The heartbroken family of a woman who sadly died in Gorton this past weekend have paid tribute to her as a murder investigation is launched.
It comes after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) received reports regarding the concerns for the welfare of a woman at an address on Hyde Road at around 11:20am on Saturday (30 September), and officers subsequently rushed to the scene, along with other emergency services.
But despite the best efforts of all involved, a 43-year-old woman lost her life at the scene.
A 52-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and he remains in custody for questioning, GMP has confirmed – with the force believing this to be an “isolated incident”.
As a murder investigation has now been launched, and police begin the process of piecing details of the incident together to figure out what happened, the woman who sadly lost her life has now been named as Charlene Mills, and her devastated family have paid an emotional tribute to her.
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The mother of one has been described as “beautiful inside and out”.
The tribute reads: “We are so deeply saddened by the sudden loss of Charlene.
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“She was beautiful inside and out and had a personality that would bring a smile to the faces of all that knew her, no matter what the situation.
“Charlene, or Char as we all knew her, was the most perfect daughter and big sister to Amber. She loved being a mum and idolised her son Rydell and dog, Boxer. She was strong-willed, kind, and cheeky, overcoming so many obstacles in her life. The world just won’t be as fun without her, and our treasured memories of Char are the only little pieces of comfort we have.”
The family admit they are “still coming to terms with this devastating news”, and while they are “extremely grateful” for all the messages of support they have received and to those who paid their respects by laying flowers, they have now asked for “privacy and time to grieve”.
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A murder investigation has been launched after a woman sadly died in Gorton / Credit: GMP
As the murder investigation has now been launched and enters the early stages, Detective Superintendent Helen Critchley, from Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team, has confirmed that specialist officers have been put in place to ensure Charlene’s family and loved ones are being updated and properly supported.
“We are currently piecing together the exact details of the incident and a scene remains in place as officers carry out their work,” DS Critchley added.
DS Critchley also said that she understands incidents of this nature can “cause distress in the community”, but GMP is keen to reassure local residents that it believes that this was an isolated incident at this stage.
“We are asking anyone who may have heard or seen anything from around the time of the incident to please get in touch,” DS Critchley continued, “no matter how small or insignificant you may think it is, any information could be of great benefit to the investigation.”
You can share information by calling 101 or 0161 856 0110, quoting log number 1421 of 30/09/23, or by reporting it online at gmp.police.uk.
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Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs
Emily Sergeant
24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:
50 (Salford – Manchester)
216 (Tameside – Manchester)
263 (Trafford – Manchester)
192 (Stockport – Manchester)
83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM
They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.
“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”
“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”
Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd October 2023 
