The general manager of Manchester Arena said the emergency services failed to use a back entrance in the aftermath of the 2017 terrorist attack which would have enabled ambulances to provide faster treatment for victims.
James Allen told the Manchester Arena Inquiry he arrived shortly after the suicide bombing which killed 22 people and injured hundreds more.
Salman Abedi detonated a bomb in May 2017 at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.
Mr Allen told the inquiry his staff had been told not to leave a control room and had "no contact" with the emergency services. They were not able to make them aware there was a back entrance with space for 12 ambulances.
During the inquiry, the emergency services have been criticised for their slow response and bereaved relatives and survivors have condemned delays in the treatment and evacuation of victims.
"I asked if [my staff] had had any contact with the emergency services, I would have expected it," Mr Allen said.
"I have been very clear that the Arena is there and available for guidance and assistance and anything we could to help but my staff said they had been told to go to the control area and not to leave."
He said he contacted an armed police officer at the incident and got in touch with the officer leading the response who wanted to access their CCTV.
But he said he was surprised the ambulances did not use the rear entrance as they asked all ambulances to use it as they can access the arena "more rapidly".
"We could probably have got 10 to 12 ambulances into that area, or any other things," he said.
Mr Allen also raised concerns over the skills of those giving medical aid to victims on the night of the terrorist attack.
He said the Arena used Emergency Training UK to provide medical aid to anyone attending the venue.
"I thought they did a fantastic job that night, the area that could have been better was the handover with the ambulance service," he said.
"I believe they had a really good level of expertise and a lot of knowledge and experience. I believe they had a really good mix of skills, but having heard some of the evidence we were concerned about the level of skills we expected in the contract."
He said he had asked the firm for more details about the medics employed by it but they had declined to do so, citing "confidentiality".
Mr Allen said a renewed contract with the firm specified that a list of the medics being used and their qualifications should be given to the Arena prior to every event, but the inquiry heard this had not been done.
"We had a contract with them saying they would provide the services we required, we were monitoring it but we did not ask for qualifications at every show."
The Manchester Arena Inquiry is examining the circumstances of the attack and whether any opportunities to prevent it were missed.
It was established by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in October.
Suicide bomber Abedi, 22, died after detonating a rucksack bomb in a foyer of the arena at the end of the concert.
His younger brother, Hashem Abedi, was convicted last year on 22 counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of conspiracy to cause an explosion.
He was sentenced to jail for a minimum of 55 years.
ATP WORLD No 1
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
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RESULTS
West Asia Premiership
Thursday
Jebel Ali Dragons 13-34 Dubai Exiles
Friday
Dubai Knights Eagles 16-27 Dubai Tigers
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
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- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
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- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group F
Manchester City v Hoffenheim, midnight (Wednesday, UAE)
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
