POLITICIANS of all parties have voiced their outrage at the Manchester bombing as general election campaigning is suspended.

Despite the pause in the campaign, many residents will receive election addresses that were handed to Royal Mail before the atrocity.

Candidates in Dorset joined their party leaders in expressing their shock.

Bournemouth West parliamentary candidate Conor Burns said: “We were all thinking about, and standing in solidarity with, Manchester today.

“The overwhelming thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who are yet to be accounted for, who must be beside themselves with worry.

“Violence will not win. We are a nation and a people who can’t exist without breathing the air of freedom and these people will not be allowed to destroy our way of life.”

He added: “The instruction is very clear there is to be no public campaigning that’s absolutely right and proper.”

Patrick Canavan, chairman of Bournemouth Labour Party and a candidate in Christchurch, said: “It’s just terrible. Everybody’s just stunned by it really.

“The Labour Party has suspended all campaigning in the light of what happened. [Greater Manchester mayor] Andy Burnham has made a statement offering support for the families and victims and anybody who’s been injured. Our thoughts are with them really. It’s just awful.

“The emergency services have just been brilliant.

“It just shows how when something as serious as this happens, people do rally round. That’s a great thing, but it’s just awful that this can happen at this kind of event where it’s just going to be primarily younger people that are going to be part of an incident like that.”

Vikki Slade, Liberal Democrat candidate in Mid Dorset and North Poole, said: “It’s just horrifying that we’re now seeing this senseless attack targeting children and young people. There’s no sense behind this at all.

“Trying to explain to my children this morning why this would happen – how do you have that conversation?”

She added: “These are young people that are going out and doing what young people do. It’s pretty sad and cowardly I think.”

She said of the attackers: “We have to make sure people understand these are not normal, everyday people that are doing this. This is people who have a specific grudge and they’re going to extreme measures. People need to think about being together, rather than dividing and try to find reasons to support each other at the moment.”