An ex-Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers scout has been given the all-clear from cancer in what is being called a groundbreaking clinical trial.
Tom Critchley, 76, served as a corporal in the Royal Engineers before going on to become a key figure in Man United, Bolton and Huddersfield Town’s academy systems, but after retirement was sadly diagnosed with early-stage rectal cancer in April 2022.
Based in Astley near Leigh, the former head of player recruitment was sent to Wigan Infirmary after spotting blood on his toilet paper and then to The Christie NHS Foundation for his treatment, where he ended up being part of a pioneering new clinical trial simply named, ‘Aphrodite’.
Funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, the trial tested whether higher doses of radiotherapy would increase the likelihood of successfully treating rectal cancer and avoid the need for surgery. After undergoing a rigorous 28-day period of radiotherapy and a chemotherapy tablet twice a day, Tom was thrilled to be given the all-clear earlier this year.
“There are no signs of cancer – it’s gone.”
Tom Critchley, a former @ManUtd took part in a trial to see if a higher dose of radiotherapy can prevent surgery for certain patients with rectal cancer.
The United scout was one of the first to undergo the cancer trial.
Being told he was cancer-free back in February, Critchley has been able to return to his beloved pastimes, such as entertaining crowds as a talented pub and club singer.
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Tom tragically lost his wife Eileen to pancreatic cancer at the age of 54 just five weeks after her diagnosis, so when the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial presented itself, rather than be fearful like many understandably are with experimental trials, he didn’t hesitate.
One of the other benefits of the treatment is that patients may also avoid the need for a stoma, where an opening in the abdomen is connected to the digestive or urinary system to allow them to pass waste out of the body.
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Nevertheless, his month-long treatment was still intense and did result in some side effects such as skin peeling from the radiotherapy but the grandfather of three’s scans continue to show no signs of the cancer having returned. Wonderful news.
Following the successful clinical trial, Aphrodite is now recruiting more patients — more than 100 across 10 different sites in Britain.
While The Christie is still the highest recruiter, with a third of all patients taking part being treated there, the University of Leeds’ Clinical Trials Research Unit is leading the trial and helping offer the alternative treatment method to others with similar diagnoses around the UK.
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We’re so glad you’re back on the mend, Tom, all the best.
Hundreds of staff at four Greater Manchester hospitals to strike AGAIN next week
Emily Sergeant
Another round of strikes has been called at a handful of major Greater Manchester hospitals.
Amid ongoing disputes following the first set of strikes at the end of last month, it has now been announced that more than 350 Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust (NCA) employees – including nurses, clinical support workers and housekeepers – who are members of the union UNISON will once again walk out for three days next week.
According to the union, the dispute centres on the NCA’s use of an outside agency called NHS Professionals (NHSP) to manage overtime.
When covering staff shortages, workers are entitled to time-and-a-half pay – however in some cases, staff earn less than they would on a normal shift, and some have even been missing out on more than £80 per shift, the union added.
Operating theatre staff were previously on picket lines in June, and although an option to resolve the row was initially tabled by NCA bosses, this has now fallen through.
Hundreds of staff at four of Greater Manchester’s hospitals are set to strike next week / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
This means that staff at Salford Royal Hospital, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary, and Fairfield Hospital in Bury are walking out next week on Monday 14, Tuesday 15, and Thursday 17 September.
The union’s North West regional organiser, Kevin Dolan, said the trust had given ‘no indication’ that it’s willing to re-enter negotiations, adding that operating theatre services were ‘chronically under-staffed’ and staff were choosing to work extra shifts to cover shortages.
Ahead of the August strikes, the trust declared a critical incident to help it secure extra support and keep urgent surgery running, while also announcing that some procedures would have to be postponed.
Understandably, some disruption is expected at each of the hospitals on strike days.
But Gertie Nic Philib, who is the chief people and strategy officer at the Northern Care Alliance, said that the trust will do ‘everything we can to minimise the impact on patients’ and ‘maintain high standards of care and quality at all times.’
“We also have contingency plans in place for emergency situations,” they concluded.
Featured Image – Pxhere
News
Stockport man jailed for life after kidnapping and sexually assaulting teenage girl
Emily Sergeant
A Stockport man has been sentenced to life in prison after kidnapping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl on her way home from the library.
Paul Sharpe has been sentenced to life imprisonment with an eight-year minimum term in prison after being convicted of a number of offences when subjected a teenage girl to what police called a ‘terrifying ordeal’ that lasted several hours back in May 2026.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that the victim had been studying at Sale Library before beginning her journey home with friends at around 5:50pm and contacting her parents at 6:10pm to let them know she was on her way.
Twenty minutes later, she spoke to her boyfriend on the phone and said she was approximately five minutes away from home, but that her phone battery was about to die.
This was the last contact received from the victim that evening.
While walking along Bradgate Road in Altrincham, the victim noticed a grey Ford parked nearby and a man wearing a high-visibility jacket pressing doorbells in the area.
As she walked past, Sharpe approached her from behind, placed her in a headlock and threatened to stab her if she did not get into his vehicle.
Concerned that their daughter had not returned home, the victim’s family contacted police at 9:22pm to report her missing, and officers immediately launched an investigation to locate her.
Over the next several hours, the victim was subjected to and placed in a number of terrifying situations.
Sharpe drove the victim to several locations across Greater Manchester and Cheshire, before police located and arrested him at around 3:40am on 19 May 2026.
Following his arrested, 56-year-old Sharpe was convicted of kidnap, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, threats with a bladed article, and administering a noxious substance with intent to injure, annoy or aggrieve.
“This was a terrifying ordeal for a young girl who was simply making her way home,” explained Detective Inspector Karl Perry, from GMP’s Criminal Investigation Department.
“Sharpe targeted a vulnerable victim, subjected her to hours of fear and intimidation, and went on to sexually assault her.
“The victim has shown immense courage throughout the investigation and court proceedings. Through her bravery and actions, she no doubt made it harder for Sharpe to carry out whatever acts he had planned.”
Danny Jones -
22nd November 2023 
