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I’m A Celebrity… Jungle Challenge opens at Salford Quays

Tickets for the MediaCityUK I'm a Celebrity... Jungle Challenge go on general sale on July 21.

The Manc The Manc - 15th July 2021

The highly-anticipated Salford Quays adventure attraction based on ITV’s popular survival reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! is officially opening to visitors this month.

The I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge – first announced back in April – will welcome fans into the wilderness from July 30, inviting them to “navigate a series of fun-filled physical challenges inspired by the blockbuster ITV show”.

Located at MediaCityUK, the attraction features a variety of familiar vantage points and landmarks – including the Main Camp, the Throne and, of course, the Winner’s Bridge.

‘Campmates’ will race against the clock to collect stars in a bid to be crowned King or Queen of the jungle – climbing rocks, zipping through treetops, scaling nets, balancing on beams, and swinging through the jungle.

The attraction will also boast a ceiling-mounted Spyrider – a high-speed track that tears above the jungle canopy in 18 seconds.

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Visitors can travel through treetops on zip lines, scale walls; and crawl across nets in the new I’m A Celeb jungle attraction / Image: ITV

Stephen Wild, managing director of MediaCityUK, said I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge would “bring a real sense of excitement and fun for all the family” to the area.

He added: “ITV is already an important part of our community with the presence of the iconic Coronation Street studios and the ‘I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge’ brings the ITV experience even closer to the public, in a unique immersive way.”

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Tickets for I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge go on general sale next week on July 21.

Those who have registered will gain access a day earlier.

Based at MediaCityUK the attraction features the Main Camp, the Throne and Winner’s Bridge / Image: ITV

More information is available online.

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Rochdale man jailed for 16 years after killing another man at a New Year’s Eve party

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Hassan Suliman

A man from Rochdale has been handed a lengthy jail sentence after killing another man at a New Year’s Eve house party.

Hassan Suliman, of Rothesay Terrace in Rochdale, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week after previously being found guilty of the manslaughter.

His sentencing comes after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) responded to reports of a disturbance on Essex Street in Rochdale in the early hours of New Year’s Day (1 January 2025), and upon arrival, officers found a man with multiple stab wounds.

Despite the best efforts of all emergency service workers, the man was sadly pronounced dead at hospital soon after. 

The victim was later named as 38-year-old Alberto Ursu.

GMP’s Major Incident Team launched an investigation immediately after, which subsequently revealed that Hassan Suliman had been involved in a confrontation with Mr Ursu – which both of the men were left injured during.

Suliman fled the scene following the confrontation, but was found by officers collapsed nearby a short while after. 

Forensic analysis by officers later linked the weapons to both Suliman and Mr Ursu.

Following a six-week trial at Manchester Crown Court in September, Suliman was convicted of manslaughter, but was found not guilty of all other charges, and then last Friday (14 November), he was sentenced to 16 years – ordered to serve a minimum of 13 years in prison, with a further three years on licence.

Speaking following Suliman’s sentencing last week, Detective Sergeant Helen Hitchen, from GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “This was meant to be a happy night celebrating the New Year, but sadly ended in the tragic loss of a life. 

“This case just goes to show the devastating consequences of knife crime and its lasting impacts on lives.

“A man lost his life and will never return to his family.  

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“Suliman is now serving time behind bars for his actions that night, and I do hope that this sentence brings some measure of closure to Alberto’s family.”

Featured Image – GMP

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Parklife pumps more than £155,000 back into Greater Manchester community projects

Danny Jones Danny Jones Parklife grassroots community projects charity donations

Parklife is once again proving why it’s such an important event for Greater Manchester, not just in terms of music and culture, but through the money it pumps back into the community through grassroots projects.

The annual music festival at Heaton Park raises significant funds for local initiatives with each edition via the official Parklife Community Fund.

Partnered with the Manchester, Bury, and Rochdale councils, the finances generated through those who attend not only Parklife but also other concerts held at the outdoor venue, such as the recent Oasis shows, help local groups that make a positive, tangible difference in their neighbourhoods.

This year alone, the total includes £55,000 raised from guest list donations by festival attendees, as well as a further £100k generated from other events held in Heaton Park, making 2025 one of, if not the biggest, years for donations to date.

RockFit UK locations Manchester classes
RockFit classes in action. (Credit: Supplied)

Distributed by the City Council and the local authorities in Bury and Rochdale throughout the respective boroughs, the aim is not only to give back but to enhance local life, through everything from important youth programmes to community wellbeing and improvement schemes.

Launched back in 2017, the festival fund is approaching nearly half a million pounds raised on behalf of local causes, strengthening its connection with the nearby communities surrounding its host site.

The region’s vast and stunning green space is a huge tourist attraction in itself, meaning literal grassroots causes like the woodland management group are vital to maintaining that beauty and status.

Other projects include an astronomy group, as well as fitness drives like ‘RockFit’ (seen above), which now meets at Heaton Park regularly to promote exercise for both physical and mental health.

It’s also worth noting that the fund covers surrounding areas like Higher Blackley and Crumpsall; Sedgley, Holyrood, St Mary’s and even South Middleton.

You can see more examples of the charitable community work in action down below.

heaton park gardening groups
astronomy group heaton park
Credit: Supplied

Sam Kandel, founder of Parklife Festival, said of the fund: “Parklife is proud to call Heaton Park home, and it’s really important to us that the festival has a lasting, positive impact on the local community.

“The Community Fund is our way of saying thank you to residents and supporting the brilliant grassroots projects that make Manchester, Bury, and Rochdale such special places to live.”

Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon (Exec Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods) added: “Parklife brings people from Manchester and beyond to our wonderful Heaton Park, and it is right that the communities living close by benefit from the event through reinvestment in local initiatives that will leave a legacy for all.

“The Parklife community fund means that local communities choose what’s important to them and they have the opportunity to bid for funds to invest in projects that enhance local amenities, strengthen community connections and wellbeing for the benefit of everyone.”

Those looking to benefit from the fund can apply online now and you can find out more information by contacting the relevant councils’ neighbourhood pages.

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Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied)

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