THE families of the 22 murdered in the Manchester Arena terror attack - including two victims from the borough of Bury - will see a public inquiry into the atrocity begin today.

Sir John Saunders, a retired High Court judge, will chair the hearing to investigate events before, during and after the attack at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on the evening of May 22, 2017.

Suicide-bomber Salman Abedi, surrounded by the throng of elated youngsters leaving the concert, exploded his shrapnel-packed rucksack bomb, sending thousands of nuts and bolts shredding everything in their path.

The names of the 22 innocent bystanders will be read out, followed by a minute silence as the inquiry formally begins.

They will include Tottington schoolgirl Olivia Campbell-Hardy and Radcliffe man John Atkinson.

Abedi was known to the security services, and a senior MI5 officer, known only as witness J, is expected to give evidence to the inquiry later this year.

The bomber's brother, Hashem Abedi, now 23, was last month jailed for life with a minimum 55 years before parole, for his part in the deadly bomb plot, which also left hundreds injured.

The inquiry is being held with unprecedented arrangements to ensure social distancing is observed by the families of the deceased, their lawyers and others representing public bodies, witnesses and the media.

The main hearings will take place in a room specially converted from two courtrooms within the Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court building in the centre of Manchester.

A small number of relatives of those killed are expected to attend the hearing room, with a conference centre nearby accommodating others, along with survivors of the attack.

A media annexe has also been provided for journalists, with only a single media representative, from the PA news agency, inside the hearing room.

Sir John Saunders will begin proceedings by formally opening the inquiry, before Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, reads the names of the 22 victims, followed by the minute's silence.

Mr Greaney will then, over the following three days, set out the evidence to be heard and summarise the key issues to be considered during the inquiry, expected to run in to spring next year.

Background evidence and pen portraits, where families of those murdered speak about their loved ones, will begin on Thursday.

The inquiry is divided into 17 chapters to cover topics including the victims, the background and radicalisation of Salman Abedi, the response of the emergency services on the night, the planning of the attack and whether what the security services and police knew about Salman Abedi could have prevented the attack.

The chairman will make a report and recommendations once all the evidence is heard.

Some evidence, involving information judged to be potentially of use to terrorists, is subject to restriction orders, and those hearings will be closed to the public.

The most sensitive evidence is likely to be heard at closed hearings, with both press and public excluded because of the risk to national security.

A live stream of proceedings will be broadcast so members of the public can follow the hearings.

The livestream is on the inquiry's YouTube channel and via the inquiry website at www.manchesterarenainquiry.org.uk.