All NHS Nightingale Hospitals set to close from April
Seven makeshift healthcare facilities were set up in England during the early part of the pandemic in 2020 - designed to offer additional space in the event of the NHS becoming overwhelmed.
Nightingale Hospitals will shut down in spring / Image: Wikimedia Commons
All Nightingale Hospitals will close from next month, the NHS has confirmed.
Seven makeshift healthcare facilities were set up in England during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 – designed to offer additional resources in the event of the NHS becoming overwhelmed.
Temporary hospitals were spread out across the country; built in Manchester, Bristol, Harrogate, Sunderland, Birmingham, Exeter and London.
Facilities were also assembled in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Space for over 11,000 extra beds was created as a result.
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But with coronavirus cases falling across the UK, NHS Nightingale Hospitals are no longer needed – with plans for them to close in mid-Spring.
One of the hospitals – the 500-bed facility in Yorkshire opened by Sir Captain Tom Moore – will shut without having had to treat a single patient.
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The network of extra health facilities has been described by the NHS as the “ultimate insurance policy“.
NHS Nightingale North West in Manchester is ‘on schedule’ to close by the end of March / Image: Peter McDermott via Geograph
In February, Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese confirmed that NHS Nightingale Hospital North West – the 750-bed facility built at Manchester Central Convention Complex – would close by the end of March.
Since being assembled last year, the temporary hospital was primarily used as a rehabilitation centre for patients recovering from COVID-19.
Many children returned to school on Monday (March 8), and people are now permitted to meet one other person outside for recreational purposes, not just exercise.
Care home residents can also welcome a regular visitor from this week.
The seven-day moving average for COVID-19 cases in the UK has plummeted to lower than 6,000 – the lowest levels seen since late September.
More than 21 million people in the UK have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
News
Gary Lineker set to leave BBC this week following more controversy
Danny Jones
Former footballer and veteran presenter Gary Lineker is set to leave the BBC earlier than expected following further political controversies and social media backlash.
Lineker has been butting heads with the presenter for a couple of years now, being suspended by the national corporation back in March 2023 for his comments about language used by the Conservative government, and has continued to take issue with certain aspects of their news coverage.
He has since gone on to share a further video expressing his regret over what he called an “honest mistake”, as well as confirming that he will be making a premature exit from the BBC.
As you can see in the clip above, he says: “I apologise unreservedly for the hurt and upset caused,” insisting that he didn’t see the emoji in question
Lineker is now expected to leave following his final Match of the Day programme this weekend after having already confirmed he would be leaving the role after 26 years at the end of the season.
The ex-English footballer was set to present the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer, but given the latest furore, he will be stepping away ahead of schedule.
Having gradually wound down his work with networks like TNT Sports (previously BT Sport) and the BBC in recent years, he has been slowly shifting his focus to his own Goalhanger Podcasts company, which includes several popular audio formats under The Rest Is… brand, including his own flagship The Rest Is Football show.
He goes on to add that he’s “stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and against all forms of racism all my life.” Since the most recent Israel-Palestine conflicts began, he’s been particularly outspoken on the events. One recent interview with the BBC itself sparked plenty of discussion online.
Gary Lineker, "What's going on there (Gaza), the mass murder of thousands of children is something we should have an opinion on"
Amol Rajan, "The BBC needs to be impartial about it"
Lineker reiterated that he would never “knowingly share anything antisemitic” and removed the problematic post as soon as he was made aware.
Nevertheless, the BBC and director general Tim Davie have been facing pressure to address the situation ever since it happened, with many calling for the household name to be sacked.
It seems the ex-Everton, Leicester, Spurs and Barcelona player has made the decision for them.
As he goes on to conclude, despite expressing gratitude regarding his relationship with the BBC, he feels the “time is right […’ to go our separate ways.”
“Wildfires can spread quickly and cause devastation to the land and wildlife on it,” explained GMFRS’s wildfire lead and national tactical adviser for wildfires, Ady Taylor, “so it’s vitally important that people call 999 as soon as they think they see a fire.”
He continued: “We want people to enjoy the countryside and moorland we have in Greater Manchester, but… [we] remind people to always act responsibly while out enjoying these environments.
“This means no BBQs, fires or fireworks – as they can easily result in wildfires.”
On Wednesday 14 May 2025, a teenage boy was arrested on suspicion of arson and interviewed by police in relation to the incident, and then the following day on Thursday 15 May 2025, another two boys were also arrested – with each of the three having now been released on bail pending further enquiries while investigations are ongoing.
Three teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a large moorland fire in Bury / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Detective Inspector Andy Wright, from GMP’s Bury district, added: “The moorland fire is being investigated as arson following information from a witness and enquiries we have made.
“We have managed to apprehend three teenagers in relation to this incident, all of them have been bailed following interviews with our officers.”
GMP and GMFRS is reminding Greater Manchester residents that if they see a fire in the countryside, they need to report it immediately, leave the area as soon as possible, and dial 999, and if you witness illegal activity in relation to the fire, then you can report it to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
“Fires can have such a devastating effect, and we are lucky that this has not caused a significant amount of damage, or cost lives,” Detective Inspector Andy Wright concluded.
The Manc -
9th March 2021 
