A TREE has been planted in Partington in honor of the 22 that lost their lives in the Manchester bombing.

Friends of Oak Road Park, a community group in Partington came up with the idea, and chose to plant on olive tree - a biblical tree which is also known to have healing oils.

Adele New from Friends of Oak Road Park and organiser of the ceremony said: "When the bombing occurred we all knew we had to do something but we didn't know what. We needed to make a stand and remember the 22 people that had been killed. We are all Mancunians and are all very proud to come from Manchester so it felt extremely personal to us.

"We decided on a tree but knew it shouldn't be placed in Oak Road Park - this tree isn't ours, its the communities. It is a beautiful sign of solidarity of the people of Partington and it has been a real community effort to make this happen today. It says a lot about the heart of the people from Partington."

The committee approached Partington Parish Council who kindly gave them the land on the side of the roundabout at Partington Shopping Centre in Manchester Road.

The planting comes on the three month anniversary of the attack. Reverend Jayne Irlam, presented ceremony and she was joined with a touching poem by Fred Varden from Partington.

Reverend Gary Serra Di Migni, Greater Manchester Police Chaplain also said a few words at the ceremony to remember and offer help to the others affected by the bombings.

He said: "We're here to remember the 22 precious people God created and loved passionately. We can't remember them without remembering their friends and families. And we cant remember them without remembering the emergency services, running towards the events whilst other people, understandably ran away.

I have talked to police officers that were first on the scene and there for weeks after. They saw things no human beings should ever have to see. They worked 14 hours a day for two weeks with only one day off and will remember that day for years to come."

The tree has been funded through a just giving page, set up by the Friends of Oak Road Park. They managed to raise £170 from the community. The other half of the money was funded by the Greater Manchester Police #westandtogether fund, which promotes community cohesion and unity.

The ceremony ended with a prayer and the final shovel of soil was added to finish planting the tree.