Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed that a drug dealer from Wigan has been jailed after storing cocaine inside coffee tins.
32-year-old Martin Bradshaw, of Ashbourne Avenue in the Aspull area of Wigan, appeared at Bolton Crown Court this week, and pleading guilty to dangerous driving, driving without insurance, possession with intent to supply a class A controlled drug, and facilitating the acquisition/possession of criminal property.
It comes after on Friday 5 June 2020, an officer spotted Bradshaw driving erratically in his Mercedes Benz along Scholes, Wigan, and attempted to stop the car, but Bradshaw began to accelerate, and eventually managed to flee the officer.
The car was spotted shortly afterwards parked up on Higher Lane in Aspull, and was then seized by officers.
The following day, after receiving intelligence that the car was linked to the supply of controlled drugs, officers said they returned to the compound where the car was being kept and forced entry to it.
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Following a search, bank cards, and a coffee tin containing cocaine were seized, as well as two burner phones, which both contained details of drug supply.
On Sunday 7 June, Bradshaw attended Wigan police station and was arrested, and following further investigation, it was uncovered that he had purchased a static caravan in Blackpool – which was subsequently seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act, as well as the Mercedes.
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Following a vehicle search, bank cards, and a coffee tin containing cocaine were seized, as well as two burner phones / Credit: GMP
Bradshaw has been jailed for three years and six months, and he has also been disqualified from driving for three years and nine months.
A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing has been set for 15 June 2022.
Speaking on the sentencing, Police Constable John O’Donnell of GMP’s Wigan District Tasking Team said: “Bradshaw’s reckless and dangerous driving not only risked the lives of innocent members of the public but it also allowed us to recover drugs from his car and uncover that he was engrained into a drug dealing chain.
“Drugs blight communities and negatively impact the lives of all those involved [and] I hope today’s sentence sends a clear message that this type of activity is not acceptable in Wigan or Greater Manchester and GMP will do all it can to target and disrupt this activity.
“Information and intelligence we receive from the public in regard to drug dealing in the area can greatly assist our investigations so I would encourage anyone who may know of or suspect someone involved in the trade of drugs to get in touch with police.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Major travel warning issued ahead of Manchester Pride this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
Of course, Manchester Village Pride returns to the city centre this weekend from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August – with four days of music, live performances, and entertainment taking place to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and of course, the annual Pride Parade will be taking to the streets from 12pm on Saturday too.
Starting at midday on Liverpool Road, the Pride Parade will travel through the city centre via Deansgate, Peter Street, Oxford Street, Portland Street, and Whitworth Street, all before arriving in the Village and closing out at around 4pm.
Pride may be the biggest event in Manchester this weekend, but given the fact it’s a bank holiday too, it’s by far the only thing happening.
A major travel warning has been issued ahead of this bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM
As thousands of visitors gear up to visit the city in the next few days, travel warnings have been issued by Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), as road closures are in place and major traffic congestion is expected across the city centre.
For the celebrations to all take place as safely and seamlessly as possible, a full list of road closures and parking suspensions have now been published.
Drivers are advised to avoid travelling into the city centre by car if possible, particularly on Saturday, and should use other modes of transport – such as buses, trams, and trains – instead to best avoid all the closures.
But for those who do need to drive, they’re being strongly advised to ‘allow plenty of extra time’ for their journeys and check routes before setting off.
🏳️🌈 On Saturday [29 August], it's the #PrideParade so you'll see plenty of rainbows in the city centre.
To allow the parade to take place: – There will be road closures in place – Some buses may operate on diversion – Trams in the city centre may experience minor delays
Wherever possible, drivers are advised to park on the same side of the city as their route, as travelling across the city to reach a car park could add additional time to the journey.
“Plan ahead if you’re travelling over the bank holiday weekend,” Manchester City Council said in its travel warning.
“A number of other major events are taking place across the city, including live events at Wythenshawe Park and Manchester United’s first home game of the season, which are likely to increase demand on tram services and roads in and around the city centre.”
You can find out everything you need to know about Manchester Village Pride here, and see the full list of road closures here.
Featured Image – TfGM
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Aldi on Market Street is officially open again, with a major upgrade
Daisy Jackson
Good news for literally everyone in the city centre – Aldi on Market Street is BACK after a major upgrade.
The supermarket in the Manchester Arndale has been closed for what feels like an eternity (okay, three weeks) while it was given a refurbishment as part of Aldi’s Enhanced Project Fresh initiative.
The closure had left some shoppers less than impressed, with locals previously taking to social media to say it had ‘ruined my f***in day‘.
But after weeks of waiting, the Market Street branch is now back open, and Aldi says there are plenty of changes for shoppers to discover.
The revamped store has been given a new floor layout, upgraded refrigeration and repositioned departments, all designed to make navigating the shop a little easier.
Having popped in this morning, we can confirm that the aisles feel significantly less claustrophobic than they did previously.
One of the biggest additions is a brand-new in-store bakery, alongside expanded chillers and an enhanced fresh produce section.
Buzzball BiggiesThe new Aldi bakery on Market StreetAnd magnums of Aldi’s own chicken wineLoads of new self checkoutsThe aisles feel much wider and calmer in the new Aldi Market Street
There’s also a larger food-to-go chiller, while the freezer section has been redesigned with easy-to-browse freezers.
And for anyone who has ever found themselves trapped in a city-centre supermarket queue, Aldi has also introduced an improved queuing system for its self-checkouts, with the changes intended to ease congestion during the busiest periods.
Store Manager Mark Strickland said: “We thank our customers for being patient during this period of closure and we hope the improvements we’ve made to the store create a noticeably better experience for our shoppers.
“The new floor, upgraded refrigeration, and repositioned departments now make shopping at Aldi Arndale easier and more comfortable than ever.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming back familiar faces and new customers to showcase what we’ve achieved.”
The makeover forms part of Aldi’s wider investment programme across its stores, including the rollout of updated CO₂ refrigeration systems.
According to Aldi, the carbon reduction from the completed programme will be equivalent to the amount of energy used to heat more than 6,500 homes.
So, while Mancs might have had to survive without their Market Street Aldi for a little while, there’s now a shiny new reason to head back into the Arndale.
Emily Sergeant -
17th February 2022 
