News

A major Metrolink line has gone down due to the extreme heatwave

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 18th July 2022

Metrolink has suspended services along one of its busiest lines due to the heatwave.

Services between Manchester Victoria and Bury are affected, in both directions.

TfGM has said that the adverse weather has caused damage to the overhead lines along the Bury line.

Temperatures today are set to hit as high as 36 degrees, with tomorrow forecast to be an even hotter 38 degrees.

The Bury line on the Metrolink is part-suspended due to the heatwave.

Metrolink has been running a reduced service, with trams every 12 minutes, throughout Monday in a bid to offer a ‘reliable and frequent service during the hot weather’.

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But the Bury line will be out of action until further notice, and tickets are being accepted on buses 97, 98, 135, 524.

TfGM has also shared an indicator of how long it will take to walk between stops along the line.

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Read more: Manchester restaurants close their doors as temperatures soar above 30C

TfGM said: “Adverse weather conditions have caused damage to the overhead lines on the Bury line and this line is now suspended.

“Services travelling in both directions between Victoria and Bury are affected.

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“In addition to public transport, there are several destinations on this line that can be easily reached by walking.”

Featured image: TfGM

News

Former GMP officer jailed after being found guilty of several online child sex offences

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A former police officer from Salford has been sentenced after being found guilty of a string of online child sex offences.

Following a trial back in July, 35-year-old Michael Aspinall was sentenced at Preston Crown Court earlier this week (Monday 14 September) after being found guilty of three counts of attempting sexual communication with a child.

It comes after Aspinall – who was employed by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at the time of the offences – was arrested in October 2024 by detectives from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU), and was immediately suspended from duty following his arrest.

The investigation began after evidence was obtained that Aspinall had been communicating online with individuals that he believed to be children, but he was in fact communicating with a police officer.

Following this series of interactions, he was charged with various offences.

In addition to his eight-month sentence – which has been suspended for two years – Aspinall will also be placed on the sex offender’s register for 10 years, subject to a five-year serious crime prevention order, and have undertake 20 days of rehabilitation, GMP has confirmed.

He has additionally been added to the College of Policing’s barred list.

An application to request forfeiture of Aspinall’s police pension has also been made to the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester.

“Aspinall’s offending was clearly unacceptable for any right-minded member of society and particularly inappropriate for a serving police officer,” commented Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Humphreys, from GMP’s Professional Standards Directorate.

“His actions put the whole police service under scrutiny, but thanks to the hard work and diligence of undercover officers, he was arrested, found guilty, and has now received his punishment.”

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DCI Humphreys concluded: “[Aspinall’s] actions take away from the hard work of the men and women who work so hard for their communities every day, and it is only right that anyone committing these sort of offences are rooted out.”

Featured Image – GMP

News

Council announces return of FREE firework displays in Manchester parks

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Watching fireworks

The skies over Manchester will light up once again, as free firework displays are set to return to several of the city’s parks.

You may remember that major fireworks events throughout the city had been paused following the COVID-19 pandemic, due to funding challenges, with Manchester City Council choosing to invest in a range of other community-focused events across throughout the autumn season instead, rather than one-off firework celebrations.

But now, once this November rolls around, all of that is set to change.

That’s because, on Saturday 7 November, free fireworks events will return to Heaton Park, Wythenshawe Park, and Platt Fields Park.

First up, there will be a reduced-noise, low-impact display at 5pm for families and SEND audiences, and a main fireworks display then to follow a little later at 8pm.

The Council has announced the return of free firework displays in Manchester parks / Credit: Unsplash

Each of the three parks will host lantern making workshops in the weeks leading up to the events too, with family-friendly lantern parades taking place ahead of the 8pm firework shows.

The Council says that the return of the free fireworks events reflects residents’ recent feedback about what they want to see in their community and how they want funding to be distributed.

“It’s a chance, at the start of the shorter days and beginning of the dark winter months, to come together and resume a much-loved annual tradition as well as enjoying an evening of safe entertainment and spectacular fireworks displays,” Manchester City Council said in a statement.

Councillor Basat Sheikh, who is the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, added: “We are delighted to announce and welcome the return of our much-loved fireworks celebrations.

It’s the first time they’ve returned since the COVID-19 pandemic / Credit: Elisha Terada (via Unsplash)

“Our parks should be shared spaces that create opportunities for Manchester people to gather, which is why bringing back the fireworks displays was top of our agenda. And we also recognise the importance of community which is why we will also continue to invest in a wide range of activities in our parks throughout the year.

“The return of these events is a wonderful opportunity for families and communities to create lasting memories and enjoy the long-standing tradition of fireworks in our parks in a safe way.”

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Additional entertainment will be announced for each park in the coming weeks too, so keep your eyes peeled for more.

Featured Image – Alex Jones (via Unsplash)

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