A local woman has accused police and track and trace of being “heavy-handed” and resorting to “overkill” after a riot van turned up to check whether her 12-year-old daughter was isolating.
The Manchester Evening News has reported that Greater Manchester Police visited the Middleton home of Kathryn Crook on two separate occasions over two days (11 and 12 July) – leaving her daughter “petrified”.
On the first visit, officers apparently refused to speak to Ms Crook and instead asked to see her daughter Charlotte. On the second occasion, an officer arrived in a riot van.
Ms Crook told the MEN: “They [police officers] would not tell me and my husband why they wanted to speak to my daughter. I suggested again that she was only 12 and as her mother, I should be the one they should speak to.
“My daughter by this time was stood behind me crouching thinking she had done something wrong and was petrified.”
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Police visited the home on Warwick Road in Middleton on two occasions / Image: Google
Ms Crook – whose daughter Charlotte has been isolating since a positive PCR test on July 4 – has contacted her MP Chris Clarkson over the incident.
She added: “The behaviour of NHS Test and Trace, Rochdale public health officers and GMP has been completely inappropriate and heavy-handed over the whole thing.
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“My daughter has been in complete meltdown, thinking she was going to get arrested at any moment.”
A spokesperson for Rochdale Council explained to the MEN that when the national track and trace team is not able to contact someone to confirm isolation, details are passed to councils to be dealt with locally.
The council said it had spoken directly with the family to offer them support.
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A GMP spokesperson added: “By working in partnership with the local authority, police officers will then be asked to attend as there has been unanswered calls and a suspected breach to carry out the checks and issue a fixed penalty notice if required.
“Any engagement will be done directly with the person who has been asked to self-isolate.
“In this instance when an officer attended on Monday night we established that the isolation request had been adhered to and the officer was satisfied that the original NHS request had been met.
“These checks are also conducted on welfare grounds as having to self-isolate could impede someone’s ability to get food or essential items so it’s important they are continued in-line with national guidance.”
Iconic Thomas the Tank Engine replica to make three visits to Greater Manchester in 2026
Emily Sergeant
Everyone’s favourite little blue engine is making another return to Greater Manchester on several occasions this year.
The Day Out With Thomas experience is said to be ‘a train ride like no other’.
After delighting families throughout the region during countless successful events over the past couple of years, East Lancashire Railway (ELR) has announced that the Thomas the Tank Engine replica train is back by popular demand in 2026, and will be making three special visits to our region.
Families will have the chance to hop onboard the replica of the cult-classic blue train character for a 45-minute trip through the Greater Manchester countryside.
The journey begins at Bury Train Station, where you’ll be greeted by The Fat Controller, meet Sir Topham Hatt, say hello to Thomas on the platform, and then climb aboard a carriage, all before Thomas makes a final stop at the beautiful Ramsbottom station.
The doors to Bury Transport Museum will also be open across the weekend and will be hosting loads of fun free activities.
There’ll be Thomas-themed stories, and engaging and interactive activities to make the most of, as well as amusing performances by Sodor’s mischievous station sweepers, Rusty and Dusty, who’ll be entertaining with singing, dancing, and laughter all day long.
Not only that, but you can also expect fun fair rides suitable for toddlers, face painting, balloon art, and so much more throughout the weekend.
Day Out With Thomas is returning to Greater Manchester several times in 2026 / Credit: ELR
Oh, and this year, there’s a theme to enjoy.
Day Out With Thomas will be bringing its ‘Let’s Rock, Let’s Roll Tour’ to the ELR tracks, so get ready to rock out and move to the beat.
Thomas will be stopping at East Lancashire Railway this year on 2-4 May, 18-19 July, and 3-4 October, so there’s plenty of opportunities to see him, and tickets are now on sale – with prices starting at £14.50 for kids, and £24 for adults.
The Boots recycling scheme where you can get £5 off every shop
Thomas Melia
UK high street retailer and healthcare shop Boots has launched an innovative recycling scheme that entitles customers to £5 off their future shopping trips.
If you’re still struggling to come up with a New Year’s resolution, why not try a spot of recycling and earn some money off your next cosmetics shop while you’re at it?
Started in 2020, the Boots Recycling Scheme allows Advantage Card holders the opportunity to get money while also being more conscious about how we recycle our used health and beauty products.
Their third-party app, Recycle at Boots, uses a ‘Scan2Recycle‘ system where users can upload items from various beauty brands by taking a picture of the empty packaging before identifying its form.
This scheme takes items that can’t usually be recycled at home, such as lotion pumps, toothpaste tubes, lipstick, mascaras, travel minis, make-up palettes and more.
Once you have five items approved, head over to your nearest participating Boots store, drop off your empties and scan the QR code on the deposit box.
After you’ve followed all these steps, a voucher will appear entitling you to 500 Advantage Points when you spend £10 in-store at your nearest location, and not only do you have £5 worth of points with your name on it, you’re also an eco-warrior.
There’s even a dedicated section of the app to recycling empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, which gives customers 100 Advantage Points when they spend £5 in-store.
Brilliant.
Credit: Publicity pictures (supplied)
Items dropped into these deposit boxes are taken to MyGroup, a recycling and waste management service which works around the clock to help divert waste from landfill.
These empties will be washed and traditionally recycled into a material called MyBoard, a construction board material most similar to plywood, with lots of different uses.
Nearest Boots locations in Manchester running the Recycle at Boots scheme:
Manchester Market Street – 32 Market Street, M1 1PL
Salford Regent Park – Regents Park, M5 3TP
Manchester Didsbury – 736-740 Wilmslow Road, M20 2DW
The Trafford Centre – 10 Peel Avenue, M17 8BD
Trafford Retail Park – Neary Way, M41 7FN
If you’re up for getting money off your next Boots splurge while also helping recycle cosmetics containers and more, you can download the Recycle at Boots app and find your nearest HERE.
The Manc -
15th July 2021 
