Grouse hunting is to end on several moorland areas across North West, United Utilities has announced.
The North West-based water company – which also happens to be the largest corporate land owner in England, and is responsible for the management of widespread sections of moorland across the region – has confirmed that shooting licences will not be renewed going forward, and no new licenses will be issued either.
Anglezarke Moor near Bolton, the Longdendale Valley near Glossop, and the Goyt Valley near Buxton are just a handful of the moorland areas managed by United Utilities close to Greater Manchester were hunting will be banned.
Moorland areas in Burnley and Bowland are also set to see grouse hunting end.
Grouse hunting to be banned on moorland across the North West / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The water company said its decision has been announced following a review of its position on the matter, which began back in March.
ADVERTISEMENT
Confirming its decision in a statement issued this week, a United Utilities spokesperson said: “As shooting leases reach their conclusion at various stages between now and 2027, they will not be renewed.
“Instead of being maintained for grouse shooting, the company’s water catchment moors will be restored for nature, climate and people.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Conservation organisations have hailed the move as a “breakthrough moment”.
🚨BREAKING: hugely welcome announcement from @UnitedUtilities at their AGM today that they are pulling the plug on grouse shooting.
Once shooting leases come to an end, they will not be renewed. Instead, the company's moors will be restored for nature, climate and people. pic.twitter.com/n5OAtDevBE
CEO Louise Beardmore said United Utilities had “made a commitment” that it would no longer renew any existing shooting leases on a long term basis, and this is what has “guided” the company’s approach over the last couple of years.
It’s believed that United Utilities’ decision has the potential to lead to the restoration of large parts of the Forest of Bowland, Peak District, and West Pennine moorlands.
ADVERTISEMENT
Luke Steele, who is the Executive Director of conservation group Wild Moors, said United Utilities has “risen to the challenge” of creating what will be a “wilder and more diverse future” for the North West, and commends the company for its decision to end grouse shooting.
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free bus travel to and from school
Emily Sergeant
Children who are currently living in temporary housing in Greater Manchester are set to get extra support with school travel.
In a move that was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) at the end of last week, and following years of campaigning, homeless children living in temporary accommodation are now set to get free school travel on all Bee Network buses.
TfGM says it understands that some children end up a long way from their school when placed into temporary accommodation, and this leaves parents or carers with the difficult choice of either having to move them to a closer school, which ultimately disrupts their education, or having to pay unexpected travel costs.
While the Greater Manchester Strategy – which is the plan for the city region’s next decade – commits to reducing the number of families and children in temporary accommodation, and measures are also being taken to make sure residents have the support they need to ‘access, improve, and retain’ a decent, affordable home, this doesn’t tackle the immediate issue.
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free school bus travel / Credit: TfGM
So, to help those families when they ‘need it most’, free bus travel to and from school is set to be provided, as subject to approval of this year’s Combined Authority budget.
The move comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asked TfGM last year to look at options to help with the cost of travel.
“Using our locally-controlled Bee Network buses to support families when they need it most is the right thing to do,” Andy Burnham commented.
Of course, the long-term solution is no kids in TA and we’re working with our councils to achieve this in the next few years.
We can do it because GM will soon hit the point where we are building more council and social homes every year than we’re losing through right-to-buy. 👍🏻
“A move into temporary accommodation is often a massive upheaval for families and can be a worrying time. With this measure, the cost of travel to school will be one less thing for families to worry about.
“It will mean parents and carers don’t have to choose between an extra demand on their household budget and keeping their children with friends and teachers they know and trust.”
Emily Sergeant -
26th July 2023 
