ALTON College students have paid tribute to the victims of the terror attacks in London and Manchester with a hand-crafted memorial, laid beneath the town’s War Memorial on Crown Hill, and the tying of pink ribbons around lampposts.

Inspired by Ariana Grande’s ‘One Love’ appeal, Scarlett Aylen and her friend, Charlotte Scott, set up the memorial on Monday. It consisted of a picture, made by Scarlett, showing the faces and names of those who lost their lives in the two so-called Islamic State attacks, and under them the message: “Terrorism has no nationality or religion.”

The girls were helped by fellow students Katy McDowell and Sam Dando-Moore as they set out candles and flowers and handed out pink ribbons for people to put outside their homes, urging them to encourage others to do the same.

Scarlett said: “We hope this will act as a commemoration to the victims and unite our town, showing support for London and Manchester in these difficult times.”

American pop star Ariana Grande had just the left the stage at Manchester Arena on May 22 when a suicide bomber detonated a nail bomb in the foyer, killing 22 people and injuring 116.

On Sunday she returned to Manchester to perform at Old Trafford cricket ground where she was joined by a host of other stars for a One Love Manchester benefit concert for 50,000 fans.

Just 24 hours earlier, on Saturday, it is now known that eight people were killed and 48 injured when three men in a van targeted pedestrians on London Bridge before getting out and stabbing people in nearby Borough Market.

Determined to encourage the town to unite in a show of love and support, rather than anger, the students have encouraged businesses, churches and schools to put up ribbons and posters in their windows and on noticeboards and fences to support the One Love campaign.

According to Scarlett, those who have responded so far include Costa, Porters News, Sainsbury’s, The Crown, The Swan and Pets Corner, Alton Methodist Church, and Amery Hill School.

She said: “We have had lots of lovely comments from passers-by who loved what we were doing. It all really goes to show what a tight knit and wonderful, friendly community we have here in Alton.”