Police officers providing assistance at a flooded property in Bury this week discovered a cannabis farm hidden inside worth an estimated £1 million.
Officers received a call on Monday evening (August 16) requiring assistance at a building on Silver Street in the town centre.
After attending the property, around 1,000 plants were found in the loft.
Police have since removed all of the plants which were subsequently destroyed.
No arrests have yet been made, but officers believe people had been living in the property due to the presence of two beds inside.
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Around 1,000 plants were found on Silver Street – worth an estimated £1m / Image: GMP
Chief Inspector Jamie Collins of GMP’s Bury district, said: “Thankfully over the past couple of days, alongside partners, we’ve been able to uncover and dismantle a fairly substantial cannabis farm within Bury town centre.
“The removal of this quantity of cannabis from the supply chain is another positive step forward in helping to disrupt the activity of organised criminals who seek to profit from the sale of drugs.”
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GMP said it was still working to identify those involved in the production of the Class B drug.
“I would urge anyone with information that could assist our investigation to get in touch with police as soon as possible,” CI Collins stated.
“Any information, no matter how small, could prove vital to our enquiries and will be treated with the utmost seriousness.”
Bury
Gig review | Catfish at Heaton Park, Manchester – are the Bottlemen properly back?
Danny Jones
10 months on from their last gig and more than a year since they officially ended their hiatus, Catfish and the Bottlemen finally returned to Manchester for a sold-out show at Heaton Park, and while the reviews online have been mixed, we had a blast heading back to the fields again.
Making their Manc comeback just hours before this year’s Parklife Festival got underway, the beloved Welsh band had stirred lots of worry leading up to the day itself and, in truth, even in the moments leading up to (and after) their stage time.
Apart from their huge headline slot at Reading and Leeds, 2024 was the year of cancellations and controversy, so their fans had plenty of reason to be concerned. Nevertheless, we had faith and kept our spirits high, especially with the weather holding out.
Local legends and indie rock veterans James certainly helped on that front, delighting both die-hards watching from up on the hill and younger gig-goers who may have only heard a few of the big hits like ‘Sit Down’ – though they certainly didn’t heed that message, there was merely jumping up and down.
Some great computer-generated imagery backdropped the set.We watched this thing like a hawk.You can read our recent interview with them HERE. (Credit: Audio North)
Once the main support act had wrapped up their pretty perfectly timed set, we’ll admit, standing on that grass felt like an eternity, especially considering Catfish had us waiting an extra 15 minutes beyond their expected arrival at Heaton Park.
You could call it fashionably late, but in this case, it saw several people around us uttering, ‘they’re not coming on any time soon’, and some even beginning to walk off.
However, they did eventually arrive just over a quarter of an hour past schedule, and the eruption of cheers from the crowd and a fair few screams from those nearest the barrier signalled what summed up the entire night: we were just so happy to have them back.
We’ve heard people debating the sound quality and taking issue with parts of Van’s performance, but we’ll just leave this here and let you decide for yourselves:
One thing’s for sure: the energy was immaculate from start to finish.
From kicking things off with ‘Longshot’ for a limb-worthy intro, to hearing a fully acoustic version of ‘Hourglass’ as the lead singer stood alone on the dramatically lit main stage, soon to be followed up by a plethora of Parklife acts, we’d wager you they’ll remain a tough act to follow all weekend.
Other highlights included an entire park’s worth of people belting every word to ‘Kathleen’, ‘Fallout’, ‘Pacifier’ and pretty much every track they played, as well Van having the crowd repeat the chorus of ‘Cocoon’ as he hung up his guitar from the stand to deliver an ice-old mic drop.
We would’ve loved to hear a fuller set filled with the extended live versions of ‘Oxygen’, ‘Heathrow’ and ‘Glasgow’ too, especially given how many sections of pure instrumentation felt like they were going to transition into another track, but you can’t have everything, I guess.
Inflatable crocodiles and cracking flagsCredit: The Manc GroupEyes and arms wide openWe’re here to urge you not to be drawn in by TikTok reviews – as far as we’re concerned, Catfish were made to headline Heaton Park.
Sure, there might have been a few minor fluffed vocal notes and slightly over-lengthy solos here and there, but after all, it’s a rock show: we want a bit of mess.
The same goes for Van McCann himself, too; we worry that people are starting to forget what a proper rockstar is, and we’re not talking about contriving some kind of Hollywood lifestyle, but certainly getting lost in the music and trashing your guitar so hard that your face is draped in nothing but hair and sweat? Absolutely.
All in all, we think Catfish and the Bottlemen‘s massive outdoor show at Manchester’s Heaton Park and de facto ‘comeback after the last comeback’ was a triumph and even when they’re not absolutely 10/10, they’re still bloody good value live.
As for the question of ‘are they back?’ We think so and certainly hope that ‘Showtime’ wasn’t just released as a way of signalling fans to come along for one last ride before the final curtain call.
Wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer
Emily Sergeant
The popular wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer.
The school summer holidays are just over a month away now, and that means East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is back with a whole host of immersive events that give curious Mancs the chance to step back in time by hopping on one of the historic Pullman-style steam train carriages through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.
Thomas the Tank Engine, Peppa Pig, and seasonal themed train rides are just a few of the events that have been entertaining families in the region over the last few years.
But by far two of the best-loved experiences on the lineup each year have to be the chance to go on a wizard or dinosaur-themed adventure… and thankfully, both are back yet again next month.
Wizard and dinosaur-themed steam trains are back travelling through Greater Manchester this summer / Credit: ELR
ELR’s Wizarding Adventure sees little Mancs come together for a magical day of sharing spells and getting stuck into lots of magic-themed fun, as aspiring witches and wizards of all ages are invited to enrol in the spellbinding school of sorcery.
They’ll go on a ‘wacky and wonderful whistle stop tour’ of the Wizard Academy and learn to become a master of mystery and magic during their interactive 90-minute journey through the ‘Irwell Valley of wonders’ hauled by a genuine steam – and spell – powered train.
If the Jurassic period sounds more up your little one’s street though, then the Dino Adventure is the one as it’s ideal for all budding dino enthusiasts.
This is your chance to take your little Mancs on an adventure / Credit: ELR
Step onto a specially dino-proofed steam train and journey into a prehistoric world, as you’ll get to meet ELR’s expert dino wranglers, come face-to-face with adorable baby dinosaurs, and enjoy a hands-on experience packed with discovery, excitement, and fun for the whole family.
“Whether your little ones are excited to meet dinosaurs or learn wizardry, there’s an unforgettable adventure waiting for everyone at ELR this summer,” commented Mike Kelly, who is the Chairman of the East Lancashire Railway.
“We’re proud to host events that ignite imaginations and create lasting memories, all set amidst the beautiful scenery of the Irwell Valley”.
The Wizarding Adventure and the Dino Adventure are coming to ELR next month on 20 and 27 July, respectively, as well as later dates in August, and you can find out more and get tickets from £17.50 online here.
The Manc -
19th August 2021 
