Father pens open letter to Ariana Grande telling her to 'stay strong' in wake of Manchester bombing

Letter has been shared by thousands of people and liked by pop stars including Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, and Grande herself

Ariana Grande performs during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards (Reuters)

A father of three has written a powerful open letter to Ariana Grande after she expressed her grief over the terror attack at Manchester Arena.

22 people, including seven children, died after suicide bomber Salman Abedi's device exploded in the foyer of the venue as thousands of people were leaving.

Film producer Patrick Millsaps, 44, from Georgia, US, decided to write the letter after Grande tweeted that she was "broken" and "so so sorry" after the bombing.

"Dear Miss Grande," he wrote.

"I am the father of three daughters - ages 13, 12 and 12. So, you have been a part of our family for years. On occasion, your songs may have stayed on the radio AFTER I have dropped the girls off at school. I will neither confirm nor deny that I have personally seen every episode of Sam & Kat.

"Since you are a part of our family and after reading a tweet you posted on the Twitter the other night; I'm afraid I need to set you straight girl. So listen up and receive some redneck love from a daddy of daughters.

"You don't have a dadgum thing to apologise for. If some jackass had gotten drunk and killed someone with his car next to your hotel in Manchester, would you feel responsible? If the night before your concert, a tornado had hit Manchester and tragically killed several people who were going to see your concert, would you feel the need to apologise? You see, you are no more responsible for the actions of an insane coward who committed an evil act in your proximity than you would be for a devastating natural disaster or acts or morons near your hotel. Your text was some stickin' thinkin' in that regard."

Millsaps continued by offering Grande some advice about how to deal with the aftermath of the attack.

"Spend time with your God, your family and your friends who will give you space and support when you need it," he wrote. "When you and only when you are ready, on behalf of all the days of love your... um... whose daughters love your music SING AGAIN.

"Music is the international language of peace. Every time you open your mouth and share that incredible God-given gift to the world, you make this crappy world a little less crappy."

Since he posted it on Twitter, the letter has been retweeted thousands of times and liked by pop stars including Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, and Grande herself.

Millsaps said later that he was "humbled" by the reaction but also said: "There are some fathers who had their daughters taken from them by evil. Those men are the ones worth of your respect, love and prayers."

The Queen recently visited victims at a Manchester children's hospital where she said she thought Grande was "a very good singer".

In the wake of the attack, Grande has suspended her Dangerous Woman tour to pay "proper respects to those lost".