Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham throws his support behind the fire service
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has written an open letter to firefighters after they were criticised in a report looking into the response of emergency services to the Arena bomb attack.
It reads:
"Over the past few days it has been hard to read comments from firefighters on duty on the night of the Manchester Arena attack.
Some have spoken of their shame and even asked for forgiveness from the people of Greater Manchester.
While I understand why people feel like this, it is important for me to say that I think that they are wrong. No frontline firefighter in Greater Manchester has to apologise for anything. You and colleagues did nothing wrong on that night.
In fact, I know that you were desperate to help but were prevented from doing so by decisions taken above you. The failure is not yours but one of process, leadership and culture.
I know this because you told me of your concerns in the days after the attack. This prompted me to commit to an independent report into what happened and that has been published this week.
Difficult as this week has been, I think we will look back on it as a turning point in our fire service's proud history when we resolved together to make it a service where the excellence of the front line is matched by everything above it."
Published: by Radio NewsHub