News

Appeal launched for information on Bolton woman now missing for six days

A Facebook group has been launched in an attempt to locate a Bolton woman who has now been missing for six days.

The Manc The Manc - 7th September 2020

A Facebook group has been launched in an attempt to locate a Bolton woman who has now been missing for six days.

Kiera Pearson disappeared on Wednesday afternoon last week (2 September) and has not been seen since.

Her last confirmed whereabouts were in the Bury Road area.

A social media group – set up to help locate the 31-year-old – is asking locals to check their sheds and garages, as it is believed Kiera may have tried take shelter in these areas with a sleeping bag.

Please can everybody please check any outhouses/sheds/garages/lockup’s any kind of places like this please, we think she…

Posted by Help to find Keira Pearson on Saturday, 5 September 2020

GMP stated: “Police are appealing to the public for information to help find a missing woman from the Bolton area.

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“Kiera Pearson (also known as Kiera Allardice), aged 31, was last seen on Bury Road at around midday on Wednesday 2 September 2020 wearing a green Converse jacket.

“She is described as a white woman, 5ft 8ins tall with short hair brushed to the side, and a tattoo sleeve on her left lower arm.

“Kiera has not taken her phone with her and her family and officers are becoming increasingly concerned about her welfare and want to ensure she is found safe and well.”

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Worsley man jailed for 36 years for sexual offences against seven young girls

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A man from Worsley has been jailed for 36 years for sexual offences against seven young girls over a 13 year period.

Philip Hamer was previously found guilty by a majority verdict of 21 charges following a trial in November 2024, which included eight counts of rape, six counts of sexual assault, six counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of sexual activity with a child.

In total, the 34-year-old was convicted of 41 charges, each relating to offences taking place between 2010 and 2023.

He pleaded guilty to several of these charges before the trial took place.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that many of Hamer’s victims were teenagers at the time they were abused, but it was after one victim bravely came forward that Hamer’s phone was seized, enabling police to trace further victims.

One victim explained the physical and mental toil the abuse at the hands of Hamer had taken on her in a powerful victim impact statement that was read out in court.

The victim described Hamer as “the man who took away my innocence at such a young age.”

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“He made me feel fear, distress and trauma no young girl should have to go through. He took away my spark and gave me so much anxiety,” she said in her statement.

Following the trail, Hamer was yesterday (5 February 2025) sentenced to 36 years in prison.

He is now also subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, indefinite restraining orders against the victims, barred from working with children, and he will be placed on the sex offenders register for life. 

Speaking following the sentencing, Detective Constable Denise Garde explained how Philip Hamer “a denial for any wrongdoing in his actions” in his police interview, adding that “he did not believe that he was a sexual predator and that his actions caused severe harm and distress to his victims.”

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“It took one brave victim to come forward, speak to our officers, and detail their abuse, and this opened up the whole case and resulted in us obtaining evidence that Hamer was a prolific sex offender.”

Featured Image – GMP

News

Sneak peak inside Manchester Airport’s brand new terminal following £1.3bn transformation

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester Airport has released video giving passengers a taste of what Terminal 2 will look like when it fully opens later this year.

You may already know that the first phase of the airport’s £1.3 billion transformation programme being carried out over 10 years was finished back in 2021, when an extension that doubled the size of Terminal 2 opened to the public.

But now we’ve been given a glimpse into what the full finished product will look like.

The first phase of the programme has already received the prestigious UNESCO-backed Prix Versailles award for architecture and design, so the transformation is already off to a flying start.

A new duty free will also be added to Manchester Airport Terminal 2 along with the new food and drink offerings. Credit: MAG
CGIs of what Terminal 2 will look like once it’s fully open later this year / Credit: MAG

Since the completion of phase one, lots has been happening – including ongoing work to revamp the original part of the building, and create more space for seating, security, shops, restaurants, and check-in along the way.

Crucially last year, Manchester Airport announced the names of more than 20 new shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars that will be opening in the new part of the terminal later this year.

Now though, the airport has shared a fly-through video showing what passengers will experience when they use the new terminal.

The video augments CGIs of parts of the terminal that are under construction with the parts that have been finished to show the full experience.

“It’s so exciting for us to finally be able to share this video our passengers, so they can get a preview of what they’ll be able to experience here later on this year,” commented Manchester Airport’s Managing Director, Chris Woodroofe, as the video was released this week.

“Our transformation programme has been 10 years and £1.3bn in the making, but now we’re in the final stages of finishing everything off to open it to the public later this year.”

Mr Woodroofe says there’s a “huge amount of work going on” all over the airport, but this video shows that it will “all be worth it” in the end.

He also added that the transformation isn’t just limited to Terminal 2 either, as work is also being done to modernise the airfield, building a new road to improve access to the new terminal, and improvements to Terminal 3 are also on the horizon – with announcements on this expected to be coming soon.

Read more:

More than 35 million passengers have already used the Terminal 2 extension, but millions more will fly in and out when it fully opens later this year.

Featured Image – MAG

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