British police arrested a sixth person, a woman, in connection with Monday's suicide bombing in Manchester, following searches in the north of the city.

"These searches are connected to Monday's horrific attack on the Manchester Arena, but this is a fast moving investigation and we are keeping an open mind at this stage," police said in a statement. "A woman has been arrested at an address in connection with the investigation."

Earlier, the BBC report that armed police had made the arrest during a raid on a block of flats.