Bolton

Local Bolton schoolkids chosen to select street names in new neighbourhood

What a great idea - more of this, please.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 20th January 2026

Some local schoolkids from Bolton are among the lucky few to be chosen for a great honour: to be the people responsible for selecting the street names for a brand new neighbourhood.

That’s definitely something to tell their little ones and grandchildren someday.

For anyone from the Bolton area, you may have heard of the new development popping up over in Little Lever, a burgeoning suburban area not too far away from Moses Gate Country Park.

Carrying on the ‘Creams Mill’ moniker as a whole, a group of students from nearby Mytham Primary School have further been entrusted with naming the next leafy chapter of village life.

creams mill new homes
Credit: Watson (press shots)

Picking a handful of pupils from members of the school council, who have clearly already shown plenty of initiative and interest in extracurricular activities, property firm Watson Homes first visited the school back in 2023 to allow some young minds to take part in an exciting competition.

ADVERTISEMENT

Known as ‘The Change Makers’ in Mytham Primary, not only did they find out more about the brownfield plot, but also more about the site’s surrounding history, including its rich industrial heritage, the significance of the canal corridor in the wider context of Greater Manchester and more.

Having then been inspired by everything from the waterways to the native wildlife, names were thrown into the mix; now, more than two years later, eight of those bright-eyed pupils and some of their teachers were invited back for a mini grand opening of their own.

ADVERTISEMENT

Getting to see the road signs unveiled for the first time – Woodpecker Road, Deer Lane, Owl Lane, Dragonfly Court, Middle Bents Lane, and Bally Close – as well as putting the finishing touches on other things like hedgehog pathways and birdboxes. Cute.

They even got to name three apartment buildings within Creams Mill, which have now been dubbed Davenport House, Fletcher House, and Waterway House. Such a cool experience for these youngsters.

Honestly, how wholesome is this?

ADVERTISEMENT
bolton school kids name new roads in little lever
watson homes property development bolton
Credit: Supplied

The Manchester-based affordable housing firm’s director, Mike Watson, said in a statement: “It has been incredibly rewarding to see the pupils of Mytham Primary return to the site and see their ideas become part of the streets they helped to imagine.

“This project started with conversations in a classroom and is now taking shape on the ground – from the new homes rising across the site to the restoration of the canal.

“This is a development that genuinely reflects Little Lever’s heritage and future ambitions, and is a powerful example of how regeneration is rooted in community pride as well as bricks and mortar.”

We think we speak for everyone when we say this is the kind of work in the community that we’d like to see more of from the various developers across the region.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Watson Homes (supplied)

Bolton

Murder investigation launched and man arrested after woman found dead in Bolton flat

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant GMP synagogue attack

A murder investigation has been launched after a woman was found dead at a flat in Bolton.

Yesterday (Monday 19 January 2026) at around 10am, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) responded to a concern for welfare at an address on Kempston Gardens, in the Halliwell area of Bolton, and when officers arrived at the scene, they found a female who was ‘unresponsive’ inside the address.

CPR commenced, but despite the best efforts of all involved, paramedics pronounced the woman as dead shortly after.

A murder investigation has been subsequently launched, and a 33-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and remains in custody for questioning at this time.

A police cordon remains in place while investigations are underway, and GMP is now appealing to the public for information.

“Our priority at this time is identifying the female and informing her family as soon as we are able to,” commented Detective Inspector Louise Kelly, of the Major Incident Team.

“Specialist officers will be available to support them throughout this investigation.

“A murder investigation has been launched and whilst we currently have a man in custody, there is a police cordon in place, and we are conducting enquires to establish the circumstances which have led to this tragic incident.

“We understand that an incident of this nature may cause concern within the community, however we believe there is no wider risk to the public.”

Read more:

Anyone with any information is asked to contact GMP via 101 or the LiveChat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 863 of 19/01/26.

Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Featured Image – GMP

Bolton

Fundraiser set up for surviving taxi passengers involved in fatal Bolton crash last weekend

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Bolton crash survivors, Tom and George Daniels

A fundraiser has been set up for the surviving taxi passengers involved in a devastating and fatal head-on collision in Bolton last weekend.

At around 12:45am last weekend (Sunday 11 January), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of a collision on Wigan Road in Bolton, where a Seat Leon was travelling down the road and collided with a Citroen C4 Picasso – which was a taxi.

The driver of the Seat, and two passengers – who were all aged between 18 and 19 – have died following the collision.

The driver of the Citroen was also sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

The three teenagers have been named by GMP as Muhammad Danyaal Asghar Ali, Farhan Patel, and Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, all from Bolton, while the taxi driver was named as Masrob Ali from Blackburn.

Funerals have already taken place for each of the deceased and a number of fundrasiers have previously been set up in memory of Masrob – who was a father of four – for his grieving family, which you can donate to here.

But now, a GoFundMe page has also been launched for the four victims travelling in the taxi, which between them have sustained ‘severe and life-altering injuries’.

Two of the victims have been named as Tom and George Daniels, aged 29 and 28, while the identities of the other two have been withheld in order to protect and respect their privacy, although it has been confirmed by GMP that they are a 29-year-old female and a 30-year-old male.

According to the GoFundMe page, set up for the four victims by close friends Lucie Wilson and Jake Regan, the injuries sustained by the four passengers vary in severity from serious internal injuries, injuries to the brain, and ‘unimaginable trauma’.

Bolton crash survivors, Tom and George Daniels
Tom and George Daniels, two of the survivors of a fatal crash in Bolton last weekend / Credit: GoFundMe

“The road ahead for all of them is long, uncertain, and deeply challenging, requiring extensive medical care, time, and support,” Lucie explained on the GoFundMe page.

The funds raised will be shared between all survivors in the taxi.

The description on the GoFundMe page reads: “The money raised is intended to support immediate expenses not covered by insurance. This is to help relieve some of the additional pressure on their families, allowing them to focus entirely on healing.”

Any contribution, no matter the size, is said to go towards making a ‘meaningful difference’ as the survivors begin to navigate their lives ahead.

The families of the survivors have also kindly asked that any ‘anger or frustration felt is directed not towards blame or hate, but towards hope, healing, and recover’.

More than £26,000 has already been raised (at the time of writing), with donations rising by the minute, and if you would like to contribute, you can do so here.

Read more:

GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) is still appealing for information and witnesses, and are urging anyone that may be able to help to come forward. This includes anyone who saw the vehicle driving before the collision, witnessed the incident itself, or has dashcam / CCTV footage.

Can you help? Anyone with any information is urged to contact the SCIU directly on 0161 856 4741, quoting log 111 of 11/01/2025.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Featured Image – GoFundMe

More Bolton

Bolton

Greater Manchester town named as one of country’s worst at fixing potholes

Boots empties recycling scheme explained

Bolton

The Boots recycling scheme where you can get £5 off every shop

Wigan Road, Bolton

Bolton

Police appeal after serious crash between car and taxi in Bolton leaves four dead and five others injured

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches