LIVERPOOL’S metro mayor Steve Rotheram has spoken out after a taxi driver found his daughters in the aftermath of the Manchester blast.

Mr Rotheram tweeted thanks to the Alpha Taxi driver who went to search for 21-year-old Haylie and 19-year-old Samantha and their two cousins who had been at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena.

The girls escaped unharmed and took refuge in the nearby Holiday Inn which held more than 50 other youngsters.

On Twitter Mr Rotheram wrote: “Thank you to the Alpha taxi driver who persevered and eventually got through the traffic to pick up my two girls from the Manchester Arena.”

He told BBC Radio 4's World At One he had bought his daughters tickets to the concert as a Christmas present.

He said: "It was one of them horrible moments I'm sure plenty of people have had when they get a phone call from their partners, in my case my wife, who said 'don't panic, but'.

"That but seemed to last an awful long time, and then she said the girls are safe, there's been a serious incident in Manchester.

"You fear, don't you, your blood runs cold and you worry about what could still happen, would there be a secondary attack, all sorts of things run through your mind, but fortunately we were lucky and our daughters came home safe."

Police confirmed that 22 people were killed and 59 were left injured after the explosion.

Commenting on the Manchester Arena terror attack Mr Rotheram said: “On behalf of the people of the Liverpool City Region, I want to express our deepest and heartfelt sympathy for the victims of this appalling and callous attack on innocent young people.”

“There is a deep affinity and solidarity between our two regions, and today we are united in grief and united in our determination not to be intimidated or defeated by the perpetrators of this cowardly atrocity.”

“Local Authority Leaders across the Liverpool City Region have agreed to offer whatever practical support possible to our neighbours in Manchester in the aftermath of this terrible event.”