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Confirmation that Christmas rules will be relaxed in all four UK nations after more talks

Ministers of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have decided to stick with their original plan to loosen regulations from December 23-27, allowing people to form ‘Christmas bubbles’ in which three households can mix indoors.

The Manc - 16th December 2020

All four nations have agreed to relax rules over the Christmas period – despite recent calls for them to be tightened.

Ministers of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have decided to stick with their original plan to loosen regulations from December 23-27, allowing people to form ‘Christmas bubbles’ in which different households can mix indoors.

However, according to the BBC, “the final wording of the agreement is [still] being worked on.”

The government will not reverse its decision to ease COVID-19 restrictions over the Christmas period despite the rise in cases but will instead strengthen its messaging

For more on this and other news visit https://t.co/8OWd2TvLrt
— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) December 16, 2020

The UK government’s Christmas travel adviser, Sir Peter Hendy, said the public should “stay local” wherever possible.

People visiting other areas have been urged to book tickets early and ideally travel by car.

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A joint statement from the four nations is expected shortly.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.

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Tameside police officers hailed ‘absolute heroes’ after saving the life of a seven-year-old girl

Two Tameside police officers have been hailed as “absolute heroes” after saving the life of a seven-year-old little girl.

It comes after emergency services were called to an address in the Greater Manchester borough of Tameside earlier this week (29 November), and found a young girl who was struggling to breath and coughing up blood after choking on a sweet.

Police Constables Aaron Kincaid and James Blundell, from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Tameside division, were first on the scene.

To the huge relief of the girl’s parents, who were said to be “understandably distressed” and concerned for her welfare, PC Kincaid jumped straight into action and was able to utilise his first aid training to full effect by going on to successfully dislodge the sweet from the youngster’s throat, and then helping to calm her down before the paramedics arrived.

Whilst PC Kincaid looked after the little girl, PC Blundell did “everything he could” to help the parents remain calm.

Paramedics then took over once they arrived, and the young girl was taken to hospital as a precaution.

#NEWS | Tameside officers praised for saving the life of a 7-year-old girl who was choking.

The officers used their first aid training to dislodge the sweet, whilst helping the young girl and parents remain calm until paramedics arrived.

More: https://t.co/UXqySFc85Q pic.twitter.com/KvFECOwdle
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) November 30, 2023

Reflecting on the incident, and hailing his officers “absolute heroes”, Superintendent Mike Walsh, from GMP’s Tameside district, said: “PCs Aaron Kincaid and James Blundell acted without hesitation during the incident, and took control of the situation that they were faced with.

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“They deserve every credit for staying calm under extreme pressure and for working together as a team and utilising their training to lifesaving effect, and I’m sure the girl’s parents and family will consider them to be absolute heroes.”

“We’re both glad that we were in the right place at the right time,” PC Kincaid added.

“I have a daughter the same age as the little girl who needed our help, and I cannot tell you how much of a relief it was when she started breathing normally and said she was okay after I had managed to dislodge the sweet.

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“I remember saying, ‘Thank God for that’.

“The little girl gave me a thank you hug before she went to hospital, but I couldn’t have done what I did without PC Blundell’s assistance, so it was a real team effort.”

Featured Image – GMP

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Someone has plastered posters advertising ‘authorised drug zones’ all over Manchester city centre

Daisy Jackson The fake posters promoting crack and heroin zones.

The fake posters promoting crack and heroin zones.

Posters promoting ‘authorised’ drug use and sales have appeared all over Manchester today.

The posters even include Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council logos – though, obviously, without the consent of either authority.

The fake posters have also been springing up in other cities, with locals in Leeds spotting them all over the place yesterday.

They read: “Crack and heroin zone. The sale and use of Crack and Heroin is authorised in this area.”

The fake posters have been spotted outside the Central Library and in the Northern Quarter, as well as at locations in other parts of the city.

They were quickly removed by authorities, who say they were posted illegally.

West Yorkshire Police said yesterday: “We are aware of fake posters that have been illegally posted at locations in and around Leeds city centre and are making further enquiries.”

Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council have also been approached for comment.

Manchester mayoral candidate Nick Buckey wrote on X: “The lack of action to the drug epidemic in Greater Manchester is so huge that people thought these posters were legitimate.

“When jokes seems like reality then we know we have a problem.”

It appears that the group behind the drug posters project is Pattern Up, a ‘young artist collective from Brighton making their mark on the streets with provocative and witty installations’.

Plenty of people seem to have fallen for the stunt, believing it’s real, with one person posting on Instagram: “Can’t find anything online so surely fake news unless someone has a source.”

Another wrote: “Hahaha f*ck off this can’t be legit.”

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Featured image: User submission