Manhunt underway as teenage girl sexually assaulted in alleyway
Salford's Chief Inspector said, 'We are committed to keeping people safe in our communities across Salford, and I can reassure the public that we are doing everything we can to reinforce this.'
Greater Manchester Police are on the hunt for a man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in Salford and are appealing for anyone who might have information to come forward.
Police were called to the Broughton area of Salford around 8:30pm on Sunday, 3 December following reports that a teenage girl had been the victim of sexual assault believed to have taken place in an alleyway between Howe and Back Howe Street.
The young female is said to have been approached by a man, described as a white male dressed in all black with a black face covering, who followed her down the alleyway and caught up with her, threatening and assaulting her before he is thought to have fled the scene.
The attacker is believed to run towards Great Clowes Street following the incident and the local authorities are still trying to trace him, with any and all information into the inquiry from members of the public welcome.
Chief Inspector Lucy Smallwood, of GMP’s Salford district, said: “We do not underestimate the considerable concern this will cause for the community and I want to stress that this incident is being treated with the utmost seriousness and sensitivity.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We are leaving no stone unturned in trying to establish the full circumstances around what happened and have a full team of detectives within our Crime Investigation Department making enquiries over the coming days.”
Urging “anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area around 8.20pm on Sunday 3 December to come forward”, she assured that any details passed on “will be treated with the strictest confidence.”
ADVERTISEMENT
She also went on to “thank the victim for her bravery and co-operation so far, and remind people that the best support they can provide at this time is to share with us any information that could be relevant to our investigation.
“We are committed to keeping people safe in our communities across Salford, and I can reassure the public that we are doing everything we can to reinforce this.
Anyone who thinks they might have information that could help, no matter how small it may be, should contact the police on 0161 856 5187, quoting incident 2920 of 3/12/2023.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alternatively, details can also be passed on completely anonymously to the UK’s independent crime prevention charity, Crimestoppers, either online or on 0800 555 111.
Seven Manchester green spaces have been named some of the best in the UK
Emily Sergeant
A handful of green spaces in Manchester have once again been handed coveted awards and named among the best in the UK.
It may be on your radar that for several years running now, parks and cemeteries in Greater Manchester have deservingly been recipients of the prestigious Green Flag Award – which is an internationally-recognised honour given annually to the parks and cemeteries that have ‘attained a high standard of green space’.
And 2026 seems to be absolutely no different, with the region coming out on top once again.
Green Flag Awards are granted by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy each year to recognise accessible green spaces that set ‘an international benchmark for management’.
Seven Manchester green spaces have been named some of the best in the UK / Credit: Donald Judge (via Flickr) | Wikimedia Commons
Every site recognised through the scheme is assessed by experienced judges who judge the parks using eight criteria.
The criteria includes environmental management, biodiversity, landscape and heritage, community involvement, marketing and communication, and management to make sure it’s a safe and secure place for visitors of all ages.
2026 has been one of Manchester’s most successful years, as Manchester City Council has revealed this week that Blackley, Gorton, Philips Park, Manchester General, and the Southern cemeteries have all been given the Green Flag Award, as well as both Alexandra Park and Heaton Park retaining the important title too.
The awards shed light on the range of groups, volunteers, and staff who devote themselves year-round to the maintenance and upkeep of these areas.
“Come rain or shine our colleagues are out in our parks and cemeteries every day of the year, putting their time and effort into making them the internationally recognised locations they are,” commented Councillor Basat Sheikh, who is the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council.
“I’m deeply proud of their efforts and I want to dedicate the seven Green Flags we have been awarded to them.
“It’s no overstatement to say none of this would be possible without them.”
Featured Image – Stephen Taylor (via Geograph / Wikimedia Commons)
News
Government announces social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Default overnight curfews are set to be switched on for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media apps.
As the Government looks to take further action to back parents and ‘protect the next generation’ online, following the confirmation of the social media ban for under 16s earlier this year, it has now been announced that curfews will be introduced for 16 and 17-year-olds, as well as a crackdown on so-called ‘addictive features’.
This includes features that can keep users scrolling for longer – such as videos that automatically play one after another, and feeds that continually serve up personalised content.
Late-night curfews are set to run from midnight to 6am.
Late-night scrolling. Endless autoplay. Algorithms designed to keep you hooked.
We're changing that for 16 and 17-year-olds.
New protections will mean overnight social media curfews and addictive features will be switched off by default, helping young people get better sleep,… pic.twitter.com/ykWa9gjNRT
— Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (@SciTechgovuk) July 15, 2026
The new protections are said to be aiming to ‘strike a balance’ between giving older teens greater safeguards online, while still allowing them to change their own settings if they wish.
“These measures will help ensure there is no cliff edge in protections as young people move into their later teenage years,” the Government said in its announcement.
Today’s measures follow a first-of-its-kind Government pilot involving more than 300 teenagers and parents across the UK, with families reporting that overnight curfews quickly became part of their routine and helped improve sleep and concentration.
The Government has announced social media curfews for 16 and 17-year-olds / Credit: Julian Christ (via Unsplash)
“These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends, all of which are fundamental to building a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life,” explained Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall.
“We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive.”
Alongside these protections, the Government says it will publish new guidance for children, parents, and guardians on how to use AI ‘safely and confidently’.
Media literacy skills will also be bolstered in schools to teach children how to navigate new types of technology.
Danny Jones -
5th December 2023 
