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Police stormed the scene following reports of glass being smashed and a suspicous bag found in the food court, just hours after the deadly explosion at the Ariana Grande concert, which left children and their families fleeing for cover. Dramatic video footage shows the moment armed police arrested and escorted a man out of the centre in the heart of the city. A police spokesman said: "A man has been arrested at the Arndale Centre. This is not currently believed to connected to last night’s attacks." MANCHESTER TERROR ATTACK

Images also show people frantically running from the shopping centre area. Around 300 people ran as fast they could out of the building's West exit. Shop workers lined the streets in groups as M&S staff handed out name tags to count up their work force. A woman in her early 40s, who was shaking, said a man acted angrily at being arrested and started smashing glass.

She said: "It was horrible - he started smashing glass and armed police turned up. "People ran, they thought it was happening again." Collette Nicholls, who works in Superdrug, told the Manchester Evening News people were “running and screaming”.

SKY NEWS Arndale shopping centre has been evacuated

A man has been arrested at the Arndale Centre. This is not currently believed to connected to last night’s attacks Greater Manchester Police

She added: ”Then we were all told by our manager to come out. "We're all a bit shook up." Police say the centre has now reopened and the cordon has been lifted. The Royal Exchange Arcade has also been evacuated, while Selfridges, House of Fraser and Debenhams have closed their doors.

Manchester bombing: Heartbreaking photos from the morning after Tue, May 23, 2017 As the country wakes to the news of the worst terror attack on British soil in a decade, Manchester comes to terms with last night's terrible events Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 19 Vikki Baker and her daughter Charlotte, who were at the Ariana Grande concert, leave the Park Inn, where they were given refuge

Although the explosion was not fatal, it left more than 200 people injured. Armed officers are on the scene and a cordon has been put in place. Authorities are saying the lockdown is not linked to last night's deadly Manchester terror attack. Greater Manchester Police was unable to confirm what had happened at the centre.

EXPRESS A map shows the location of the Arena and Andale shopping centre

The lockdown comes 21 years after the heart of Manchester’s shopping district was razed to the ground by a blast in June 1996 when the Provisional IRA planted 3,300 lbs of homemade explosives in a lorry. Police are trying to piece together what exactly happened following the Manchester Arena bombing, with a number children among the victims, at the end of a Ariana Grande concert.

TWITTER A man is led away from Arndale centre

A 23-year-old has been arrested in connection with the attack during police raids across the city. Chief Constable Ian Hopkins told a press briefing this morning a suicide bomber was behind the worst attack on the UK since the July 2007 bombings in London.

It was carried out by one man carrying an improvised explosive device (IED), who also died on the scene, the police chief confirmed. Greater Manchester Police confirmed the blast, which happened just after 10.30pm outside the venue in a public area, is being treated as a terrorist incident.

TWITTER Shoppers are evacuated from the centre