Seven bulldog puppies have been reunited with their heartbroken owners today after being snatched during a house burglary last night in Wigan.
Tammy McKenna and her partner Paul were asleep when intruders entered their home in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday 2nd February), and only after being awoken by a knock on the door from police shortly after 2.30am, they realised the litter of seven-week-old puppies were gone.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were investigating the theft, and appealed to the public for information.
The missing dogs were among nine puppies the couple kept at their home on Shelley Street, in Leigh, and Ms McKenna said she believed that those responsible were “professionals”.
“We didn’t hear anything at all,” Ms McKenna said.
“The police were responding to a report of a break-in around the corner and noticed the double doors to our extension were wide open. They knocked on our door and asked if we had anything of value and we said the puppies were in there.”
She continued: “We didn’t hear any barking,”
“They knew what they were doing and have definitely just come for the dogs. They have broken the lock handle of the door to get in.”
Desperate for answers, Ms McKenna took to social media this morning to appeal for information and ask that anyone who knows anything regarding the whereabouts of the missing puppies gets in touch.
The couple were also offering a £1,000 reward upon being reunited with their beloved pets.
Ms McKenna said: “We just want them to bring them back.
“They are not worth anything without papers. We didn’t breed them to make any money, we were [just] keeping them within the family.
“They are loved dogs.”
And thankfully, their hopes for a quick return came true, as Ms McKenna confirmed this afternoon, in a now-viral Facebook post, that the puppies were found safe and sound, and were returned to them by Merseyside Police, with a little help from “the amazing power of good people and social media”.
“They are now safe and going into protection,” she added.
The brilliant news has seen the couple since receive comments of support and messages of relief from people all across the country, as well throughout the local community.
How brilliant is this?
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Bob Vylan dropped from Manchester music festival following Glastonbury controversy
Danny Jones
English punk rap duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from an upcoming music festival in Manchester following the recent controversy surrounding their set at Glastonbury 2025.
The media storm surrounding their much-talked-about and heavily televised Glasto appearance has seen them reportedly dropped by their agency and their US Visas cancelled, along with multiple concerts – one of those being right here in Greater Manchester.
Bob Vylan were scheduled to play RADAR Fest at Victoria Warehouse in Stretford this weekend, but now the organisers have informed gig-goers that the artists will not be performing in their planned slot on Saturday.
The alternative music event did provide any additional details, posting nothing but this image:
For anyone unaware, Vylan were heavily criticised for the pro-Palestine chants, which Glastonbury itself has deemed as having “crossed a line”, labelling the chants against the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as antisemitic.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also commented on the situation.
In addition to RADAR, Vylan were also due to appear at Kave Fest in France the following Sunday, 6 July, but the music event has also decided not to host them.
The BBC also opted not to broadcast Northern Irish band Kneecap as part of their coverage this year, as the Belfast rap trio have also been outspoken on the issue, among many other musicians of late.
Responding to the decision on social media not long after the news broke, the act simply shared the post on their Instagram story along with the caption: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester, we will be back.”
Trafford Centre launches school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families
Emily Sergeant
A school uniform drive has been launched at the Trafford Centre to support local families ahead of the new school year.
With schools across Greater Manchester soon set to be out for the summer holidays, many parents, guardians, and carers in the region may be looking ahead to the new school year in September, concerned about how they may be able to provide their children with the necessary uniform items needed.
According to a 2020 survey by The Children’s Society, 23% of parents reported that the cost of school uniforms led to their children wearing ‘ill-fitting, unclean, or incorrect’ items.
It’s these statistic that highlight the ongoing pressure faced by families.
This is why the Trafford Centre has partnered with both Manchester South Central Foodbank and local charity, Bridging the Gap, to launch a school uniform donation drive aimed at supporting more than 700 children across Manchester this summer.
The Trafford Centre launches a school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families / Credit: Trafford Centre
From now up until the 15 August, anyone heading to the region’s largest shopping centre is encouraged to donate new or pre-loved school uniforms.
“The cost of living crisis has deeply impacted our community, with more and more families unable to afford the essentials,” commented Emily Jeremy, who is the Assistant Project Manager at Manchester South Central Foodbank.
“As an anti-poverty charity, we recognised the need for school uniform support years ago. Though costs vary between schools, a full set of branded secondary school uniform can total around £150, which is a significant burden for many households.”
All items can be donated at the shopping centre’s Guest Services point / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography | Trafford Centre (Supplied)
Simon Layton, Centre Director at the Trafford Centre, added: “We’re proud to be working alongside Bridging the Gap and Manchester South Central Foodbank to support local families during these challenging times.
“School uniforms shouldn’t be a barrier to education, and we hope this initiative will ease some of the pressure many parents face as the new school year approaches.”
The school uniform donation drive is running up until 15 August.
All items can be taken to the Trafford Centre’s Guest Services Lounge, which is located on Lower Regent Crescent next to M&S, and they must be clean and free from stains or damage.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd February 2021 
