A boy from Watford has issued an impassioned plea for unity in the face of adversity following Monday night’s fatal terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena.

After the country’s threat level was raised to “critical” today – meaning another terrorist attack could be imminent – PJ Lynch wrote on Facebook that “this is a time to pull together, in solidarity for those who have died, and not let ‘Muslim’ extremists divide us”.

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He went on to defend Muslims as a people, saying terrorists from so-called Islamic State were not representative of the religion.

“Islam is not a religion of terror, it’s a religion of peace,” he added.

“We need to show the terrorists that that’s the truth, and we all, across the UK and across the world, need to stick together rather than be divided, and we can’t allow them to spur you on to discriminating because that’s what they want.

“We need to not discriminate, pre-judge or hate on any people just because they are Muslim, just because they are not white, just because they are not the same as us.

“White, black, mixed race, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, we are all the same. We need to stand united against these terrorists.”