Bury

Tribute paid to lollipop lady who died in crash on the road she campaigned to make safer

'This tragic irony sits with us today.'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 19th December 2022

The family of a beloved lollipop lady in Bury have paid a heartfelt tribute to her after she was hit by a van.

Irene Allen, 87, tragically died as a result of her injuries sustained in a serious road traffic collision on Walmersley Road on Tuesday 6 December.

She had notably been Bury’s first lollipop lady and had campaigned for more safe crossings on the very stretch of road that she was injured on.

Her family have said that the circumstances that led to her death are a ‘tragic irony’.

Irene’s daughter Melanie said in a tribute issued through GMP: “Irene was a much loved ex-medical receptionist at Ribblesdale House and AgeUK Jubilee Centre committee member.

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“Irene lost the fight for her life on Sunday 11th December, she had been involved in a road traffic collision on Walmersley Road Bury on Tuesday morning, and despite the best efforts of Salford Royal Rescue and ICU teams, Irene never fully regained consciousness.

“The police are continuing to investigate the circumstances but a post mortem concluded that she died of multiple injuries caused by the collision.

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“Irene, a keen walker and Rawtenstall Cricket fan, leaves behind a daughter and three grandchildren and a whole community who miss her sunny personality.

“Always putting others before herself, in the mid 1960’s Irene complained to Bury Council about the lack of safe crossings for school children across the busy Walmersley Road, and became the newsworthy first lollipop lady in Bury.

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“This tragic irony sits with us today.”

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Officers are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have footage, including dashcam, mobile phone or CCTV/doorbell footage from the area in the moments leading up to and before the collision took place.

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 4741 quoting incident 1115 of 06/12/22.

Alternatively, details can be passed via the LiveChat function at www.gmp.police.uk or anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Featured image: GMP

Bury

Family-run tapas restaurant shames customers who stole decorations – and then brought them back

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Family-run tapas restaurant shames customers who stole decorations

A family-run restaurant in Whitefield publicly shamed a couple who stole new decorations from them… and it worked, with the stolen items being promptly returned.

Campo Blanco, a popular tapas joint in the Bury suburb, threatened to call ‘Santa’ over the petty theft.

Owned and operated by high school sweethearts Aaron and Faye Cummins, the charming local spot opened back in 2018 and has been a firm favourite in Whitefield ever since.

But it’s not just their tapas menu that’s caught the attention of locals – now apparently it’s their new table decorations.

Campo Blanco shared CCTV footage of a couple who dined there recently pocketing lamps off their table.

The customer in question quietly reaches across her dinner, picks up the pretty gold lamp, turns it off, and shoves it into her coat pocket.

The restaurant shared the video online and pleaded for them to return the lamps by Christmas Eve.

They then said they’d be telling Santa – ‘and by Santa, we mean the police’.

Campo Blanco wrote: “We love our new table lights too. We actually can’t get them anymore as they’ve stopped making them so please bring them back. Also, they aren’t yours!

“You have until Christmas Eve to return them with no questions asked.

“If not, we will tell Santa to put you on the naughty list. And by Santa, we mean The Police. Cheers. Merry Christmas.”

They later shared an update with a video of the second lamp being stolen, which said the police have been in touch but Campo Blanco doesn’t want to ‘waste their limited time over this’.

When asked why they haven’t shared the thieves’ faces, they wrote: “We wouldn’t do that. We’re not willing to ruin someone’s Christmas over 2 Table lights.”

One person replied to their post saying: “You’re joking. No that’s ridiculous.”

Another user commented: “You wouldn’t believe the amount of people that think this is perfectly ok to do. Makes me so annoyed! Theft is theft!!!”

Someone else wrote: “Can’t have anything these days. Disgustinggggg.”

But last night Campo Blanco finally had some good news to share with its customers (who were ‘heavily invested’ in the saga) – the lamps have been returned.

The restaurant shared: “Never have we been more surprised and excited. Thank you for returning them! It’s been an emotional journey but we can finally draw a line under it and carry serving Tapas.

“We’ll leave you with Kate’s reaction to the Third and Final Part of our Saga #LampGate #ReturnOfTheLamp – before you ask, no, we won’t show their face.”

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Featured image: Instagram, @campoblanco

Bury

Hidden drug den full of cannabis plants worth £100k exposed by police in Bury

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Police in Bury have exposed a drug den worth an estimated £100,000 hidden behind closed doors during early morning warrants.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained, earlier this week (9 December), officers from the Radcliffe and Elton and Church Neighbourhood Teams were joined by Bury’s newest district commander, Chief Superintendent Kirsty Oliver, to conduct a warrant at an address on Mitchell Street.

The warrant was conducted by acting on intelligence that was gathered from members of the public within the community.

Officers the address, where they forced entry and discovered what has been described as a “sophisticated cannabis farm” within the property.

A hidden drug den full of cannabis plants worth £100k has been exposed by police in Bury / Credit: GMP

The set-up was spread across two floors, and according to police, resulted in around 300 plants being seized overall – with half of them being at the beginning of their growth-cycle, and 100 which had been harvested.

All the plants seized have a combined street value of an estimated £100,000, it is believed.

On top of this, a vehicle was also seized after officers found it suspiciously parked outside the premises, and following further inspection, it was discovered to be outstanding as stolen and had false registration plates.

No arrests have been made at this time.

Police believe that the warrant could be linked with West Balkan’s Organized Crime Groups, and are investigating additional lines of enquiry.

Chief Superintendent Kirsty Oliver, Bury’s new district commander, thanked the public for their help in yesterday’s warrant.

“We received information sent in by concerned members of the community who wanted to create a safer environment,” Chief Superintendent Oliver explained.

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“Communities are essential to preventing and solving crime, and I encourage you to continue to report any criminal acts or suspicious behaviour to us and let us know what is happening in your area.”

Featured Image – GMP

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