Interfaith healing: Muslim man and elderly Jewish woman comfort each other at Manchester memorial

A Muslim man comforted an elderly Jewish women as the pair prayed together in Manchester's city centre in a symbol of unity following Monday's suicide bomb attack that killed at least 22 people.

At the shaken city's growing floral memorial Sadiq Patel stood by 93-year-old Renee Rachel Black, who was visibly upset, offering his friend comfort as the pair paid their respects to victims.

Muslim and Jew prayed side-by-side at the display of flowers in Albert Square, where a vigil was held on Tuesday for victims of Monday night's attack at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena.

He then helped her away, linking arms with her and carrying her chair in his other hand.

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Tuesday's vigil brought together representatives of Manchester's Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Sikh communities in a show of defiance and unity in the grieving city's community.

Mr Patel then helped his elderly compatriot away, linking arms.

The pair were known to each other, having travelled from nearby Blackburn where they are part of the Blackburn Interfaith Forum.

"Renee's 93. Jewish lady. I'm a Muslim man," Mr Patel told Channel 5 News.

"But at this moment in time faith doesn't mean anything.

"We're in this together, we'll get through this together."

Ms Black added they had come to "pay our respect to the people who passed away and to hope that they never have anything like this again".

The elderly woman said their interfaith community was about bringing people together and it did "not matter about the colour or creed or whatever you are".

"We're all the same people. We bleed just like everybody else," the nonagenarian said.