A group of Maltese nationals caught up in Monday’s Manchester suicide bombing, which left at least 22 people dead, returned home safely yesterday.

A lone bomber detonated a homemade device packed with nuts and bolts in the foyer of the Manchester Arena at about 10.30pm on Monday as thousands of young people were leaving a concert by US pop star Ariana Grande.

An eight-year-old girl was among those killed in the bombing, which injured at least 59 people, including 12 children.

The UK police named the bomber as Salman Abedi, 22, and terrorist group Isis claimed responsibility.

Read: Girl aged 8 among Manchester bombing victims - Suspect named, IS claims responsibility

No Maltese are believed to be among the casualties, according to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who expressed his solidarity with the victims of the “brutal” attack.

Luanne Galea, who was part of the only group of Maltese people believed to have been present, told One News she had only become aware of what had happened when she heard someone shouting to get out of the building as quickly as possible.

“There was blood on the floor, loose shoes and a lot of children screaming. Many of the people there were children younger than 16, some without their parents,” she said.

“I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if one of us had left the arena a bit earlier. We were very close to where the bomb went off.”

The group returned to Malta as scheduled yesterday morning. Malta’s High Commissioner to the UK, Norman Hamilton, told the Times of Malta all nationals known to have been at the concert had been accounted for.

He said he had been in regular contact with the Greater Manchester police and the diplomatic police in London, who were informing the High Commission of any developments as the identities of the victims and those wounded emerged.