So it was 15 years ago that some Irish guy who hadn't been given his correct change by Marks and Sparks decided to blow the place up. Do any Manc disers remember feeling the blast? I was maybe 3 miles away at the time, and the explosion was still pretty scary. Shaking floor and all that.

Looking at everything that has happened to the city since, the old joke 'its the best thing that ever happened to Manchester' actually rings true.

Here are some pictures:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2603/4114816326_78baae0326.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/images/2006/06/15/exchange_square_370x290.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/images/2006/06/07/casualty_370x290.jpg

http://m.gmgrd.co.uk/res/951.$plit/C_71_photogallery_275159_list_photo_list_photo_item_2_photo.jpg?10%2F06%2F2004%2022%3A18%3A59%3A851

And finally how the area ended up after a few years

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Manchester_1996_bomb_epicentre.jpg/800px-Manchester_1996_bomb_epicentre.jpg

Thoughts? Memories? Stuff?