The GreatCity Games is due to take over the streets of the city on Friday (May 26) at a purpose built athletics arena in Albert Square.

In a statement, organisers stated that installation work on the Deansgate venue began last night and would continue over the course of this week.

"Following consultation with Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council, we can confirm that the Arcadis Great CityGames scheduled for the evening of Friday 26 May will be staged as planned," officials said. 

The GreatCity Games is due to feature 12 athletics events.

Among the leading names due to compete are St Kitts and Nevis sprinter Kim Collins, the 2003 world 100 metres champion, and Britain's Rio 2016 4x100m bronze medallists Asha Philip and Desiree Henry.

It has also announced that the incident will not affect the Great Manchester Run, which includes a half marathon and a 10 kilometres race.

The event is due to take place on Sunday (May 28) with Europe's largest 10km run hosting more than 35,000 runners last year.

"Following consultation with the Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council, we can confirm that the Great Manchester Run will go ahead as planned," a statement from the organisers said.

"All entrants will receive a detailed pre-event e-mail in the next 48 hours regarding plans for Sunday, which may differ from those previously issued."

Police have confirmed at least 22 people including children as young as eight-years-old have died and a further 64 people are injured as a result of the attack at the Manchester Arena, the largest venue of its type in Great Britain.

A lone attacker, named as 22-year-old Salman Abedi, is believed to have detonated an explosive device at the arena as people left a concert by American singer Ariana Grande.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the assailant died at the scene while counter-terror police and the intelligence services have launched a "fast-moving investigation".

They also arrested a 23-year-old man yesterday in the city in connection with the incident.

Along with this, the force carried out raids in the Whalley Range and Fallowfield areas of Manchester as part of their investigations, with a controlled explosion being conducted at the latter venue.

Today, Greater Manchester Police said they had arrested four more men in Manchester and Wigan in connection with the incident.

Responsibility for the attack has been claimed by the so-called Islamic State group.