Greta Simpson

Greta Simpson describes accompanying Greater Manchester Police officers during dawn raids on five properties in Salford and Pendlebury, resulting in six arrests for alleged drug offences, burglary, weapons possession and failing to appear in court. The properties were recently built as move-on accommodation for homeless people, and the operation prompted concerns that vulnerable residents may have been exploited through cuckooing or modern slavery. While acknowledging the raids’ value for community safety, Simpson argues they may target people at the lowest level of a drug supply chain, allowing those directing the operations to move elsewhere. Police say local intelligence was crucial and that they will investigate residents’ vulnerability while seeking to disrupt drug supply.

Kius Francis was sentenced to 26 months in prison after being convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm and coercive and controlling behaviour toward his former partner. The court heard that he had monitored her movements, isolated her from friends, verbally abused her and subjected her to a violent attack in November 2024, including striking her, grabbing her neck, pushing her out of a window and leaving bruises, footprints and a bite mark. The judge rejected claims that rehabilitation could be better achieved outside prison, citing the prolonged nature of the abuse and the risk to future partners, and imposed a ten-year restraining order.

Florist Adele Shaw-Frost was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving when she cut a corner in Shaw and struck 70-year-old John Hogan as he crossed the road. Hogan suffered multiple broken bones, a brain bleed and other injuries, requiring eight days in hospital and affecting his independence. Shaw-Frost received a 15-month community order, 180 hours of unpaid work, a 12-month driving ban, £500 in costs and a victim surcharge. The judge cited her remorse, good character and lack of reoffending risk.

A coroner has told Greater Manchester Police lawyers to urgently review a 67-page Rochdale safeguarding report concerning the 2022 death of three-year-old Daniel Twigg, who was fatally attacked by a Cane Corso at a farm in Milnrow. The December inquest may be delayed until next year if GMP and the RSPCA do not accept the report’s recommendations. The coroner said the inquest will examine agency contact with the family, the management and removal of the dogs, and the potential prevention of future deaths. Responses are due by September 14.

A 36-year-old man died after being found with stabbing injuries at a flat on Berwyn Avenue in Blackley, prompting Greater Manchester Police to launch a murder investigation. A 29-year-old woman, believed to have known the victim, remains in custody on suspicion of murder. Residents described their shock at the heavy police presence, while police said the incident was isolated and posed no wider threat. The case is the sixth murder investigation opened across Greater Manchester in 13 days; authorities said there was no indication the cases were linked.

Jason Arday, a former University of Cambridge sociology professor, was reportedly found unresponsive at his south London home on August 14 and pronounced dead at the scene at age 41, according to police and ambulance-service statements. The Metropolitan Police said the death was unexpected but not believed to be suspicious, with a file to be prepared for the coroner. Arday resigned from Cambridge and Jesus College on August 5 after media reports raised allegations about plagiarism in his PhD thesis and other research. Cambridge had begun an investigation into his academic qualifications and honorary appointments, while separate academic-misconduct complaints remained ongoing.

Natalie Riley, a 44-year-old serial burglar with drug addiction and 37 previous convictions, admitted burglarizing the Liverpool home of a man with advanced dementia after pretending to be his daughter. The victim’s niece witnessed the incident through security cameras and confronted Riley remotely; stolen items included washing-up tablets and fabric softener. Liverpool Crown Court sentenced Riley to three years in prison and imposed a five-year restraining order. The judge described the offence as particularly mean because it targeted a vulnerable person, while acknowledging Riley’s addiction and concluding that rehabilitation was unlikely until she stopped using drugs.

Julie Loco, aged 61, was found dead at a property on Winterford Road in Mossley on August 4. Greater Manchester Police are treating the death as a murder investigation, while a 60-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has been released on bail pending further inquiries. The police said there is no wider risk to the public, and Manchester South Coroners' Court confirmed that an inquest will be opened in due course.

Actress Adjoa Andoh avoided a driving disqualification after London magistrates accepted that losing her licence would cause exceptional hardship because she is the only family member able to reach her increasingly frail 85-year-old mother in an emergency. Andoh admitted driving at 25mph in a 20mph zone and already had nine licence points. She received a further three points, a fine and an order to pay £1,026 in court costs, but no driving ban.

Eye specialists warn that looking directly at the partial solar eclipse can cause solar retinopathy and potentially permanent vision loss. Symptoms requiring urgent medical attention include eye pain, redness, irritation, blurred or distorted vision, new dark spots, and sudden sight changes. Certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses are recommended, while ordinary sunglasses are not sufficient; indirect viewing, such as through a live broadcast, is the safest option.

Kirsty Rogerson discovered the words “get f***ed” scratched beside feminist stickers on her suitcase after returning from Rome to Manchester Airport. She believes the graffiti may have been motivated by misogyny and fears her luggage could have been targeted or tampered with. Manchester Airport said baggage handling is managed by airlines and appointed ground handlers, while Ryanair identified Swissport as the relevant third-party handler. Swissport said it was investigating the allegation as a priority.

Around 235,000 working-age adults in Greater Manchester receive Personal Independence Payment, equivalent to 10.1% of the working-age population. Wythenshawe and Sale East has the highest local proportion at 13.5%, followed by Blackley and Middleton South at 13.4% and Bolton South and Walkden at 12.3%. Psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and PTSD, are now the leading reason for PIP claims across England and Wales, accounting for 39% of claims. The article explains that PIP is a non-means-tested benefit intended to cover additional disability-related costs, while citing an independent review’s criticism of distressing assessments and reassessments. The figures have intensified debate over welfare spending, with Jeremy Clarkson criticising some claims and Andy Burnham arguing for better support and conditional opportunities rather than simply blaming claimants.

A fire engine and a car collided on Hollyhedge Road in Wythenshawe, blocking the tram line to Manchester Airport between Roundthorn and Robinswood. One driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Greater Manchester Police and fire crews attended, removed the vehicles and made the area safe, while the Bee Network said the tram suspension would continue until later in the evening.

The prosecution told Leicester Crown Court that 18-year-old University of Leicester student Harper Dennis fatally stabbed former friend Khaleed Oladipo, 20, near De Montfort University on February 3. Oladipo suffered five chest wounds, including a 13cm stab wound that penetrated his heart. Prosecutors allege the attack followed a dispute over a £3,000 debt and a counterfeit Rolex, citing threatening messages and dashcam footage of the confrontation. Dennis denies murder and related charges; the trial is expected to last three weeks.

Border Force officers seized 2.9 tonnes of cocaine worth an estimated £232 million at London Gateway Port in Essex on August 6. The drugs were concealed in a shipment of bananas from South America, and nine men were arrested before being released on bail. The National Crime Agency said the seizure disrupted an organized crime group and prevented profits from being reinvested in further criminal activity. The report also cites record cocaine seizures by Border Force in 2025 and a nearly six-tonne seizure at Southampton Port in 2024.

A 23-year-old Greater Manchester Police student officer was arrested in West Yorkshire after a pursuit on the M62 that followed a 999 call reporting a distressed woman in a vehicle near Manchester. He is being questioned on suspicion of kidnap, rape and dangerous driving, has been suspended, and remains in custody. The woman, who is in her 20s, was safeguarded and is receiving specialist support. GMP said the officer’s vetting had raised no concerns and voluntarily referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

New Greater Manchester mayor Bev Craig gives her first exclusive interview since taking office, discussing her relationship with former mayor Andy Burnham, now Prime Minister, and emphasizing that she intends to represent everyone rather than only Labour voters. Her early priorities include free bus travel for 11- to 16-year-olds, baby-support bundles, a September cost-of-living summit, action on Strangeways prison, and delivering 10,000 new genuinely affordable council homes either under construction or planned by 2028. She also reaffirmed support for an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly.

Two people, aged 23 and 24, died after a car carrying four people collided with a stationary digger on Hyde Road in Gorton. Two men in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving; one has been bailed while the other remains under arrest in hospital under police guard. Greater Manchester Police is appealing for witnesses and mobile phone, Ring doorbell or dashcam footage.

A woman in her 30s was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at an address on Yewdale Avenue in Breightmet, Bolton, after police responded to reports of an assault at about 3:15 a.m. on August 4. Greater Manchester Police launched a murder investigation and arrested a 36-year-old man on suspicion of murder. The victim has not yet been formally identified, and specialist officers are supporting her family. Police said the incident was isolated and did not pose a wider risk to the public, while appealing for witnesses and information.

Heathlands Village, a Federation of Jewish Services care facility in Prestwich, is presented as a potential model for UK social care after Andy Burnham called it the sector’s “gold standard.” The centre combines residential, nursing and end-of-life care with volunteers, social workers, community activities and preventative support designed to preserve residents’ independence and reduce avoidable hospital admissions. Its services are funded through private fees, council payments and substantial charitable fundraising, with the organisation covering a shortfall for state-funded residents. Staff argue that strong community connections, flexible support and volunteer involvement—not elaborate facilities alone—are key to improving care, while Burnham calls for urgent reform of funding, workforce standards and NHS-social-care integration.

Voters across Greater Manchester's ten boroughs are choosing a successor to Andy Burnham in a by-election that will influence regional budgets, housing, transport and policing. Labour candidate Bev Craig promised to build on Burnham's record while focusing on affordability, town centres, housing and opportunities for young people. Other candidates emphasized reform of public services, safer communities, environmental protections, opposition to unchecked AI development, and political independence. The candidates urged residents to vote as polls opened, with the contest expected to be close.

Three people were taken to hospital after a suspected dog attack at an address on Barrie Way in Bolton on 29 July 2026. Greater Manchester Police, armed officers, dog units and air ambulance paramedics attended, and one dog was seized. The animal’s breed was unknown, no arrests had been made, and enquiries were ongoing.

A 64-year-old man died after being struck by a road sweeper on Cleggs Lane in Little Hulton on July 28, 2026. The 39-year-old driver was uninjured, while the pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries and later died in hospital. Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is appealing for witnesses and footage.

James Desborough was convicted of murdering Steven Kempster, his frail cell mate at HMP Exeter, while awaiting trial for the murders of Claudio Aquilino and Daniel Coleman. Prosecutors said Desborough threatened to kill Kempster over his snoring and strangled him in his sleep, while his defence claimed he had lost control and expressed remorse. Desborough had already received a life sentence with a minimum term of 19 years for Kempster's murder and has now been convicted of three murders committed over five months. The earlier victims' bodies were dismembered and concealed in woodland in Cornwall.

Around 60 personnel remain deployed to the Tintwistle Moor wildfire more than three weeks after it began. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service says progress is being made across all four sectors, but underground peat fires, difficult terrain and the risk of re-ignition mean the major incident remains ongoing. Woodhead Pass will stay closed until at least July 29 while fire-damaged trees are assessed, and crews will continue working until the blaze is fully contained and extinguished.

The UK government will introduce a bursary of up to £4,500 per household for some Universal Credit families to prevent benefit losses from discouraging young people from taking apprenticeships. It will also invest £287 million to create more than 22,000 places at 87 colleges and post-16 training projects, fully fund apprenticeship training for eligible under-25s from 1 August, and provide employer support. The measures form part of Andy Burnham’s broader education reforms, which aim to combine academic study with technical education, work experience and apprenticeships while increasing recognition for schools offering high-quality technical pathways.

A residential street on Spender Avenue in Cheetham Hill was cordoned off after a stabbing left a man in hospital with stab wounds. Greater Manchester Police, supported by dog handlers, investigated the scene and said there was no believed wider threat to the community. An air ambulance landed nearby, while officers appealed for residents’ patience and assistance.

A woman was taken to hospital after a single-vehicle collision on Ripponden Road near Saddleworth, east of Oldham, on July 27. The car left the country road and became lodged in a ditch, prompting a response from Greater Manchester Police, ambulance and fire crews; an air ambulance also reportedly landed nearby. The road was temporarily closed while the vehicle was recovered, and the woman’s condition was not disclosed.

New data from the Geographic Data Service shows that every neighbourhood in Greater Manchester exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommended annual limit for PM2.5 pollution, while 98% also exceed the recommended nitrogen dioxide limit. The worst readings are concentrated around Manchester city centre and north Manchester, including City Centre North, Collyhurst, Piccadilly, Ancoats, Miles Platting, New Islington and Cheetham Hill, with additional heavily polluted areas in Salford and Oldham. Greenfield and Uppermill in Oldham recorded the cleanest air, although its PM2.5 level was still nearly twice the recommended limit. Asthma + Lung UK called the findings unacceptable and urged legally binding targets aligned with WHO guidance, while Defra highlighted government measures intended to reduce harmful-particle exposure by 2030.

A More in Common poll of 2,061 people puts Labour on 28%, up four points, ahead of Reform UK on 24%, down two points. It is Labour’s first lead in the company’s polling since March 2025 and its highest share since November 2024. Prime Minister and Labour leader Andy Burnham said he would not be carried away by the result, while emphasizing national optimism, support for the armed forces and Ukraine, and plans to address youth unemployment, social care and housing. The Conservatives remained on 22%, the Liberal Democrats rose to 12%, and the Greens fell to 8%.

Greater Manchester will elect a new mayor on July 30 after Andy Burnham left the role to become prime minister, but conversations with residents in Stockport, Manchester and Prestwich reveal widespread uncertainty about the election, its timing, the candidates and the mayor’s powers. The contest is seen as unusually subdued, with Burnham’s national prominence, summer distractions and voter fatigue drawing attention away from the campaign. Some politically engaged residents support Labour or the Greens, while others expect a low turnout or doubt that regional government can deliver meaningful change. The mayor will influence budgets and priorities for transport, housing, policing and other public services affecting more than three million people.

A 14-year-old boy from the Bolton area was identified after a hoax threat was made against Qatar Airways flight QR23 from Doha to Manchester. RAF Typhoons escorted the aircraft after UK authorities issued a security notification, while police, NATS and airport authorities coordinated the response. The flight landed safely at 7:45pm on July 24, with no danger to passengers or crew. The boy was not on board and is assisting Greater Manchester Police with enquiries.

Firefighters worked through the night to extinguish a large waste fire on Spring Mill Walk in Rochdale after it broke out at about 8:15 p.m. on July 24. Six fire engines attended, and crews remained on Saturday morning to dampen hotspots while working with the Environment Agency to make the area safe.

Three people, including former Chester Young Farmers chairwoman Chloe Evans, received suspended sentences for a violent assault outside a Saughall pub that left two victims unconscious and one with a severe facial injury. Witnesses described Evans, her brother Charlie, and her boyfriend Marcus Kennedy delivering punches, kicks, and blows with a crutch after a confrontation with a birthday party group. The judge condemned the incident as an ugly drunken fight but followed sentencing guidelines, imposing suspended jail terms, unpaid work requirements, and restraining orders while noting the victims’ lasting physical and emotional harm.

Bev Craig, Labour candidate for Greater Manchester mayor, outlined plans for a youth centre in every town, a Gen-Z commission to give young people a role in policymaking, and expanded support for care leavers and work placements. Presented during a visit to apprentices at Manchester Airport, the proposals aim to reduce youth unemployment and increase opportunities. Craig positions the measures as a way to ensure young people have support, confidence and influence over issues including work, transport and health as the region prepares for the July 30 mayoral election.

Andy Burnham marked his first day as UK prime minister with a phone call to US President Donald Trump, discussing the World Cup, future cooperation and regional security. Burnham outlined priorities including reindustrialisation, economic growth and commitment to defence, while emphasising the UK’s role in securing free shipping through the Hormuz Strait. Both leaders expressed interest in future talks, and Burnham received congratulations from several international counterparts.

Andy Burnham delivered his first speech as Prime Minister after accepting the King’s invitation to form a government, pledging major political and economic reforms aimed at restoring stability and addressing long-term regional decline. He promised a more collaborative political model, stronger public control over essential services, reindustrialisation through British procurement, and measures to ease the cost of living. Burnham announced upcoming plans for a ten‑year national strategy, commitments to defence obligations, investment in preventative public services, support for young people, and expanded council housing. His first directive as Prime Minister will be to end rough sleeping, positioning his leadership around unity, fairness, and renewed national optimism.