Bury

Family pays tribute to ‘courageous and caring’ teen who died in a workplace accident in Bury

Truly heartbreaking words.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 13th February 2024

The family of a teen who sadly lost his life following an incident at a Greater Manchester business have paid a touching tribute to him.

17-year-old Oliver Mawdsley died after being involved in a workplace accident in Bury last Thursday (8 February), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained, and since then a police investigation has been opened into the incident, and two arrests have been made.

A 41-year-old was arrested on suspicion of driving offences and gross negligence manslaughter, while a 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

Both men have been bailed pending further enquiries, GMP confirmed.

Following Oliver’s tragic passing, his mum, Samantha, has now paid tribute to “the most courageous, loving, and caring boy”.

Her tribute reads: “My brown eyed boy Ollie… you are my whole world. I just can’t imagine you not walking through the door, giving me the biggest cuddle, and sloppiest kiss with your big lips saying ‘love you mama’.

“You were always there for everyone. You were the best little brother to Coby, and the best big brother to Hector, and your other siblings. You were never shy to show your emotions in public. You were big and strong, but so soft with a loving personality. You protected everyone with your big, kind, caring heart, and your beautiful smile that lit up the room and everyone else’s heart too. You were always there for everyone else.

“I will miss every single piece of you. My heart is broken and I wish I could just bring you home with me where you belong.”

Family pays tribute to ‘courageous and caring’ teen who died in a workplace accident in Bury / Credit: GMP

The tribute continues: “You had so, so much more to give to life, and you should never have been taken.

“Your life was just beginning. Me and Papa watched you grow from our beautiful little boy, to the most handsome young man. Your life was only just starting. You were saving to be able to buy the Crosser you always wanted, and your car insurance.

“Your face would light up the world when you spoke about all your hopes and dreams, and you would have achieved them all.

Read more:

“You had the purest of hearts with the purest intentions. “Us against the world”, we would always say, from you being a baby still to this day.”

Featured Image – GMP

Bury

Bury FC offering free tickets to Morecambe fans amid ongoing club crisis

Danny Jones Danny Jones Bury FC offering Morecambe fans free tickets

Bury FC are offering free tickets to travelling Morecambe fans free tickets to an upcoming match in a show of solidarity for the fellow North West football club amid their ongoing crisis.

For anyone unaware of the situation in the Lancashire town, Morecambe FC could soon be no more after being suspended from the National League as they face further financial uncertainty.

At present, controversial owners  Bond Group Investments LTD, led by businessman Jason Whittingham, have failed to sell the struggling club despite multiple deadlines, leaving the vital community sporting organisation on the precipice of complete collapse.

While the seaside team currently have no fixtures to look forward to with the 25/26 season now underway for various parts of the football pyramid, the Greater Manchester outfit, which only recently survived similarly their own precarious circumstances, has offered Morecambe fans free admission.

Although this is a very temporary alternative, with complimentary tickets being offered for Bury’s Northern Premier League West season home opener against Newcastle Town, it is a touching show of support from regional counterparts who know all too well the fear and pain of potential dissolution.

Sharing a post on their official website and social media along with the message, “We’ve been where you are. We stand with you.”, The Shakers have stated that anyone who turns up at Gigg Lane for the game this Saturday, 9 August, with their season ticket or wearing a Morecambe badge can enter for free.

It was only back in 2019 that Bury themselves were expelled from the football league after 125 years as a result of their unpaid debts. It’s fair to say that the state of affairs at Morecambe looks strikingly familiar.

Plenty of clubs have been placed into administration and hit with suspensions over the years, and Bury did go on to reunite their AFC phoenix club back in May 2023, but unfortunately, nothing is ever certain given how money-driven modern football is.

To add more context, Whittingham has been registered as the director of 25 companies during his career, but it’s important to add that a staggering total of 18 have been dissolved (either forcibly or voluntarily), put into administration, liquidated, or put into receivership – the stage before full liquidation.

Global sports investment firm, Panjab Warriors, stated that it is still prepared to acquire 100% of the club, but is yet to finalise any kind of deal now that all footballing operations have ceased, especially given that the club’s insurance has also run out.

It remains to be seen how many travelling Shrimps supporters will make the nearly 50-mile journey to 0161 for the game, but Bury’s classy gesture has nevertheless been met with plenty of praise.

For now, it has been reported that Morecambe have anywhere between the end of the week and 20 August – when the National League meets to discuss the matter again – to balance books and/or discover their fate.

The beautiful game belongs to everyone; people of all regions and walks of life, from the grassroots all the way up to the Premier League, and as a footy-obsessed part of the world, we all know all too well how important it is to have these sporting and crucially social outlets in local areas.

Sending all our support to all those at Morecambe FC, and we hope to see these dire straits resolved with the right outcome sooner rather than later.

Bury offering free tickets to Morecambe fans is touching, but when are clubs going to get better protection from questionable ownership?

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Surreykraut (via Flickr)/Ian Taylor (Geograph)/Bury FC

Bury

Body found in search for missing man Craig Foy after police scour Heaton Park

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Body found in search for missing man Craig Foy after extensive search of Heaton Park

A body has been discovered in the search for missing Bury man Craig Foy.

Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team had been carrying out an extensive search for Craig, 40, after he disappeared on Saturday 26 July.

Those searches had included the Heaton Park area, after CCTV appeared to show the Whitefield man climbing into the park just before midnight.

Officers have now confirmed that a body has been found in connection with the investigation.

While formal identification is yet to take place, it’s believed to be that of Craig.

Craig’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

Body found in search for missing man Craig Foy after extensive search of Heaton Park

Earlier in the week, GMP said that three men were arrested on suspicion of murder, with one suspect since released on bail and two others facing no further action.

Detective Chief Inspector Jill Billington, from GMP’s Serious Crime Division, said: “The investigation remains ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to Craig’s death, and to ensure that we can get the answers that his family deserve.

“We appreciate the support of the public in sharing our appeals to locate Craig and ask for his family to be given privacy, space and time to process their loss.”

Police are still appealing for information relating to the investigation – you can contact GMP on 101 quoting log number 917-28/7/25 or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Any information, including photos and videos, can also be uploaded to the Major Incident Public Portal.

Read more

Featured image: GMP

More Bury

Bury

Three 19-year-olds arrested after teen is killed in ‘targeted attack’ in Bury town centre

Sunday Sessions at Chin Chin in Prestwich

Bury

Prestwich wine bar Chin Chin now serves roast dinner sandwiches

Boroughs

Iconic Thomas the Tank Engine replica is back travelling through Greater Manchester this weekend

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches