Ashlie Blakey

Nathan Haigh, 31, was found unresponsive at a flat on Great Howarth near Wardle on August 11. A 37-year-old woman, Rebecca Hamer, was arrested on suspicion of murder, but Greater Manchester Police later ruled out murder as an investigative line after extensive enquiries. Hamer was released and remains on bail for assault. Haigh’s partner paid tribute to him, describing him as kind, funny, helpful and devoted to his cat Ronnie. The investigation continues while police await the full post-mortem results, and officers say there is no wider risk to the public.

The Met Office extended its yellow thunderstorm warning for Greater Manchester from 10am to 1pm on August 20, forecasting heavy showers, possible travel disruption and flash flooding. Rain follows a prolonged dry period and several UK heatwaves, but officials warned it would not immediately end drought conditions affecting all of Wales and most of England. Drier, brighter conditions are expected across Greater Manchester over the weekend, with temperatures reaching around 20°C.

Paul Scholes was convicted in his absence in two separate court cases arising from speeding incidents. His Range Rover was recorded travelling at 37mph in a 30mph zone near Cleckheaton, while a Mercedes registered in his name was recorded at 49mph in a 30mph zone near Ashton-under-Lyne. He received a six-month driving ban, six penalty points, and fines, costs and surcharges totalling £1,472.

Floral tributes have been left at Chapel Street Park in Levenshulme after a 24-year-old man was fatally stabbed on August 15. Greater Manchester Police arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of murder, but he has since been bailed pending further enquiries. Police say they believe the attack was isolated and poses no wider threat to the public, while forensic searches and evidence-gathering continue. Officers and local Labour councillors have appealed for witnesses and for anyone with CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage to come forward.

A man has remained on the roof of a building on Ash Street in Salford for around 40 hours while Greater Manchester Police attempt to negotiate his surrender. He was photographed throwing roof tiles, prompting a police cordon and the deployment of specialist officers, firefighters and paramedics. Police said the incident relates to an attempted arrest requested by another, unnamed force, but the suspected offence and the other force involved have not been disclosed.

Police were called to reports of a disturbance on Berwyn Avenue in Blackley, Manchester, at about 2:45 a.m. on August 15, 2026. A man was taken to hospital with serious injuries, while a 29-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of wounding and assaulting a police officer. Greater Manchester Police said the scene was later stood down and the woman remained in custody for questioning.

Wigan TikToker Jamie Greenall criticized Cefn Coed campsite owner Adrian Wright after being told to extinguish a campfire and turn down music. Wright said the temporary no-fire policy was necessary because drought conditions had increased wildfire risks across Gwynedd, with recent fires affecting the Rhinogydd and Barmouth area. Most campers complied with the rules, while TikTok users largely supported the campsite’s precautions. A UK emergency alert also warned people not to use barbecues, campfires or other potential ignition sources, and the ban is expected to continue until sustained rainfall arrives.

Greater Manchester Police have issued an urgent appeal to locate Albert, a 67-year-old man missing from Scholes in Wigan. He was last seen on Greenough Street at about 8pm on August 14 and is described as approximately 5ft 6in tall, bald with a tuft of grey hair, and tattooed on both arms. Police are increasingly concerned and have asked anyone with information to contact them, quoting reference MSP/06LL/0001722/26.

The Metrolink Rochdale line is closed between Rochdale Town Centre and Manchester Victoria on August 15 and 16 for engineering works, with replacement buses operating instead. From August 17 to 28, tram services between Oldham Mumps and Rochdale Town Centre will also be suspended, while separate works at Manchester Town Hall will prevent services via Exchange Square. The closures form part of a £150 million network-wide upgrade, with Metrolink network director Ian Davies saying passenger feedback on replacement buses will inform future phases.

Greater Manchester Police will deploy a major operation for Bolton Wanderers’ Championship match against Preston North End at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on August 15. Section 60 and Section 34 orders will operate from 9am to 6pm, giving officers enhanced stop-and-search and dispersal powers, while patrols will cover the stadium, transport hubs and surrounding routes. Fans have been urged to plan their journeys and warned that disorder, anti-social behaviour and face coverings will be dealt with robustly.

Firefighters are tackling a major blaze on Saddleworth Moor near Holmfirth Road in Oldham after it broke out late on 12 August 2026. The fire reached about 500 by 150 metres at its peak, with eight fire engines deployed. Crews remained at the scene to damp down hotspots and prevent further spread, while Holmfirth Road was closed between Dovestone and Greenfield reservoirs. Residents were advised to avoid the area amid a wider pattern of damaging wildfires across Greater Manchester.

Emergency services closed Trafford Road and the Trafford Road Swing Bridge near Salford Quays after a concern-for-welfare incident involving a woman. Police, firefighters and paramedics attended, and the woman later came down from the bridge and was taken to hospital.

Luke Hill, 28, died in hospital after his motorbike collided with an Arriva North rail replacement bus on Wigan Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield on August 6. His mother, Sharon, described him as her “rock” and a much-loved member of the family, saying his death did not feel real and asking for privacy while relatives grieve. Greater Manchester Police are continuing to investigate and appealing for witnesses and information about the crash.

Luke Hill, 28, died in hospital after his motorcycle collided with an Arriva North rail replacement bus on Wigan Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield on August 6. The bus driver remained at the scene and is assisting Greater Manchester Police, which is appealing for witnesses and mobile phone or dashcam footage as the investigation continues.

Sale father Andrew Lees was arrested and held for 16 hours after incorrect DVLA records falsely identified him as a disqualified driver with 19 penalty points from Cumbria. Despite repeated attempts to correct the error, he faced a driving ban and court proceedings that affected his family and work. Olliers Solicitors established that another defendant’s offences had been assigned to Lees’s licence, prompting the Crown Prosecution Service to drop the case the day before the hearing. His driving record is being corrected, although his wife’s Kia Sportage remained impounded by Greater Manchester Police pending final release.

The M62 eastbound between junctions 22 and 24 in West Yorkshire was closed after sheep entered the motorway, causing queues and delays of at least 45 minutes. A diversion was introduced, and although the carriageway later reopened, delays of around an hour remained. Separately, two westbound lanes between junctions 22 and 23 were closed after a vehicle fire, creating five-mile queues and delays of up to 70 minutes before all lanes reopened and traffic began to ease.

Jack Cartwright and Natasha Denman, aged 23 and 24, died when a Skoda Fabia struck a stationary digger on Hyde Road in Gorton on August 5. Apollo Simms, 26, has been charged with two counts of death by dangerous driving and failing to provide a sample for analysis, and is due to appear at Manchester Magistrates' Court. A second arrested man has been released on bail.

A woman's body was found on the hard shoulder of the M55 near the Broughton interchange after a driver alerted Lancashire Police. Emergency services attended between junctions 1 and 2, and the motorway was closed for around five hours while officers investigated the circumstances of her death.

A 26-year-old Manchester man, Apollo Simms, has been charged with two counts of death by dangerous driving and failing to provide a sample for analysis after a car struck a stationary digger on Hyde Road in Gorton on August 5. A 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman died at the scene, while two other men suffered serious injuries. Simms is due to appear at Manchester Magistrates' Court; another man was released on bail.

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder and possessing a knife or sharp pointed article in a public place after a man in his 40s was stabbed on Spender Avenue in Cheetham Hill on July 27. The victim, initially in a life-threatening condition, is now stable in hospital. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is due to appear at Manchester Youth Court on August 10.

Joseph Webb, 36, has been charged with murder after a woman in her 30s was found unresponsive with significant injuries at a property on Yewdale Avenue in Breightmet, Bolton, on 4 August 2026. Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation, and Webb was remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 6 August.

A major fire broke out at the Marc Darcy suit shop on Bury New Road in Salford at about 1:40 a.m. on August 6, 2026. Drone footage showed the building engulfed in flames and smoke, with hotspots still burning later in the morning. Eight fire engines and specialist equipment were deployed, while Bury New Road was closed and nearby residents were told to keep doors and windows shut and avoid the area. Marc Darcy said it had temporarily stopped accepting new orders because of the fire.

NHS Blood and Transplant has issued an urgent appeal for blood donors in Manchester, warning that hot weather, holidays and high demand are putting supplies under increased pressure. O-negative and B-negative stocks are reportedly just over three days, compared with a usual six-day target. More than 5,000 appointments are available at Manchester's Plymouth Grove and Norfolk House donor centres, while around 60,000 appointments need filling across England over the next six weeks. The agency is urging eligible people to donate before summer travel, noting that each donation can save up to three lives.

A murder investigation is underway after 56-year-old Brian Cunliffe died from injuries sustained during a reported disturbance on Bryn Street in Ince, Wigan. He initially refused medical treatment, but Salford Royal Hospital later alerted police that he was in a life-threatening condition. Two men, aged in their 50s and 30s, have been arrested on suspicion of murder. Police believe the suspects knew Cunliffe and describe the incident as isolated.

Three weeks of major track replacement work on the Eccles, Trafford Centre and Altrincham lines has been completed, allowing services to reopen on August 3. The £150 million Metrolink upgrade replaced about 1.6km of track between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield and is intended to improve network reliability, resilience, safety and operating speeds. Further work will cause disruption on the Rochdale line from August 15 to 28, with replacement buses operating on affected sections, while services via Exchange Square will also be suspended for two days because of work at Manchester Town Hall. Metrolink network director Ian Davies said passenger feedback on replacement-bus reliability would inform future phases.

Greater Manchester Police and Jessica’s family and friends are appealing for information to locate the 16-year-old, who disappeared from Granada Park in Denton on July 16. Jessica is considered high-risk, has no phone or money, and has not been heard from since. Police have created a public information portal and asked anyone with relevant information, footage or sightings to contact them.

Drone footage from the Derby Mountain Rescue Team shows the extensive wildfire damage at Tintwistle Moor near Glossop, where an estimated 606 hectares—about 900 football pitches—have burned since the fire began on June 24. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service reports steady progress across four sectors, though shifting winds have increased hotspots in Featherbed Moss and peat beneath the surface remains vulnerable to re-ignition. The A628 Woodhead Pass has reopened in both directions after nearly two weeks, with three temporary traffic signals supporting ongoing firefighting operations.

Voters across Greater Manchester's ten boroughs are choosing a successor to Andy Burnham in a mayoral by-election with significant powers over regional budgets, housing, transport and policing. Labour candidate Bev Craig emphasizes continuity, cost-of-living support, affordable housing and investment; Conservative Phil Eckersley focuses on safer streets, lower taxes and brownfield development; Reform's Sian Astley presents herself as an outsider seeking to fix entrenched problems. Independent Marcus Farmer promotes a non-political approach, Liberal Democrat Richard Kilpatrick prioritizes childcare, social housing and social care affordability, and Green candidate Geraldine Coggins opposes rapid AI development without environmental safeguards. Restore Britain candidate Marlon West is endorsed by party leader Rupert Lowe, who highlights West's campaigning on rape gangs and calls for radical change.

A single-car crash on Cheetham Hill Road near Brideoak Street in Manchester at about 2:15 a.m. left the vehicle on its side after it apparently struck a lamppost. Firefighters used cutting equipment to rescue the sole occupant, who was taken to hospital with injuries described as potentially life-changing but not life-threatening. Police, paramedics and fire crews attended, and the road was cordoned off while the rescue operation continued.

A man in his 50s suffered possibly life-changing injuries after reportedly becoming trapped between a double tram at Manchester’s Market Street Metrolink stop at about 9:20 a.m. on July 29, 2026. He was rescued and taken to hospital. Greater Manchester Police said no arrests had been made and that enquiries were continuing, while Transport for Greater Manchester confirmed that the stop had been cordoned off and that tram services remained disrupted between Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly.

Two men aged 35 and 44 suffered serious injuries when two cars crashed on Moss Hall Road in Heywood on July 28, 2026. The road was closed for several hours, and an air ambulance reportedly landed nearby. Greater Manchester Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit is seeking witnesses and CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage.

A crash on the clockwise M60 near junction 5 for Princess Parkway caused two lanes to close and queues to build. Lanes one and two were shut from around 7:54 a.m., but all lanes reopened by approximately 8:10 a.m.; heavy traffic persisted briefly before easing, ending the live coverage.

Greater Manchester Police are investigating a serious assault reported at around 1 a.m. on June 7 on Gerrard Street in Ashton-in-Makerfield. Officers have released an image of a man they believe may assist the investigation and are asking anyone with information to contact police, citing log 193 of 07/06/2026, or report information anonymously to Crimestoppers.

The UK is experiencing its fourth heatwave of 2026, with temperatures expected to reach 35°C in parts of south-east England. Greater Manchester is forecast to reach 24°C on Wednesday, followed by cooler highs of 20–21°C. The UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber heat-health alert for several regions, warning of heightened risks for vulnerable people, while the National Fire Chiefs Council reported 706 wildfires in England and Wales so far this year and said wildfire risk remains elevated across the UK.

Lancashire Police are investigating the unexplained death of 29-year-old Hannah Eidann Fry, who became unwell at an address in Longridge on 13 July 2026 and later died in hospital. Her family described her as a devoted mother and paid tribute to her personality and kindness. A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after initially being detained on suspicion of coercive and controlling behaviour, while a 23-year-old man was also arrested in connection with the incident; both were bailed with conditions. Lancashire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and has urged the public not to engage in speculation.

The Manchester Evening News chronicles Andy Burnham’s reported six-month return from Greater Manchester mayor to UK prime minister. The sequence began with Andrew Gwynne’s resignation, Burnham’s unsuccessful attempt to contest the Gorton and Denton by-election, and his later successful candidacy in Makerfield after Josh Simons stepped down. Burnham’s decisive by-election victory intensified speculation about the Labour leadership, which became reality after Keir Starmer resigned and Wes Streeting backed him. As Labour leader and prime minister, Burnham promised a political and economic “circuit breaker,” expanded devolution, a northern base for Number 10, action on rough sleeping, and major constitutional reforms, while retaining Labour’s 2024 manifesto.

A multi‑vehicle crash on the M61 southbound between junctions 2 and 1 caused delays of up to 40 minutes and several miles of congestion. Emergency services and recovery crews attended and all vehicles were removed. All lanes later reopened, but slow‑moving traffic persisted. Additional minor delays on the northbound side near the Kearsley roundabout were also cleared.

Police in Bury are searching for two missing 13-year-old girls, Ayesha and Aeryn, who were last seen in the Ramsbottom area and are believed to be together. Officers say the pair may have travelled across Bury and could frequent Manchester city centre. Descriptions and last known clothing have been released, and the public is urged to report any sightings to Greater Manchester Police using the provided log numbers.

Andy Burnham announced a 20 percent business rate cut for pubs, clubs, and live music venues in England, with funding proposed through tighter rules on vape shop reliefs and enforcement against non‑compliant online marketplaces. Labour ministers maintained the policy is fully funded, while Conservatives criticised the lack of detailed costings. Industry groups welcomed the move as a positive step, though some venue owners argued the financial benefit would be limited after previous rate increases and rising operational costs. The government plans to provide full funding details in the autumn Budget.

A man identified as Kurt Poole has been charged with 17 theft offences following a series of incidents at stores across Stockport. Greater Manchester Police confirmed he has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at Stockport Magistrates' Court on July 23.

A teenage girl and a woman in her forties died after getting into difficulty in the water at West Mersea beach, where emergency services responded on Wednesday evening. A third person, believed to be known to the victims, remains in serious condition in hospital. Essex Police and the Coastguard expressed condolences and appealed for witnesses as investigations continue.

Business rates for pubs, clubs and most live music venues across England will be cut by 20 percent from April, affecting nearly 32,000 hospitality businesses and saving a typical pub around £1,100 a year. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the measure aims to support local high streets and community-focused businesses, funded partly by changes to reliefs for less community‑oriented firms and stricter enforcement on non‑compliant online marketplaces. The announcement follows other early policy moves including an energy VAT cut and a £2 bus fare cap as part of a wider long-term plan for the country.

Andy Burnham appointed a record number of women to the UK Cabinet, marking the first time female ministers have outnumbered male ministers. Twelve women and eleven men were selected in the new 23‑member Cabinet, surpassing previous representation records under Keir Starmer. Key appointments included Louise Haigh as First Secretary of State, Yvette Cooper as Health Secretary, Angela Rayner as Housing Secretary and Lucy Powell as Education Secretary, with Shabana Mahmood and Lisa Nandy retaining their roles. John Healey was named Chancellor and Ed Miliband became Foreign Secretary as Burnham prepared to hold his first Cabinet meeting and announced an upcoming VAT cut on energy bills.

Fire crews from Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire spent around 19 hours tackling a large fire involving pallets and two vehicles at an industrial estate on Brinell Drive in Irlam. Smoke was visible across wide areas including Wigan and Trafford. Eight fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were deployed, with the fire service issuing an update confirming the scale and duration of the operation.

A Greater Manchester minister rejected claims that Andy Burnham’s new Cabinet risks creating a north–south divide, noting that the number of Greater Manchester ministers is unchanged from 2024. The new Prime Minister introduced a Cabinet dominated by northern MPs, including high-profile appointments such as Lucy Powell as deputy prime minister and Angela Rayner returning as housing secretary. John Healey’s appointment as Chancellor drew praise from a former British Army head, who said his defence background positioned him well for the role. Burnham’s first Cabinet meeting follows his initial policy move to cut VAT on energy bills from October.

Police uncovered viable firearms, ammunition, a machete and class B drugs after digging up the garden of a home in Eccles during a major search operation. A 57‑year‑old man and a 54‑year‑old woman were arrested on suspicion of possessing firearms and ammunition. Greater Manchester Police stated the weapons are undergoing forensic testing and emphasised their commitment to removing lethal weapons from the community while urging the public to report illegal firearm activity.

Firefighting operations continue at Tintwistle Moor as officers manage flare-ups after nearly four weeks of burning. Sixty-five firefighters, rescue teams, United Utilities personnel and four helicopters are working to contain hotspots in Crowden and Arnfield. The A628 remains closed for safety, with authorities urging the public to avoid affected areas and comply with restrictions. Airspace remains restricted to protect aerial water-drop operations, and communities are advised to follow public health guidance regarding smoke.

Emergency services responded to a fatal incident on the train tracks near Salford Crescent station, where a person was pronounced dead after being found on the line. British Transport Police stated the death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner. The incident caused rail disruption, with trains delayed or cancelled and emergency vehicles lining nearby streets.

Police released images of a man they want to identify following a reported sexual assault at a Co-op store on Ordsall Lane in Salford on May 22. The incident is under investigation, and officers are appealing for information, urging anyone who recognises the man or has relevant details to contact Greater Manchester Police or Crimestoppers.