The public inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing has been delayed due to coronavirus. The chairman of the inquiry made the decision as gatherings of large numbers are unlikely to be permitted by the June 15 start date.
It has been pushed back to a provisional date of September 7. This date will be kept under review. The public inquiry will examine the background to the attack, as well as the emergency response.
The Chairman of the Manchester Arena Inquiry, Sir John Saunders, outlined his reason for the postponement in a statement. He said: "While nothing appears to be certain about the progress of the virus, it is likely that gatherings of large numbers of people in close proximity will not be permitted by June 2020 as it would cause a