Greater Manchester Police has urged A-Level students in Manchester to celebrate safely on results day tomorrow and reinforced that “we are still very much in the middle of a pandemic”.
Hundreds of thousands of students will receive their A-Level results across the country tomorrow, which has thus prompted Nick Bailey – Assistant Chief Constable of the Greater Manchester Police – to ask young people to comply with local lockdown restrictions and government guidelines while celebrating.
This follows reports that police officers received 1,106 calls for incidents of lockdown breach last weekend.
Calls for a total of 540 house gatherings and parties, and 48 reports of licensed premises breaching restrictions were received, making it a 25% increase on the previous weekend.
ACC Bailey said: “I understand that A-level results are coming out this week and people will rightly want to celebrate, however please be mindful of the COVID regulations in your celebrations as we do not want to spoil what should be a joyous occasion by issuing Fixed Penalty Notices at any house parties or illegal gatherings.”
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“It is worth noting that recent spikes in Greater Manchester which lead to the additional restrictions were centred around house parties with 17/18 year olds.”
“As the restrictions have eased, it may seem as though the virus is no longer as much of a threat, however this is absolutely not the case. We are very much still in the middle of a pandemic and are seeing increasing numbers of COVID cases across Greater Manchester.”
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Unsplash / Tristan Gassert
This warning comes after Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement on the evening of Thursday 30th July that people in certain areas of Northern England – crucially including all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester – would no long be permitted to congregate privately with others outside their household or support bubble due to a rise in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases across the region.
Legislation to legally enforce these new restrictions was published by the government five days after the announcement and came into force on Wednesday 5th August.
"The important thing is what happens next"
Cllr @GarryBridges says congratulations to Manchester pupils receiving A-level results this week, and offers advice on moving forward, whether it's to a degree, a technical qualification, or workplace training.#ALevelResults2020pic.twitter.com/woyz0uX9rz
ACC Bailey continues: “I understand that people want to return to normality as soon as possible, but in order for us to be able to achieve this, it’s important that we as a community follow the regulations and guidance to stop any increase from occurring in virus transmissions,”
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“Coronavirus doesn’t discriminate – absolutely anyone can get ill whether you’re old or young and it’s imperative that we continue to treat this situation seriously and adhere to the rules in order to reduce infection rates.”
GMP closed out the plea by thanking the public for their continued cooperation in recent weeks and has also asked that people “continue to report breaches of the restrictions”.
Reports can be made via the Greater Manchester Police website here, or by calling 101.
For further information and guidance amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, do refer to official sources via gov.uk/coronavirus.
#StaySafeSaveLives
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‘There must be a way’ – Andy Burnham vows to save Jodrell Bank after funding cuts
Emily Sergeant
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to save the UK’s largest telescope at Jodrell Bank.
In case you hadn’t heard, back in July, theUK Research and Innovation (UKRI) announced that the Jodrell Bank Observatory – which is home to the Lovell Telescope – will not be prioritised for further funding after its current agreement ends in March 2028, despite the telescope standing in its Cheshire home since 1957.
The UKRI said the decision not to continue funding priority was ‘the result of a comprehensive, evidence-based prioritisation process’.
Since the news broke, however, it has been a topic of national uproar and discussion as to how to ensure its legacy lives on.
A proud part of the University of Manchester (UoM), Jodrell Bank had a pioneering role in the development of radio astronomy, and has evidence from its emergence as a new science in the 1940s through to the present day, making it an outstanding part of scientific heritage.
The Prime Minister was pressed to address concerns surrounding the future of the site by Sarah Russell, Labour MP for Congleton, in the House of Commons yesterday (1 September 2026).
Mr Burnham replied: “Every one of my generation went on a school trip to Jodrell Bank, and there is no way that we can see its demise – it won’t happen under my Government.
“I know there’s changes that have been made in relation to research funding, but Jodrell Bank is a heritage asset for the country, as well as a research asset.
“There must be a way to save Jodrell Bank, and I give a commitment today, at this despatch box, we will find it.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Northern’s ‘Flash Sale’ is back for 2026 with millions of train tickets on sale for £2
Emily Sergeant
Millions of train tickets are currently on sale for just £2 each, as Northern has brought its popular ‘Flash Sale’ back for 2026.
A whopping FOUR MILLION of them, to be exact.
For the last couple of years, the rail operator has made life a little easier for train travellers by giving them the chance to grab one of several million tickets for much cheaper than normal – and now, with the cost of living crisis sadly continuing to make its impact felt, Northern has decided to kick off the autumn season by slashing prices once again.
It means that millions of people will have the opportunity to make a cut-price journey across the north of England before the end of October is out.
With the company’s regular ‘Flash Sales’ having gone onto become a, somewhat, legendary event at this point, it probably comes as no shock that you’ll need to act fast if you want to be in with a chance of get your hands tickets.
Tickets went live today and the sale runs for three days, closing on Friday 4 September – with tickets valid for travel between 9 September and 23 October 2026.
The top local destinations with the most tickets available in the sale are Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Airport, Manchester Victoria, and Manchester Oxford Road, as well as Wigan and several other neighbouring towns.
A list of routes where tickets will be available can also be found using the ‘cheap fare finder’ tool on the Northern website here.
Northern’s ‘Flash Sale’ is back for 2026 with millions of train tickets on sale from £2 / Credit: Northern | Wikimedia Commons
“With four million tickets up for grabs, this is one of our biggest Flash Sales yet, and there’s something for everyone,” commented Alex Hornby, who is the Commercial and Customer Director at Northern.
“With millions of tickets available for just £2 each, our Flash Sale will make the railway even more appealing, and we believe it will inspire everyone to explore everything our fantastic region has to offer, from bustling cities to countryside and stunning coastlines.
The Manc -
12th August 2020 
