You can now buy yourself a life-size light-up zebra, as seen at Manchester’s huge Lightopia lantern festival.
In what is undoubtedly the most unusual Facebook Marketplace listing we’ve seen in a hot minute, someone is selling off a flock of the animal-shaped lanterns.
These huge glowing beasts flocked the fields of Heaton Park for several years as part of the Lightopia festival, which created beautiful installations in a family-friendly light trail.
Probably the most popular of all the installations every year were the animal sections.
Because who doesn’t want to be walking in the dark through the woods and suddenly be faced with a life-size illuminated bull?
Lightopia left Manchester for good in early 2023 (replaced last year by the Christmas at Heaton Park light trail, from the makers of Christmas at Kew), and we have actually been wondering what happened to all the massive lanterns that had filled the park.
Well, turns out they’ve ended up in what appears to be someone’s back garden in Bolton.
And now they could be yours, if you have a couple of hundred quid in the bank and an urge to have a big fake lion in your garden.
The animal lanterns for sale include a massive bull, a zebra, and a lion, though the lion’s rear end looks like it’s seen better days.
It’s not cheap to adopt a light-up wild animal though – they’re asking £300 each, but £350 for the bull, but are open to offers for a bulk buy, if you fancy starting your own very stationary zoo.
Someone is selling the huge animal lanterns from Manchester’s Lightopia festival. Credit: Facebook
The listing states: “These were part of Lightopia who ran lighting festivals throughout the year.
“All have internal lights (which will need checking).
“They will need some maintenance some the thin like plastic covering split or missing built on steal frames.
“Collection only you need big van I know a van man to.”
Brb, off to bring home a lion with a hole in its haunches.
Inside the UK’s largest Bershka store that has just opened inside the Trafford Centre
Clementine Hall
Bershka has opened its first-ever Manchester store this week, and it’s a fashion lover’s paradise.
Spanning an absolutely massive 1200 square meters, the Spanish fast fashion clothing retailer has touched down in the Trafford Centre with a bang.
Known for its on trend and affordable pieces, Bershka caters to a younger audience who are looking to dress to impress.
From camouflage mini skirts to buckled biker boots, if you’ve seen a fashion trend online and you’re wanting to try it out for yourself – Bershka is the place to spend your money.
Images: Supplied
The new flagship store located on Peel Avenue next to John Lewis is organised into three independent sections: BERSHKA, BSK, and MAN collections.
The store concept aims to integrate the building’s interior with a groundbreaking store prototype already used in other locations across the world.
Featuring a sequence of product display modules designed to showcase the different collections while changing materials depending on the section.
Images: Supplied
Each section is designed to be your own personal shopper, so you really don’t have to go far to find your perfect fit.
Spending money has never been so easy, with the brand new streamlined checkout sections that include plenty of both traditional and self-checkout counters meaning you’ll never find yourself queueing.
Another standout feature is the store’s lighting, specifically designed for this supersized flagship store. Small rectangular LED spotlights with warm and comfortable lighting have been used to enhance the customer’s shopping experience, so you can say goodbye to harsh changing room lighting.
Images: Supplied
Custom sound panels have been designed and installed in central areas of each section, as well as AR mirrors that us AR technology allowing you to try on products through different filters created exclusively by the brand. How cool is that?
So grab your wallets and get yourself to the Trafford Centre to browse Bershka to your heart’s content.
Adidas drop Liam and Noel Gallagher SPZL trainers
Daisy Jackson
Liam and Noel Gallagher have teamed up with adidas once again to create their very own SPZL trainers.
The sportswear giant has today dropped the designs for the adidas LG Achille SPZL and the adidas NG Marathon SPZL.
The sure-to-sell-out trainers will officially hit shelves in the new Manchester adidas store, and other stockists, next weekend.
The footwear drop coincides with the ongoing Oasis reunion tour, which attracted hundreds of thousands of people to the city when they played five nights in Heaton Park.
Liam and Noel themselves have maintained a close relationship with Gary Aspden, curator of the adidas SPZL range, for more than two decades.
They’re often seen sporting the iconic trainers and creating product collaborations, and now they’re back with a new Three Stripes partnership and their very own new adidas SPZL trainers.
Up first is Liam Gallaghers’s adidas SPZL, with the Oasis frontman asking to bring back a revised version of an archival runner, the adidas Achille.
The LG Achille SPZL features a khaki mesh base, chocolate brown stripes, a beige suede T-toe overlay, and a sand outside, with a motif of Liam on the tongue of the shoe.
Noel Gallagher’s NG Marathon SPZLs are his first collaborations with the brand since his immediate sell-out shoes back in 2017.
His are a new hybrid inspired by the adidas Marathon 85 silhouette, keeping the suede upper and rubber outsole of the Marathon 85 but with a deep navy/sky blue palette with a reworked toe box and midsole, as well as details like the Eco-Tex tongue and tonal eyelets.
Both shoes feature a portrait of their namesakes on the tongue, as well as spare laces, co-branded sock liners, and commemorative packaging.
The adidas LG Achille SPZL and the adidas NG Marathon SPZL are set to launch via adidas SPZL stockists and the adidas Carnaby and MCR retail stores on 16 August.
Daisy Jackson -
28th March 2024 
