The RSPCA is appealing for information after a woman found two abandoned ducklings who had been “left to suffer” after being dumped in a wheelie bin in Bolton.
The birds were discovered earlier this week when a resident of Moorfield Grove heard noises coming from her bin.
She looked inside and found two ducklings had been wrapped in blue plastic carrier bags.
The woman reported the find and the animals have since been taken to Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Cheshire to recover.
They will remain there until they are ready to be rehomed.
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Inspector Catherine Byrnes said the ducks had been discarded as unwanted pets and were “lucky to be alive”.
She said: “It’s so important people know it is never okay to abandon an animal – and to callously dump them in a bin to suffer a lingering death is just terrible.
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“These were domestic ducks, not wild birds. If people are struggling to care for an animal, there is so much they can do to look for help – but abandonments are never the answer.
“Treating an animal like that can also constitute an offence under the Animal Welfare Act.”
The RSPCA is now appealing for information about the incident.
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The charity stated: “Anyone with information about who is responsible for dumping the ducklings on Monday July 20 at around 6.30am should contact the appeal line on 0300 123 8018.”
Someone is selling the life-size animal lanterns from Manchester’s Lightopia festival
Daisy Jackson
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.
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.
Bolton has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2024
Emily Sergeant
Bolton has officially been named Greater Manchester Town of Culture for 2024.
Taking over the reins from Stockport – which held the title in 2023, and recently hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close – it’s now the turn of the north-western Greater Manchester borough of Bolton.
Bolton has long been celebrated as hub of culture and creative activity within our region.
The area has notably produced some big-name stars in the arts, entertainment, comedy, and sporting spheres over the years, as well as having seen significant new residential and commercial developments popping up in recent times, and a blossoming food, drink, hospitality, and nightlife scene that continues to prove popular.
The Bolton Food and Drink Festival, IRONMAN, Bolton Film Festival, and Put Big Light On are all big annual events in the borough.
Bolton has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2024 / Credit: Bolton Food & Drink Festival (via Facebook)
And now, the town has got itself a fancy title to prove it – and along with that, a whopping £50,000 grant to support a year-long programme of events.
In case you’re unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about, it’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region – with Bury the inaugural title-holder 2020 and holding onto it into 2021 due to the COVID pandemic, and then followed by Stalybridge in 2022, and Stockport in 2023 – and it celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Bolton’s programme will have three parts, according to Bolton Council.
The town has taken over the reins from Stockport, which held the title in 2023 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons | The Octagon Theatre
The first is a taster programme packed full of cultural activities delivered in Bolton and its various districts, and then following on from that, there’ll be a grants programme designed to help support Bolton’s smaller cultural organisations, freelancers, and artists.
The grand finale will be the Bolton Gala – which is set to take place next March, and is gearing up to be a celebratory event jointly-organised by all cultural partners, and co-designed by residents too.
Bolton Council says it will be working with cultural organisations, creative practitioners, and residents to “strengthen partnerships” that’ll deliver a collective approach to creative programming, and Councillors hope to build on assets such as the town’s legendary Octagon Theatre, the newly-refurbished Bolton Central Library and Museum, and the Bolton Albert Halls too.
GMCA has awarded the town a £50,000 grant to support a year-long programme of events throughout the year / Credit: Paul Hayes (via Bolton Food & Drink Festival on Facebook)
“It’s fantastic that Bolton has been announced as the latest Greater Manchester Town of Culture,” Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, commented as the town took the title this week.
“Bolton already has some outstanding cultural venues and eventsm from the Octagon Theatre and the Bolton Albert Hall, to the famous Bolton Food and Drink Festival and the Bolton Film Festival, and Town of Culture will celebrate these existing venues and events, but will also shine a light on the smaller venues and events that are happening across the town.
“I look forward to visiting Bolton to join their cultural celebrations.”
Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Nick Peel, says he’s “thrilled” about the town’s new title, and added: “Bolton certainly has a promising future, and will be a great place to live, work, study, visit and invest in the future.”
Featured Image – Bolton Food & Drink Festival (via Facebook)