King meets 'hero' survivors of synagogue attack

King Charles has met survivors of the car and knife attack on a Manchester synagogue in which two people were killed.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, carried out the attack at the city's Heaton Park synagogue on 2 October.

His monarch expressed his "sadness" following the "terrible" incident as he met senior leaders as well as three people who were injured in the attack.

The King also met members of the emergency services who responded to the incident in a gathering at Greater Manchester Police's headquarters, including ambulance workers.

The King, who wore a traditional kippah, displayed by Jews as a sign of Jewish identity, met all three people who survived the attack, in which Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed.

Andrew Franks, the volunteer security guard who was recently discharged from hospital, returned to the synagogue for the first time since the attack.

Yoni Finlay, who was mistakenly shot by police, was also in attendance, and told the BBC he is "physically doing very well".

Speaking outside the synagogue, he said: "I'm doing very well. Physically, I'm doing very well."

On meeting the King, Mr Finlay said: "It was quite an honour. Quite surreal but quite an honour.

"I think it really sends out a message. It shows a lot of support from the very top of the country. It was very special that he came. It was an honour to meet him.

"Three weeks ago I saw the worst of humanity, but since then you do absolutely see the best, and there's a lot of good people out there."

Bernard Agyemang, the professional security guard who was seriously injured when the attacker drove his car into him, was brought in and out of the synagogue in a wheelchair.

Charles was introduced to the "heroes" by Rabbi Daniel Walker - a group of senior figures from the synagogue who helped stop the attack on the on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

"I can't tell you how sad I am," the King told the group, which included the synagogue's chairman Alan Levy, who helped to barricade the door, and its president Hilary Foxler.

And later when he met other members of the congregation, the King commented on what he described as a "terrible thing to come out of the blue".

The synagogue reopened last week for the first time since the targeted attack to celebrate the festivals of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah earlier this week.

Alan Rubins, from Whitefield, said he "dropped everything" when he heard about the King's visit to join the crowd.

"I wanted to pay my respects the way the King is paying his respects to the Manchester Jewish community," he said.

He said he thought it was "fantastic" when the King crossed the road to engage in a "big huddle with the community".

Gloria Levene, who also went along to see the King, said his visit was "a very big boost" for the Jewish community.

Supt Kirsten Buggy said it was "such a privilege" to meet the King during his visit to see emergency responders.

"It has been a tough few weeks and meeting the King and listening to him take a real interest in the role we all performed, it was hugely uplifting from a morale point of view," she said.