A lack of drivers could see problems with local bin collections in the North West “last up to and beyond December”.
After rural resident Lesley Ham – who lives near Whitworth Rake in Rochdale – claimed her monthly recycling collections have been cancelled due to the shortage, she told LancsLive that Rossendale Borough Council informed her that the service had been “suspended”.
And when approached about the delays, a council spokesperson said the national shortage of Large Goods Vehicle Drivers (LGV) across the country is the reason.
The shortage is said to be having a “major impact” on bin collections.
The council spokesperson even added that the council is prioritising general refuse collection over other services such as bulky waste collections, and that these difficulties could continue up to and beyond December.
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Although Lesley did say that her rubbish was eventually collected by a special collection last Friday after contacting the council, she added that she was still unsure about the future of the collections and was advised on three separate occasions her bin collection has been “suspended indefinitely”.
The national shortage of Large Goods Vehicle Drivers (LGV) is having a “major impact” on bin collections / Credit: Geograph
Lesley continued: “For our rural properties, they only collect the recycling once a month and because of where we are with foxes and badgers, you can’t leave rubbish out [but] by Tuesday afternoon, it had already been got at so the rubbish is just then strewn down the track.
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“That’s why I rang and they said they had a driver shortage and then I was told it was suspended on Thursday.
“There must be some forward planning of the situation?”
Rossendale Borough Council said they were adapting collection rounds and reallocating staff where they can, and in some cases, were working at the weekends to collect missed bins.
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“Is it rural properties they’re targeting because it takes a bit longer?” Lesley questioned.
“We’ve already gone a month and it’s going into five weeks, but if next month we haven’t got a recycling collection again, we’ll have another month of waste.”
Local bin collection difficulties could potentially continue “up to and beyond December” / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Addressing the concerns over bin collections, a spokesperson for Rossendale Borough Council said: “As has been reported nationally there is a shortage of Large Goods Vehicle Drivers (LGV) across the country which is affecting deliveries to supermarkets, restaurants and other retail outlets.
“This shortage is also having a major impact on refuse collection services for us and many other councils, as qualified LGV drivers are also needed to drive refuse trucks.
“We are doing our best to empty all bins as scheduled by adapting collection rounds and reallocating staff where we can [and] where possible, we are also working at weekends to collect missed bins – but these difficulties are likely to continue up to and beyond December.”
Featured Image – Geograph
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Oldham man given life sentence after attacking nurse with scissors at hospital
Emily Sergeant
A man from Oldham has been sentenced to life in prison after attacking a nurse with scissors when he was in hospital.
Romon Haque, of Yasmin Gardens in Oldham, previously pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article, before being additionally later found guilty of attempted murder, and he appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday (11 February 2026) to receive his sentence.
The court heard how the attack took place at Royal Oldham Hospital on Saturday 12 January 2025, where at around 11:30pm, Haque asked a nurse for medication, who advised that she would come and see him shortly.
Haque then got out of his bed, walked over to where the nurse was stood, and pulled out a pair of scissors from his pocket. He subsequently stabbed her three times, resulting in serious injuries to her face, neck, and hands.
He was pulled away from his victim by staff members who intervened.
The victim was immediately given urgent medical treatment, and subsequently taken to intensive care following the attack.
Following his initial court appearance, Haque was deemed fit to stand trial, appearing at court in June and July last year, before his official sentencing took place this week.
In total, Haque was sentenced to 28 years – 22 of those being in prison, with an extra six years following on licence.
Speaking following Haque’s sentencing, Detective Sergeant Jennifer O’Brien, from the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Oldham district, said: “This was a horrific, unprovoked attack on a woman who was simply doing her job for those in need in a hospital. I want to commend the bravery of those who intervened, and who prevented the situation from potentially being much more serious.
“Emergency workers should never face violence from the very people they are trying to help, and I am glad Haque is now behind bars following this vile incident.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Spike in antisemitic incidents reported after Manchester synagogue terror attack
Emily Sergeant
A new report has revealed that there was a rise in antisemitic incidents reported following the Manchester synagogue terror attack.
In case you need a reminder, the shocking knife and car attack took place on 2 October 2025 on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, and during the incident, two men sadly lost their lives during the attack – Adrian Daulby, 53, who was shot dead by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) while trying to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who also helped stop the attacker.
The attacker was named as 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie – a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich – who at the time was on bail for an alleged rape, before being shot dead by police.
In the wake of the attack, the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said 40 antisemitic incidents were reported on 2 October last year, and a further 40 were reported the day after – more than half of which involved direct reactions to the deadly attack.
These were the highest daily totals in 2025.
A spike in antisemitic incidents were reported after the Manchester synagogue terror attack / Credit: Google Maps | GMP
Three of the reported incidents on 2 and 3 October involved ‘face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack to Jewish people’, according to the CST.
39 of the reported incidents were antisemitic social media posts referencing the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the attack from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions.
The Manchester synagogue attack was the first fatal antisemitic terror attack in the UK since the CST started recording incidents in 1984.
Overall, 3,700 anti-Jewish hate incidents were recorded in 2025 – which is said to be up 4% on the incidents recorded in the year before – and the CST revealed that this the second-highest annual total ever recorded.
There was also a spike in reported anti-Jewish hate incidents following the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December of last year too, the CST said.
Dave Rich, who is the director of police at CST, told Sky News in a statement: “We need a more robust approach to the kind of extremism that drives antisemitism.
“Jewish people in Britain used to be able to go about their lives without ever thinking about antisemitism, and now it’s the topic of conversation around every dinner table. That’s new.
“It feels for a lot of Jewish people like we’re in a different world now, the atmosphere is different, the climate has changed for Jewish people and the amount of antisemitism is part of that.”
The Manc -
3rd September 2021 
