Youthful fans who were at US pop star Ariana Grande's concert in Manchester and parents waiting for their children outside described scenes of panic after an explosion ripped through the foyer on Monday night.

"I just heard this massive bang and then everyone just started running towards us screaming and crying. Everyone just trampled over us just to get out," Jessica, a concert-goer, told BBC radio.
Jessica was among the 21,000 people who had just watched the American pop sensation, who is particularly popular among teenagers, perform in the northern English city when there was a "huge bang".
"Everybody was panicking," Isabel Hodgins, an actress who had been attending the concert told Sky News.
"The corridor was full, it smelled of burning, there was quite a lot of smoke as we were leaving".
Elena Semino, who was waiting for her 17-year-old daughter and was herself injured, told the Guardian newspaper: "There was heat on my neck and when I looked up there were bodies everywhere".
Semino said she had been standing by the arena's ticket office when the explosion went off.
Cheryl McDonald, who went with her nine-year-old daughter, told Sky: "I've never been so scared in my life. My daughter is very, very shocked".
McDonald broke down as she described a "devastating" scene, saying the venue was "full of children".
Gary Walker, who had been waiting for his daughters and got hit by shrapnel to his leg, said he was "metres away from an explosion".
"Someone came through the doors then bang," Walker, whose wife sustained a stomach wound, told BBC radio.
His daughter Abigail said: "I had to make sure I had my sister. I grabbed hold of her and pulled hard. Everyone was running and crying.
"It was absolutely terrifying," she said.
Emergency services said they had taken 59 casualties to various hospitals as well as treating a number of walking wounded at the scene.

WATCH: Bomb disposal team on the scene of explosions at Manchester Arena



Emma Johnson, who told BBC radio she and her husband were at the arena to pick up their 17-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter, said the explosion was "definitely" in the foyer.
"We were stood at the top of the stairs and the glass exploded. It was near to where they were selling the merchandise. The whole building shook.
"There was a blast and then a flash of fire afterwards. We obviously then run to try and find our children and fortunately for us we were all safe to tell the story."
Casualties
The man behind the terror attack died when he detonated his device, killing 22 others including children and injuring 59 people, police said on Tuesday.
Greater Manchester Police chief Ian Hopkins said the man had set off an "improvised explosive device" as the audience was leaving the concert by US pop star Ariana Grande.
British Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the "appalling terrorist attack" and suspended her campaign ahead of a general election on June 8.
"All our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected," said May, who was due to chair an emergency ministerial meeting later on Tuesday at around 0800 GMT.
Grande, who was due to give a concert in London later on Tuesday, said she was "broken" in a tweet.
"Broken. From the bottom of my heart, I am so so sorry. I don't have words," she wrote.
Manchester Arena said the blast "took place outside the venue in a public space", while police said it was "within the foyer area of the stadium".
The foyer connects the auditorium with Victoria train and tram station, a major transport hub on the northern edge of the city centre.
Tributes
Tributes poured in for Manchester from around the world including from London mayor Sadiq Khan, whose city was struck by a terror attack just two months ago.
"Our thoughts are with all those killed and injured tonight and our brave emergency services," he said.
The pop world also rallied with Katy Perry tweeting: "Praying for everyone at Ariana Grande's show".
US pop princess Taylor Swift, a friend of Grande, wrote: "My thoughts, prayers and tears for all those affected by the Manchester tragedy tonight".
In Manchester, residents tweeted with the hashtag #RoomforManchester to offer a place to stay and there were reports of taxis taking passengers for free.
Concerned relatives used the hashtag #MissinginManchester to locate loved ones.
Train services to and from Manchester Victoria Station -- located under the Arena -- had been cancelled.
"Disruption is expected to continue until the end of the day," National Rail said in a statement.
A few hours after the blast, police carried out a controlled explosion in a small park near the venue a but said the item turned out to be only abandoned clothes.