Bolton
Government clarifies rules in Bolton and other COVID hotspots
Bolton's local leaders have emphasised "there are no local lockdowns" following confusion over COVID rules.
The government has updated its advice for areas worst-affected by COVID following ‘confusion‘ over what people can and cannot do.
Official guidelines are now asking residents in the likes of Bolton – where the more infectious variant is spreading fastest – to ‘minimise’ travel rather than avoid it altogether.
People in COVID hotspots should also “meet outside rather than inside” according to current rules.
The guidance is not law, and health officials in Bolton have since confirmed “there are no local lockdowns”.
There had been calls for ministers to clarify rules after The Manchester Evening News broke a story on Monday evening (May 24) that revealed official guidance for high-risk areas had been quietly edited online the previous Friday.
The new advice urged residents to avoid gatherings and only travel if ‘essential’, but was not accompanied by an announcement.
Local leaders in Bolton were unaware of the changes, with Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi saying she was “angry and upset” for her constituents who were looking at cancelling holidays and returning to work from home.
A press conference on Tuesday saw Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham emphasise that he did not want to see Bolton in regional restrictions. He also sympathised with residents who thought the situation looked like a “local lockdown by stealth”.
Bolton Council leader David Greenhalgh added: “As long as they follow the guidance I don’t believe residents in Bolton should be cancelling holidays.”
Helen Lowey, Director of Public Health, Bolton Council also issued a statement that read: “Following the national coverage of recently revised COVID – 19 guidance, we have met with national officials and confirmed there are no restrictions on travel in or out of each of our areas: There are no local lockdowns.
“In areas where the new COVID variant is spreading, we are all working together to boost testing, vaccinations and to support self-isolation.
“There are sensible public health precautions that people can take as individuals in line with the advice we have all been following throughout the pandemic.
“We will keep sharing that and working with national officials to make sure people understand what they need to think about as they go about their daily lives.”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
Bolton
More arrests made in connection with ‘significant’ alleged financial irregularities at Greater Manchester uni
Emily Sergeant
Further arrests have been made in connection with ‘significant’ alleged financial irregularities at a university in Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that two people have been arrested as part of its ongoing investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the University of Greater Manchester – formerly the University of Bolton – between 2014 and 2025.
Two warrants were executed yesterday morning (4 November 2026) – one in Bolton, and another in South Yorkshire.
Subsequently a man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation, perverting the course of justice, and fraud by the abuse of position, while a man in his 60s has been arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation, perverting the course of justice, and fraud by false representation.
The arrests come, as mentioned, as part of an ongoing investigation.
GMP’s Major Incident Team opened a fraud and bribery investigation a year ago after it received allegations from The Mill, and a subsequent report from Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC) commissioned by the university’s Fraud Response Panel.
Since then, detectives have been working closely with the Crown Prosecution (CPS)’s Serious Economic Crime team, and are said to have been making ‘painstaking’ enquiries to independently compile evidence that is ‘impartial’ and ‘robust’.
“We’re exploring evidence indicating over £1 million’s worth of fraudulent activity. As part of our enquiries, we’re probing around 60 transactions and investigating more than a million emails,” GMP said in a statement.
Detective Inspector Matthew Donnelly, from GMP’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit, added: “This remains a complex and extensive investigation into allegations of fraud, bribery and financial misconduct at the University of Greater Manchester.
“The offences for which these individuals have been arrested on suspicion of are serious and include allegations of fraud, witness intimidation, perverting the course of justice and money laundering.
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“Any actions that seek to interfere with, influence or undermine the integrity of a police investigation will not be tolerated.”
He concluded: “I would urge anyone who has information which may assist our investigation to come forward and speak to us.”
Featured Image – UoGM (via Facebook)
Bolton
Teen arrested after hiding in wheelie bin following attempted burglary in Bolton
Emily Sergeant
A teenage boy has been arrested after police found him hiding in a wheelie bin during the early hours of the morning.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that, at around 3:50am this past Saturday morning (24 October), officers from the Bolton Neighbourhood Team were called to reports of a ‘disturbance’ on Ullswater Drive, in the Farnworth area of Bolton.
Upon arrival, police discovered that a group of people had attempted to break into a garden shed and steal items.
Following a police chase on foot and searches of surrounding gardens, officers found a 17-year-old boy hiding inside a wheelie bin, and he was subsequently arrested on suspicion of burglary.
A 16-year-old girl was also arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary, and they have both been bailed while the investigation continues.
Enquiries remain ongoing to identify and locate others who police believe to have been involved in the incident.
Sergeant Emily Fogg, from GMP’s Bolton Neighbourhood Team, said the boy ‘clearly did a rubbish job’ of hiding from police.
“Our policing teams are committed to rooting our criminality in our communities and will continue to seek justice for victims of this invasive crime,” Sergeant Fogg concluded.
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Anyone with information the can assist the investigation is asked to contact police on 101, quoting the log number 475 of 24/10/26.
Featured Image – Rawpixel
The Manc -
26th May 2021 
