Tameside community ‘stands together in face of hate’ after racist vandal continues to target Denton
Racist graffiti has appeared across Denton in recent weeks - being sprayed on a defibrillator in the town centre, a car, and signposts and benches in Hulmes Wood Nature Reserve.
A defibrillator in the town centre was one of several spots daubed in racist graffiti in Denton in recent weeks
The Tameside community has joined together as part of a united front against ‘the face of hate’as one town continues to be vandalised with toxic messages.
Over the past few weeks, racist graffiti has appeared in various spots across Denton – being sprayed on a defibrillator in the town centre, a car, and signposts and benches in Hulmes Wood Nature Reserve.
Images of the defacement have been posted to social media – prompting outrage across Tameside and instigating a police investigation.
It is not yet known who is behind the hate messages – which may have been scrawled by the same perpetrator.
Local officers have urged the culprit to turn themselves in.
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Chief Inspector Lee Broadstock stated: “I’m asking you, no requesting you, to hand yourself into the police, so we can understand why you did what you did and you can understand the disgust and outrage at what you have caused.
“If you do not hand yourself in, be rest assured that we will find you.”
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He added: “In Tameside we have no place for hate.
“I have a request to the residents of Denton and Tameside who have shown their outrage at these actions, please come forward if you have information about the perpetrator – let’s come together and unite against hate crime.”
No one should face hate, violence or abuse because of who they are, who they love, where they’re from, what they look like or what they believe.
— Chief Inspector Lee Broadstock (@InspBroadstock) February 15, 2021
Members of the local community have also spoken up about the graffiti, sharing words of inclusivity and togetherness to spread the message: ‘Hate crime has no place in Tameside’.
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Steve Marsland, Headteacher at Russell Scott Primary School in Denton, lauded the spirit of the “strong and proud town” and urged others to “call hate out to isolate and vaccinate another virus”.
He added: “Racism is taught….it’s a grown-ups illness cured through education and on the lap of their parents.
“I’ve spent a lifetime teaching children to be brave and bold, to question, to learn and to show tolerance where achievement is not determined by colour.
“Whoever is spreading racist hate across our town has been poorly educated and has become sick.”
Revd Philip J Cooper, Minister of Fairfield Moravian Church & Ecumenical Officer for the Moravian Church in Great Britain & Ireland, stated: “Racism grows out of ignorance and fear.
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“It seeks to unfairly and unjustly blame certain sections of our society for problems that they are not responsible for at all.
He added: “The diversity of our culture in Tameside is to be celebrated and that diversity enriches us all.”
Support is available for victims of hate via www.letsendhatecrime.com.
Contact crime stoppers to give information anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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Government to begin giving millions of UK workers ‘significant’ pay rises from this week
Emily Sergeant
The Government is to begin giving more than three million workers across the UK a ‘significant pay boost’ from this week.
Announced as part of last year’s Budget, and in a bid to ‘put thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working people every year’, the Government confirmed back at the beginning of February that a new National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour, and a new National Minimum Wage of £10 per hour would take effect from April onwards.
Ministers said the 6.7% increase to the National Living Wage – which is now worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker – is a ‘significant step’ towards delivering the manifesto commitment to deliver a ‘genuine’ living wage.
Today, millions of working people will get a pay rise as the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage increase.
New rates:
🔹 from £11.44 to £12.21 if you’re 21 and over 🔹 from £8.60 to £10.00 if you’re 18-20 🔹 from £6.40 to £7.55 if you’re under 18 or an apprentice
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 1, 2025
On top of this, the National Minimum Wage for 18-20-year-olds is also set to go up by a record increase of £1.40 an hour, which means full-time younger workers eligible for the rate will see their pay boosted by £2,500 a year.
The minimum wage pay boot has also been called the first step towards removing the ‘unfair’ age-bands that see a 21-year-old getting paid more than a 20-year-old for doing the same job.
According to the Government, this is also the first time the National Living Wage has taken into account the cost of living and inflation.
Three million UK workers will be getting a ‘significant’ pay rise from this week / Credit: Pexels
“In the last Parliament, living standards were the worst on record and sky-high inflation was crushing working people’s finances,” commented Chancellor Rachel Reeves, explaining why the pay boosts are being introduced.
“Making work pay is good for workers, will strengthen businesses’ workforces, and will grow our economy for years to come.
“It’s a key milestone on my number one mission to get more money in people’s pockets as we deliver our Plan for Change.”
Not only that, but the minimum hourly wage for an apprentice is also set to be boosted later this year too, with an 18-year-old apprentice seeing their minimum hourly pay increase by 18% to £7.55 an hour.
As a result of these particular changes, a further four million workers also could benefit from the positive spill-over impacts of the rate increases.
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Body of woman found in River Mersey last year finally identified after ‘extensive’ investigation
Emily Sergeant
The body of woman who was found in the River Mersey last year has finally been identified.
Following what has been described as an ‘extensive investigation’ by Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Major Incident Team to determine the identity of the body, which was sadly discovered in the river adjacent to Chorlton Water Park on 21 March 2024, the family of the victim has now been informed and supported by specialist officers.
The victim has been formally named as 38-year-old Laura Stanley, who was originally from Derbyshire but was living in Stockport.
After the body was discovered, and ‘exhaustive and determined’ investigation by GMP officers began to identify here, including detailed checks of both national and international databases.
The Major Incident Team (MIT) also closely worked in collaboration with specialist forensic service providers to create an anthropological profile, which eventually culminated in the creation of a facial reconstruction image.
Following several media appeals, a relative of Laura contacted officers and then a DNA match was confirmed through a familial link.
“Laura was a kind and gentle person with a great sense of fun and adventure,” Laura’s family said in a heartbreaking tribute to her.
“She was generous, thoughtful, caring and always keen to volunteer within the community. Laura was a proud and loving mum and she will be greatly missed by her girls and all of her friends and family who loved her dearly.”
The River Mersey, across from Chorlton Water Park, where Laura’s body was discovered / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
While Laura has now been identified, police say further investigations will take place to understand her last movements, the events that led to her death, and her discovery in the river.
Additionally, as is standard practice, GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate is also reviewing a previous missing report relating to Laura in the time before the discovery of her body, which will determine prior contact relating to Laura, and whether the appropriate measures were enacted.
#UPDATE | A woman who was discovered in the River Mersey last year has been identified following an extensive investigation by officers in GMP’s Major Incident Team.
Thank you to those of you who have shared our appeals over the last year.
Anyone who knew Laura and thinks they may be able to assist with the investigation is asked to contact police by calling 101, or by using the Live Chat Service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log number 1191 of 21 March 2024.
Alternatively, you can contact the Major Incident Team Syndicate 3 directly on 0161 856 9479, or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The Manc -
23rd February 2021 
