Radio 1′s Big Weekend will hold a minute’s silence to remember victims of the Manchester bombing.

The two-day festival in East Yorkshire kicked off with an increased police presence following the atrocity at Manchester Arena.

Before singer Zara Larsson opened the festival on the main stage, the event tweeted:

Larsson dedicated a song, Symphony, to victims of the attack.

She told the crowd: “Music itself, it doesn’t have a religion, it doesn’t have a country, or an ethnicity, it’s something that we do and it unites us all.

“I want this song to be dedicated to what happened in Manchester. It’s about wanting to be a part of someone’s symphony, someone’s life. That to me is the most beautiful thing.”

Zara Larsson (Danny Lawson/PA)Zara Larsson (Danny Lawson/PA)

The two-day festival, which has been hit by some rain, will see 50,000 music fans gather at Burton Constable Hall near Hull to see acts including Katy Perry, Kings Of Leon, Bastille, Lorde, Kasabian and Little Mix.

Ben Cooper, Radio 1′s controller, promised that extra measures would be taken in the wake of Monday’s bombing following Ariana Grande’s show. The attack killed 22 and injured dozens more.

Mr Cooper told the Press Association that the safety of the artists, audiences and those working at Radio 1′s event has been their “absolute priority”.

He said organisers will be conducting two rounds of thorough searches for those entering the venue, and that dogs will be used.

Humberside Police has confirmed it will up its support, but that this may not mean festival-goers will see a military presence.

Grande’s London O2 Arena gigs on Thursday and Friday were cancelled and the London premieres for Wonder Woman and The Mummy next week have also been pulled.

Saturday night will see pop star Perry headline the stage, while Sunday’s headliner is Kings Of Leon.