Technical Assistant
AJ Handley-Rowe -
10th November 2021
AJ Handley-Rowe -
10th November 2021 Local music student issues appeal over stolen saxophones just months after graduation
Danny Jones
A local music student has issued a heartbreaking appeal after two of his saxophones, one of which possessed a deep sentimental attachment, were stolen in Manchester not long after graduating from his degree.
Conor Parker-Delves, who only recently finished his undergrad degree at the Royal Northern College of Music, has dreams of performing professionally, but a sad twist of fate now means that he’s currently without the key tool he needs to make a living.
Having worked so hard up to this point in completing his studies, the 22-year-old was left gutted when the pair of extremely valuable instruments were stolen from his car after parking it in the Longsight area.
The still green graduate believes the items were originally kept at an address just south of Whitworth Park, along with some of his other stolen belongings, which he says were nearly resold on the high street in Moss Side.
What’s more is that one of these saxes belonged to his late granddad on his mother’s side, who sadly died when he was very young, and he’s been proudly playing it throughout his childhood. A gut-wrenching loss not just for him but for his family.
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Speaking to The Manc, he said: “I have played on that sax ever since his passing and have kept the legacy alive. Losing this sax means losing him, and I am going to fight against this as hard as I can for as long as I can.”
A worn silver Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone (serial number: 240580) and a tenor sax of the same brand (SN: 91928) are estimated to be worth a combined £12,000 – funds a fresh graduate like Conor simply doesn’t have.
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Given the connection to his grandad, it’s safe to say that he’s not ready to give up and say goodbye to the priceless heirloom, and being stuck without any means of playing is just cruel.
Unfortunately, Greater Manchester Police have already closed the case despite a “promising lead” that looks to have been exhausted, and now he’s been left with no other option than to issue a renewed appeal to the public.
It may only be a slim chance, but the London-born aspiring musician is hoping that the woodwind duo can be recovered, acknowledging that it is “much easier for the saxes to be handed in if they are come across” rather than be replaced.
Things are hard enough for artists these days as it is, especially those who have already spent their time and money uprooting their lives and moving to a big new city like Manchester.
We encourage anyone with any potentially useful information to get in touch and/or report to GMP online, via the non-emergency 101 number, or get in touch with Crimestoppers anonymously.
Fingers crossed we can get the tools of Conor’s craft and his grandfather’s before him back safe and sound – can you help?
Read more:
- The Streets announce big change for Castlefield Bowl gig in Manchester amid World Cup clash
- Manchester named UK’s parcel theft capital, according to new research
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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Conor Parker-Delves
Greater Manchester shoppers can take part in a real-life supermarket sweep competition
Emily Sergeant
Aldi is giving Greater Manchester shoppers the chance to take part in a real-life supermarket sweep for charity.
Building on the success of Aldi Scotland’s long-running initiative – which has raised more than £60,000 for charity over the past decade – Aldi is bringing its successful ‘Supermarket Sweep’ fundraiser to England and Wales for the first time, and shoppers from across Greater Manchester will have the chance to take part for a brilliant cause.
10 winners will be selected to take part in the challenge at their local Aldi store, racing against the clock to fill their trolley with Aldi products in just five minutes.
Once the dash is complete, Aldi will donate the full value of each winning trolley to Teenage Cancer Trust, helping to support young people with cancer across the UK.
Unfamiliar with Supermarket Sweep the TV show? This is how it works.
The game consists of three teams of two, each with a clock that starts with 60 seconds on it. The teams then attempt to add as much time as possible to their clock by answering questions and riddles posed by the host. The time they accumulate determines how long they have in the ‘Big Sweep’ round to run around a studio mock-up of a supermarket, collecting shopping items.
The team with the shopping trolley filled with items of the most value wins the chance to enter the final ‘Super Sweep’ prize round.
Speaking as entries to the unique competition open this week, Julie Ashfield, who is the Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: “Our customers are always incredibly supportive of the causes we champion, and we’re pleased to be bringing this much-loved fundraising initiative to England and Wales for the first time.
“We can’t wait to give shoppers the opportunity to put their trolley-dashing skills to the test, while helping to raise vital funds for Teenage Cancer Trust. Every pound raised will help the charity continue providing specialist care and support to young people with cancer when they need it most.”
Read more:
- The ‘secret’ cash-and-carry near Piccadilly that’s selling amazing Italian food for less than the supermarkets
- The UK has a new cheapest supermarket for the first time in nearly two years
- Mancs wanted to take part in next series of BBC’s popular Gladiators reboot
The competition is now open, with entries closing at 23:59 on Tuesday 4 August.
To enter, you’ll simply need to email [email protected] with your details for the chance to win, and you can find all the terms and conditions here.
Featured Image – Aldi
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