Ariana Grande 'moved and honoured' after being named honorary Manchester citizen

Ariana Grande has responded to the news she has been made an honorary citizen of Manchester as a thank you for her efforts in the wake of the May terror attack.

Taking to Instagram, the 23-year-old pop star, who performed at the One Love benefit concert in aid of the atrocity's victims, said she was "moved" by the gesture, one of the highest honours that can be awarded by a city.

"I don't know what to say," Grande captioned a screenshot of the news. "Words don't suffice. I'm moved and honoured. My heart is very much still there. I love you. Thank you."

She concluded the post with a bee emoji, the symbol of the city, which she also had recently tattooed on herself.

Suicide bomber Salman Abedi killed 22 people and injured dozens more when he detonated a bomb in the crowded foyer of the Manchester Arena shortly after Grande ended her Dangerous Woman Tour gig.

A "broken" Grande returned to the Manchester days later to perform a benefit concert to raise money for the victims and their families. The tribute concert, which took place on 4 June at the Old Trafford cricket ground, saw stars including Miley Cyrus, Take That, Coldplay, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams and more take to the stage, helping raise almost £3m. All proceeds from the event went to We Love Manchester fund, set up by the Red Cross.

Manchester City Council agreed that Grande was deserving of the honour, praising the resilient star for choosing to return just days later.

"She, as an artist, a performer, was determined that she would not perform again until she had returned to Manchester to perform," City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said. "In doing so, she brought comfort to thousands, she raised millions for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund and became the first patron of that fund.

There are currently no plans for a ceremony to award Grande her citizenship in person.