Ludwik Lipiec

Thousands of Greater Manchester pupils celebrated their GCSE results, with Trafford recording the region’s strongest performance: 39.7% of grades were at grade 7 or above. Rochdale recorded 13.2%, while results in Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Bolton and Manchester ranged from 16.7% to 24.8%. Schools including Wright Robinson College, Dean Trust Rose Bridge, Co-op Academy Belle Vue and Co-op Academy Failsworth reported record or significantly improved outcomes. Individual highlights included Luna Fachfach achieving straight 9s after moving from Sweden and learning English, while other pupils celebrated passing difficult subjects and progressing to college. Nationally, 22% of GCSE entries received grades 7 or above, and the gender gap in top grades narrowed slightly as overall results returned broadly to pre-pandemic levels.

Andy Burnham’s description of his favourite Greggs sausage, cheese and bean melt as a “sausage, cheese and bean thing” has inspired several Greggs outlets in Manchester to adopt the unofficial name. The rebranded £2.30 pastry sold out within hours at the Brazennose Street branch near Number 10 North, while another nearby store selling it under its original name still had stock. The episode highlights how novelty, celebrity-style endorsement and British humour can drive attention and sales without any change to the product itself.

A Manchester Evening News street-style feature profiles triplet models Jean-David, Jean-Dieudonne and Jean-Jacques, who share the first name Jean and draw on vintage, classic and rock-inspired influences. It also showcases the outfits of RNCM student Sonia, who incorporates Iranian cultural influences and vintage Persian and French cinema into her style, and musician Dominic Lawson, whose look includes Big Society and Kendrick Lamar merchandise. The interviewees cite figures including Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Fred Astaire, Michael Jackson and Paul Newman as fashion or music inspirations.

A fire broke out at the Marc Darcy menswear store on Bury New Road in Salford at around 1:40 a.m. on Thursday, prompting a major response involving eight fire engines and additional specialist equipment. The blaze led to the closure of a large section of the road, while nearby residents reported loud bangs, smoke, sparks and growing flames. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service worked through the night and morning to bring the fire under control and make the area safe. Marc Darcy said the premises could not accept new orders temporarily and would reopen ordering when possible.

Derbyshire couple Molly Eagles and Matthew Crowe have spent about £50,000 on IVF, embryo creation and surrogacy after Molly was diagnosed with MRKH, a condition that left her without a uterus. Following unsuccessful embryo transfers and the loss of a baby with a previous surrogate, they are raising money to create and test more embryos. They need five PGT-A-tested embryos to qualify for a potential uterus transplant waiting list in Oxford, while further treatment and travel costs remain unaffordable. The couple says they will continue pursuing either transplantation or surrogacy in hopes of becoming parents.

Matthew Hodson, 39, of Ellesmere Port, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to four shoplifting offences and four breaches of a Criminal Behaviour Order. Five days after receiving a suspended 12-week sentence and a five-year order for offences in Northwich, he stole more than £190 of alcohol from an Asda in Ellesmere Port and committed three similar thefts the following week. The four incidents involved goods worth £516.50. Cheshire Police described Hodson as a prolific offender and said the sentence should reassure local businesses.

Chicken Run, a family-run Caribbean food business in Whalley Range, Manchester, has sold its signature £5 chicken split for more than 30 years. Turner “Dukus” Mayhew and Pamela Mayhew began selling food from their home in Hulme before moving to the current Yarburgh Street shop in 1994. Their son Leon Mayhew now oversees the business, which typically sells at least 80 chicken splits a day and sometimes several hundred. The dish consists of a Jamaican dumpling split lengthways and filled with chopped fried chicken, and remains the shop’s defining specialty alongside traditional dishes such as oxtail, curry goat, and ackee and saltfish.

A Wigan McDonald’s in Standishgate received a one-star food hygiene rating after inspectors identified significant failures, particularly concerning the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building. During a subsequent visit, the restaurant remained busy, staff were observed cleaning tables and removing bins regularly, and no visible pests or obvious hygiene risks were found. The experience raises questions about how often customers check food hygiene ratings and whether the branch’s apparent improvements reflect an internal action plan.

A photo-led gallery from the first day of Comic Con Manchester at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre showcases fans in elaborate costumes inspired by science fiction, anime, comics, games and film. The featured outfits use techniques including 3-D printing, foam craft, leatherwork, puppetry and electronics, while attendees discuss cosplay competitions, celebrity meetings and the friendships built through the event.

Ludwik Lipiec visits McDonald's weekend Sauce Stop pop-up at Black Milk on Oldham Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter. The interactive event lets visitors sample new Korean BBQ, Hot Honey and Ranch sauces, vote for a favourite, create a personalised sauce-lid sticker and use a selfie booth. Around 200 people reportedly queued, although the venue did not sell meals, encouraging visitors to buy McDonald's food elsewhere. The experience is described as an entertaining promotional gimmick designed to build excitement around the summer menu.

A Manchester Evening News street-style feature profiles five fashionable people in Manchester, including visitors from Amsterdam and local residents. Their outfits combine vintage and charity-shop finds, high-street clothing, outdoor wear and distinctive accessories. Interviewees discuss practical dressing, sewing, thrift shopping and personal inspirations ranging from Hugh Grant and Joe Talbot to Misty Day from American Horror Story, while Cubitts previews the opening of its first Manchester store.