Manchester Arena attack: Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos among victims killed in suicide bombing

'Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word. She was loved by everyone'

Saffie Rose Roussos, 8, one of those missing in the aftermath of a terror attack at Manchester Arena which left 22 dead and at least 59 injured (Collect/PA Wire)

An eight-year-old girl is the youngest of three victims confirmed to have been killed during the terror attack in Manchester Arena.

Saffie Rose Roussos, described as a "beautiful little girl", died of her injuries after a suicide attacker detonated an explosive device shortly after Grande had finished her performance on Monday night.

Her mother, Lisa, and older sister, Ashlee are both reportedly being treated for shrapnel injuries in separate hospitals.

Saffie is the third victim confirmed to have died in the attack, with an 18-year-old girl and a 26-year-old man also confirmed to be fatal causalities in what marks the UK's worst terror attack since the London bombings in July 2005.

The headteacher of Saffie's school, Chris Upton, told the Guardian: “Saffie was simply a beautiful little girl in every aspect of the word. She was loved by everyone ”.

Kate Tinsley, whose daughter Jessica is friends with Saffie at Tarleton Community Primary School near Preston, told The Sun: “Everybody is worried, the whole village. Everybody is in bits waiting for news, just some news that she's okay, she's alive.”

Earlier on Tuesday, another concert-goer, 18-year-old Georgina Bethany Callander, described by her friends as a "living angel", was named as the first confirmed victim of the attack.

Georgina, from Whittle-le-Woods in Lancashire, was a student at Runshaw College in nearby Leyland, and was on the cusp of finishing the second year of her health and social care course.

The college expressed its “enormous sadness” at the news of her death and said it would be offering counselling to students.

Tributes were also paid to 26-year-old John Atkinson from Bury, who is believed to have died in the attack as he left the venue.

Friends of Mr Atkinson set up a fund for his family, which received more than £1,000 in less than an hour after being established.

Hayley Turk, who organised the fund through website GoFundMe, wrote: “John was one in a million and loved by so many. A true gentleman,."

One close friend wrote on a memorial page for Mr Atkinson that her “whole body feels numb” after learning the news on Tuesday morning.

Saffie, Georgina and Mr Atkinson are among 22 people who were killed in the Manchester explosion, which tore through through fans leaving an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena.

Some 59 people were also injured in what marks the worst terror attack in the UK since 56 people were killed in the 7 July London bombings in 2005.