Damon Wilkinson

Solicitor Michael Peter Alexander has been struck off and ordered to pay £75,000 in costs after a tribunal found that he repeatedly sent lewd and unwanted messages to three women between 2022 and 2024. The messages targeted a barrister, a prospective personal assistant and a woman he contacted unsolicited on LinkedIn, despite requests to stop. The Solicitors Regulation Authority described the conduct as offensive, degrading and an abuse of Alexander’s professional position, while his representative argued that it was unpleasant but not among the most serious forms of sexual impropriety.

A wildfire on Saddleworth Moor near Holmfirth Road in Oldham has been brought under control after firefighters battled it for almost 24 hours in extreme heat. The blaze covered approximately 500 by 150 metres at its peak and involved eight crews. Firefighters remain on site damping down hotspots and preventing further spread, while Holmfirth Road remains closed between Dovestone and Greenfield reservoirs. Residents have been advised to avoid the area and keep windows and doors shut if smoke is visible.

Greater Manchester Police officer Pc Jack Sanderson was dismissed without notice after a March urine test detected cannabis and cocaine. A disciplinary tribunal overseen by Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson found him guilty of gross misconduct, citing deliberate drug use, high culpability and conduct incompatible with the responsibilities of a constable. Sanderson was also placed on the College of Policing’s barred list, with Watson warning that illicit drug use would result in similar consequences for other GMP officers.

The M62 will close in both directions between junctions 22 and 23 from 8pm to 6am every weeknight starting August 17, 2026, to allow repairs to Scammonden Bridge. The work, which has already been delayed twice—first because of customer feedback and later because moor fires closed Woodhead Pass—is expected to continue through the end of September, while the bridge itself will remain closed on weeknights until January 2027. National Highways is replacing the bridge’s parapets, with traffic diverted via the A672, A58, A646 and A629.

Stockport influencer Kitty Hinde says she has faced abuse, harassment and death threats after a social media post falsely claimed she ended a relationship because her boyfriend was unattractive and then dated a man who stole from her. Her management company, Peripheral, says Hinde was the victim of theft by a former partner, that the matter was reported to police and led to an arrest, and that a man she later met through the dating show Blind Matchmakers is only a friend. The company is documenting the threats and may take action against those spreading the false claims.

A man was rescued from the Manchester Ship Canal near the Warburton toll bridge in Partington, Trafford, shortly before noon. Firefighters from several Greater Manchester stations used a rescue boat to bring him to safety before he was transferred to North West Ambulance Service and taken to hospital. Crews remained at the scene for about an hour and 25 minutes.

Andy Kilcoyne has retired after 31 years as headteacher of Mauldeth Road Primary School in Withington, following a career that began after he helped young people in east Manchester develop basic literacy and numeracy skills. He reflects on major changes in education, including increased bureaucracy, the National Curriculum, technology and the COVID-19 pandemic, while arguing that pupils today are generally better behaved and more engaged. Kilcoyne is proud of the school's strong results despite significant disadvantage and hopes future governments preserve funding and allow schools with distinctive communities to avoid one-size-fits-all policies.

Residents and workers in Manchester's Curry Mile respond to Restore campaign videos describing Rusholme as feeling like a different country and suffering from high crime and illegal trading. While locals acknowledge problems including antisocial behaviour, litter, homelessness, drug issues and occasional violence, several reject the portrayal of the area as a crime-ridden ghetto. Business owners stress that immigrant-run businesses are legal, tax-paying employers, while other residents describe both the area's rapid demographic change and concerns about safety. Supporters of the Curry Mile highlight its vibrant multicultural character, and former councillor Rabnawaz Akbar attributes some problems to years of austerity while accusing Restore of exploiting the area to sow division.

Woodhead Pass will close in both directions for two separate two-day periods in August to allow a crane to repair the historic Woodhead Cascade drainage system. The closures are scheduled for August 10–12 and August 24–26, with diversions in place, and the repair scheme is expected to continue until December 2026. The road had reopened on July 31 after being closed for more than two weeks because of the Tintwistle Moor wildfire, which burned an estimated 606 hectares.

A broken-down train has blocked all lines between Altrincham and Stockport, disrupting services between Chester and Manchester Piccadilly. Passengers face cancellations or delays of up to 30 minutes until around 6pm and are advised to use buses or the Metrolink. The disruption follows a power cut at Network Rail’s Manchester Rail Operating Centre that caused widespread delays and cancellations two days earlier.

Nick Aldis made his WWE debut at SummerSlam 2026 in Minneapolis, entering to Oasis’s “Morning Glory” at his request. The choice drew enthusiastic commentary from Wade Barrett and strong reactions from wrestling fans, while WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque explained that Aldis had suggested Oasis as his dream entrance music. Aldis lost to Gunther by submission, but his entrance was widely praised as one of WWE’s most memorable in recent years.

Former Arsenal and England footballer Tony Adams sold his £4 million Cotswolds home so he and his wife, Poppy Teacher, could return to London while she studies for a master's degree in early modern history. The property, which the couple had owned since 2002, includes extensive amenities and a separate cottage. Oasis singer Liam Gallagher has since moved in with his fiancée Debbie Gwyther and their dog, Buttons, after reportedly buying the home with proceeds from the Oasis Live '25 tour.

Bill Oddie, born in Littleborough in 1941 and raised mainly by his grandmother, returned to Rochdale for the first episode of BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are? He discovered that his ancestors were mill workers and learned more about his mother Lilian, who had been institutionalized after suffering severe personal trauma, including the death of a baby daughter. The revelations led Oddie to reconsider his belief that his mother had abandoned or neglected him, and to express regret that they had not known each other better.

HM Revenue & Customs has named five businesses and individuals in Greater Manchester as deliberate tax defaulters, each owing more than £25,000. The list includes Mark Arthur Norris, Escala Capital Limited, Bits4Hair Limited, ZA Pendlebury Developments Limited and Dylan Paul Kearney, with defaults ranging from £37,228 to £490,132 and penalties imposed on each. Several companies have faced liquidation or strike-off proceedings, while HMRC says the disclosures are intended to encourage defaulters to engage with the tax authority.

Martin Joyce, a 29-year-old father from Gorton, disappeared after visiting the Bank of England pub in Ancoats in September 1999, and his disappearance is being treated as a suspected murder. A 2016 excavation of the pub cellar following credible information found no remains, but Greater Manchester Police says the cold case remains open and a £50,000 reward is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction. The long-empty, 200-year-old pub is due to be demolished on safety grounds, although there are no plans for further investigation at the site at this stage. A proposal to replace it and nearby industrial units with 193 flats remains under consideration.

Jodrell Bank Observatory began in 1945 when University of Manchester physicist Bernard Lovell moved his experiments from Manchester to a quiet farmer's field near Macclesfield. The site developed into a pioneering radio astronomy centre, overcoming major engineering, cost and military-related obstacles to build the Lovell Telescope. Its tracking of Sputnik, Soviet lunar missions and Apollo 11 established its importance during the Space Race, while its Cold War role included providing early warning of a possible nuclear attack. The observatory later contributed to discoveries in astrophysics, gained UNESCO World Heritage status in 2019 and became a scientific and cultural venue. Its future is now threatened by UK Research and Innovation's withdrawal of £2.8 million in annual funding.

In 1993, masked gunmen abducted Dominic Noonan from a taxi while he was being taken to prison in Salford. Noonan initially claimed he had been held and tortured, but prosecutors argued that the kidnapping was staged to facilitate a £1.5 million armed robbery. He was convicted of conspiracy to rob, escaping custody and possessing a revolver, receiving a 14-year sentence. The article also recounts his later convictions for historical sexual offences, arson, blackmail and perverting the course of justice, as well as his return to prison after breaching parole.

After 45 years cleaning the Waggon & Horses in Gorton, 85-year-old Nora Jones continues working three days a week and has never taken a sick day. She has served under 16 landlords and landladies, while the Joseph Holt-owned pub has remained central to her family life, including her engagement and wedding celebrations. Current landlady Julie Fazakerley says Nora helped persuade her to take on the pub, and Joseph Holt chief executive Richard Kershaw praised her loyalty and long service.

Greater Manchester Police is using existing resources to provide security around Number 10 North, the new Downing Street hub in Manchester’s Heron House. The building opened on 24 July and is expected to host Prime Minister Andy Burnham and other cabinet ministers regularly. GMP said the cost of the operation has not yet been determined, while talks are reportedly under way with the government about long-term funding. The force is responsible for security outside and around the building, while the prime minister’s personal protection is funded and organized separately.

A photo gallery documents the opening day of Number 10 North, a new UK government centre in Heron House, Manchester. Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the site as a nerve centre for a more regionally distributed Britain and defended its cost as a way to rebalance power between northern and southern England. First Secretary of State Louise Haigh and Chancellor John Healey also attended.

Greater Manchester has gone 21 days without rain, worsening conditions for gardeners, golf clubs and firefighters tackling moorland wildfires near Glossop and Tintwistle. A weak weather front is expected to bring light rain over the weekend, with a higher chance on Sunday, though totals will remain low. Dry and warm conditions are forecast to return next week, with July’s rainfall far below average despite the brief expected showers.