The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Aerobatic Team – of course, more commonly known as the Red Arrows – will be making their way from their base at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire over to Blackpool Airport this afternoon, which means people will be able to catch a rare glimpse of the impressive jets as they fly over head from wherever they are in the region.
The Red Arrows are known for representing the speed, agility, and precision of the RAF.
Having been displaying since 1965, the Red Arrows are instantly-recognisable to aviation fans thanks to often flying in their trademark Diamond Nine shape, and for their combination of close formations and precision flying too.
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The Red Arrows are flying over Greater Manchester today / Credit: Royal Air Force
The team flying these distinctive Hawk fast-jets are made up of pilots, engineers, and essential support staff, who work to assist in recruiting to the Armed Forces, act as ambassadors for the UK at home and overseas, and promote “the best of British”.
And while the planes won’t be shooting out their eye-catching red, white, and blue vapour trails as they fly over Greater Manchester today, it’ll still be spectacle worth watching regardless.
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So, when exactly should you be watching out for the Red Arrows today? When are the planes flying over our region? And what’s their expected flight path?
The Red Arrows are known for representing the speed, agility, and precision of the RAF / Credit: Royal Air Force
The planes will take off from RAF Waddington at 4pm today.
They will then begin their journey by flying towards the Peak District and from Glossop towards Oldham, before heading over Denshaw, Newhey, the south of Rochdale town centre, and Heywood, then making their way to Bury town centre.
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Harwood and the north side of Bolton town centre should look up next, then the people of Smithy Bridge, Horwich, and Blackrod just after, before the planes head to over to Wigan and pass by Worthington, Standish, Shevington, and Parbold.
They’ll then be turning towards Skelmersdale and go on to Liverpool, before eventually landing at Blackpool Airport just before 4:30pm – so it’s a pretty fleeting flight in reality.
Here’s the exact flight path timings:
RAF Waddington – 4pm
North East of North Scarle – 4:02pm
North of Ashbourne – 4:08pm
Buxton – 4:11pm
East of Glossop – 4:13pm
South of Marsden – 4:14pm
East of Denshaw – 4:15pm
Flypast Rochdale – 4:16pm
East of Burscough – 4:19pm
North West of Rainford – 4:20pm
Flypast Prescot – 4:21pm
East of Liverpool Airport – 4:22pm
West of Liverpool Airport – 4:23pm
West of Formby – 4:25pm
West over Irish Sea – 4:27pm
Blackpool Airport – 4:29pm
They’ll be flying over our region this afternoon / Credit: Royal Air Force
If you’re going to be stuck inside for one reason or another, and you happen to miss out on seeing the Red Arrows fly over Greater Manchester today, then not to worry, there’s no need to having FOMO just yet.
You can just try again tomorrow.
Luckily, there’ll be another chance to see the jets on Saturday, as they will once again fly over the region as they head to Southport Air Show for midday and will get to work wowing the crowds with a display they’ll never forget.
Bolton will be the lucky lot on Saturday in particular, as the best expected view of the planes will be when they make their way over the borough’s skies at around 11:56am.
Featured Image – Royal Air Force
News
Timings and road closures announced for Manchester’s Chinese New Year Dragon Parade 2026
Emily Sergeant
Road closures have been announced as Manchester’s legendary Dragon Parade makes its way through the city centre this month.
As Manchester gets ready to celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 – which officially begins on Tuesday 17 February and runs through to Tuesday 3 March – and mark the ‘Year of the Horse’, the iconic Dragon Parade will be making its grand return to the streets of our city centre, and bringing a spectacular show of colour and light along with it.
In case you’re unfamiliar with what the Dragon Parade is all about, it’s the focal point of the city’s annual Lunar New Year celebrations – and it’s a real spectacle, to say the least.
The parade is known for attracting thousands of visitors from all across the region each year.
Manchester’s legendary Dragon Parade returns next month to celebrate Chinese New Year 2026 / Credit: Chinese NY Manchester (via X)
Celebrations officially kick off on Saturday 14 February this year, and as the headline of the festivities, the popular parade is set to take place the day after (Sunday 15 February).
Once again, organisers are expecting visitors in their thousands to turn out and watch as the famous 175ft Chinese dragon weaves its way through the city’s main shopping streets.
In order for the parade and other events to be carried out safely, a number of road closures and parking suspensions will be put in place, and a full list of those, as well as parade timings, have now been announced by Manchester City Council.
Here’s everything you need to know.
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Parade route road closures
From 10am to 3pm on Sunday 15 February:
Peter Street (Mount Street to Lower Mosley Street) soft closure at the junction of Peter Street / Deansgate. Access for residents and businesses only.
Oxford Street (Peter Street to Whitworth Street West)
Portland Street (Chepstow Street to Chorlton Street)
Princess Street (Major Street to Cooper Street)
George Street (Oxford Street to Princess Street)
St James Street (Oxford Street to Princess Street)
Back George Street (Dickinson Street to Princess Street)
Faulkner Street (Princess Street to Novotel Hotel Entrance/ End of Faulkner Street)
Dickinson Street (Back George Street to Portland Street and Portland Street to Linley House/end of Dickinson Street)
Bale Street (Hall Street to Lower Mosley Street)
Hall Street (Bale Street to Oxford Street)
Soft Closure inbound at Whitworth Street / Princess Street, Whitworth Street/ Sackville Street and Whitworth Street / Chorlton Street junctions. No through traffic. Access to residents, businesses and buses only.
Reverse of the one way at Major Street (Princess Street to Sackville Street)
Chinatown closures
From 5am on Saturday 14 February to 11:59pm on Sunday 15 February:
Nicholas Street (Portland Street to George Street)
St James Street (Princess Street to Nicholas Street)
Faulkner Street (Princess Street to Charlotte Street)
From 5am to 11:59pm on Sunday 15 February:
Reyner Street (Princess Street to Charlotte Street)
Charlotte Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)
George Street (Princess Street to New York Street)
Chain Street (George Street to Faulkner Street)
Back George Street (Dickenson Street to Charlotte Street)
Pine Street (Chain Street to New York Street)
Chinese New Year festivities will take place over a full weekend / Credit: Chinese NY Manchester (via X)
Parking suspensions for Chinatown
From 12:01am on Friday 13 February to 11: 59pm on Sunday 15 February
George Street (New York Street to Dickinson Street)
Nicholas Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)
Faulkner Street (New York Street to Princess Street)
Charlotte Street (Portland Street to Mosley Street)
Chain Street (George Street to Faulkner Street)
Pine Street (Chain Street to New York Street)
Parade route parking suspensions
From 8pm on Saturday 14 February to 4pm on Sunday 15 February
Peter Street (Mount Street to Lower Mosley Street)
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Oxford Street (Lower Mosley Street to Whitworth Street West)
Hall Street (Oxford Street to Bale Street)
George Street (Oxford Street to Charlotte Street)
Back George Street (Dickinson to Princess Street)
St James Street (Oxford Street to Charlotte Street)
Chepstow Street (Oxford Street to Great Bridgewater Street)
Portland Street (Chepstow Street to New York Street)
Dickinson Street (Back George Street to Portland Street and Portland Street to Linley House/end of Dickinson Street)
Princess Street (Major Street to Cooper Street)
Sackville Street (Major Street to Portland Street)
Abingdon Street (Major Street to Portland Street)
Faulkner Street (Mercure Hotel to Princess Street)
Bale Street (Hall Street to Lower Mosley Street)
Parking suspensions include the Chinatown car park, all pay and display bays, accessible parking bays, and taxi ranks.
On top of this, there will also be disruption on the Metrolink too, as between 12pm and 1pm, there will be congestion around St Peter’s Square due to an increased number of pedestrians, and passengers are therefore told to expect delays.
As always, this year’s celebrations have been organised by the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM), in partnership with Manchester Business Improvement District (BID) and Manchester City Council.
Featured Image – Chinese NY Manchester (via X) / CityCo
News
Serial robber jailed after targeting and assaulting lone women across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A man has been handed time behind bars after targeting lone women in a series of violent robberies across Greater Manchester.
Jason Cunliffe, from the Crumpsall area of Manchester, appeared at Manchester Crown Court yesterday (Thursday 5 February 2026) where he was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to five counts of robbery, two counts of fraud, and one count each of attempted robbery, burglary, and theft.
The incidents Cunliffe pleaded guilty to were said to have taken place between 17 August and 3 September 2025.
10 incidents were reported to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in which a man approached women in public spaces and forcibly stole their handbags and other belongings, and in several cases, victims were dragged to the ground and wrestled before the man – later identified as Cunliffe – fled on foot.
All incidents occurred in public areas of Greater Manchester, and police say Cunliffe ‘deliberately targeted’ women who were alone or in a pair.
On 4 September last year, police on proactive patrols in known hotspot areas spotted a man, confirmed to be Cunliffe, acting ‘suspiciously’ in Crumpsall.
Upon seeing the police vehicle, Cunliffe attempted to hide by ducking down next to a car, but officers saw this and subsequently approached, before he then fled prompting a foot chase which eventually ended in him being caught and arrested on the spot.
After a house search, officers found 12 handbags and other items including an iPad, iPhone, Hugo Boss jumper and Samsung tablet that Cunliffe had stolen – all of which were able to be returned to the victims.
Speaking following Cunliffe’s sentencing this week, Detective Inspector Natasha Feerick, of GMP’s City of Manchester Neighbourhood Crime Team, commented: “I would like to thank the victims for reporting these incidents to us and allowing us to fully investigate, as thanks to these reports, neighbourhood officers were able to quickly identify and arrest Cunliffe.
“His offending will have a lasting effect on victims and I hope this result will bring some reassurance to them going forward.
“Cunliffe preyed upon women and on many occasions physically assaulted them to take items from them. He stole handbags and other items totalling thousands of pounds.”
Emily Sergeant -
8th September 2023 
