sir John Saunders, who was appointed as coroner for inquests into the deaths, that a statutory public inquiry is needed.

Sir John made the decision after granting applications by the Home Office and police for public interest immunity (PII) on the grounds of protecting national security - and ruling that disclosing some evidence in public would ‘assist terrorists’ in carrying out similar atrocities. Setting up a public inquiry will mean that such evidence can be heard in private session without the families of the victims and their lawyers being present.

Suicide bomber Salman Abedi killed 22 people at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017. Among those who died was 50 year old mother-of two Wendy Fawell, from Otley.

Mrs Patel this week announced that inquest proceedings should be adjourned and an inquiry established to ensure that all relevant evidence could be heard. She said: “It is vital that those who survived or lost loved ones in the Manchester Arena attack get the answers that they need.”