Manhunt underway as teenage girl sexually assaulted in alleyway
Salford's Chief Inspector said, 'We are committed to keeping people safe in our communities across Salford, and I can reassure the public that we are doing everything we can to reinforce this.'
Greater Manchester Police are on the hunt for a man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in Salford and are appealing for anyone who might have information to come forward.
Police were called to the Broughton area of Salford around 8:30pm on Sunday, 3 December following reports that a teenage girl had been the victim of sexual assault believed to have taken place in an alleyway between Howe and Back Howe Street.
The young female is said to have been approached by a man, described as a white male dressed in all black with a black face covering, who followed her down the alleyway and caught up with her, threatening and assaulting her before he is thought to have fled the scene.
The attacker is believed to run towards Great Clowes Street following the incident and the local authorities are still trying to trace him, with any and all information into the inquiry from members of the public welcome.
Chief Inspector Lucy Smallwood, of GMP’s Salford district, said: “We do not underestimate the considerable concern this will cause for the community and I want to stress that this incident is being treated with the utmost seriousness and sensitivity.
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“We are leaving no stone unturned in trying to establish the full circumstances around what happened and have a full team of detectives within our Crime Investigation Department making enquiries over the coming days.”
Urging “anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area around 8.20pm on Sunday 3 December to come forward”, she assured that any details passed on “will be treated with the strictest confidence.”
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She also went on to “thank the victim for her bravery and co-operation so far, and remind people that the best support they can provide at this time is to share with us any information that could be relevant to our investigation.
“We are committed to keeping people safe in our communities across Salford, and I can reassure the public that we are doing everything we can to reinforce this.
Anyone who thinks they might have information that could help, no matter how small it may be, should contact the police on 0161 856 5187, quoting incident 2920 of 3/12/2023.
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Alternatively, details can also be passed on completely anonymously to the UK’s independent crime prevention charity, Crimestoppers, either online or on 0800 555 111.
Mancs advised ‘do not travel’ today amid MAJOR region-wide train disruption
Daisy Jackson
Passengers across the North West are being told not to travel today, after a power failure triggered major disruption across the region.
A vast number of trains have been cancelled in and out of Greater Manchester due to the failure at Manchester Rail Operating Centre (ROC).
The disruption started earlier this afternoon but is expected to continue across all operator routes until the end of the day.
Now, rail operators are issuing ‘do not travel’ notices, and ticket acceptance has been put in place across all Bee Network buses and Metrolink services.
A statement shared by Manchester City Council: “Due to a power failure at the Manchester Rail Operating Centre (ROC), there is major disruption on the rail network across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and the Midlands.
“Delays and cancellations are expected on all operator routes across Greater Manchester until the end of today (Thursday 6th August). Rail operators have issued a do not travel notice with travel advice and the latest information HERE.
“Ticket acceptance is in place on all Bee Network buses and Metrolink services across Greater Manchester.”
All Brewers Fayre and Beefeater locations across the UK are closing down
Danny Jones
It looks to be the end for not one but two of Britain’s best-known and long-running restaurant franchises, as Brewers Fayre and Beefeaters will be closing down all of their locations.
Dating back to the mid-1970s, there will soon be none left anywhere in the country
The pair of recognisable chains, owned by parent company Whitbread PLC – who also own Premier Inn, hence why they usually come as a joint package – have nearly 200 sites across the UK, but they are already in the process of a wholesale shutdown.
News of the impending closures first began circulating back in April, but now the process is said to be fully underway, with multiple Greater Manchester names on the chopping block.
A real shame all brewers fayres are closing down. As a member they’ve sent me a last free main. So enjoying a mixed grill pic.twitter.com/EIHMZ7LCvv
— Daniel Turner⚽️ 🏟️ 1️⃣1️⃣5️⃣8️⃣ (@puffpuff65) August 4, 2026
With roughly 3,800 staff set to be made unemployed as part of the major restructuring by Whitbread, the job cuts will see approximately 12% of their workforce laid off from a total of around 30,000.
One local duo due to face the music is the soon-to-close Stable Gate in Denton and Wheatlea Park in Wigan – both of which are Brewers Fayre branches.
89 of the brand’s boozers have been given until early September (some dates may vary) to shut up shop and hold not just their last orders, but their final dinner service full stop.
The rest of the venues closing next month are Beefeater pubs, including the Heaton Park one in Crumpsall, The Quay House at Salford Quays, and the Whitgate Inn over Oldham way.
As for others nearby, Macclesfield’s Springwood Park is also set to close.
The older of the two British mainstays is Beefeater, which was founded by Whitbread back in 1974 when they opened their first pub, The Halfway House, down in Enfield.
Brewers debuted up North in ’79, with a maiden watering hole called The Farmers Arms in Preston, before going on to open several locations around Lancashire and eventually nationwide.
Most of you will likely have visited or at the very least passed one of those food and drink spots in your time, and while they may be more associated with hotels and service stations these days, they still served as regular haunts for plenty of people who will no doubt be gutted to see them go.
Speaking of services, another big name is expanding further into the North West.
Danny Jones -
5th December 2023 
