Jason Manford has been out on an Iceland delivery round today to provide locals across Greater Manchester with vital supplies during lockdown.
After the Mancunian comedian famously received a rejection from Tesco to work as a customer assistant back at the start of May, Iceland stepped in to help him on his mission to do his bit for the community amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Locals were greeted with Jason’s trademark smile and treated to a laugh or two whilst he made his rounds alongside an Iceland delivery driver.
During his delivery round, Jason also visited a local charity, The Bread and Butter Thing, to deliver £500 of groceries that will support those in need with essential food supplies.
Iceland has also donated 7.8 tonnes of food equating to 18,500 meals to the charity in the last six months.
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.@JasonManford is joining us today to help with food deliveries 🚚
After all, if there’s one thing comedians know about – it’s delivery!
In return, we’re making a donation to @CAFTcharity 👏
In exchange for his valued contribution, Iceland has also made a donation to Jason’s charity of choice, The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT).
Based in Cheshire, the charity provides holidays and days out for terminally ill, disabled or disadvantaged children from across the North West of England.
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Speaking after his day of delivering, Jason Manford said: “A massive thanks to Iceland who have offered me this opportunity to not just deliver some food to their loyal customers, but also for making a generous donation to charities that are close to my heart.”
Richard Walker, Managing Director at Iceland, said: “Everyone at Iceland is extremely grateful for Jason’s contribution today.”
“He has certainly helped to lift spirits with our customers and heroic colleagues”.
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“Our stores are deeply rooted within their local communities, so it’s a real privilege for us to be in a position where we can work with great people like Jason and donate to some worthy causes at the same time.”
For more information, please visit the Iceland website here.
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Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.
Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.
At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.
The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.
Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.
When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.
BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
Featured Image – BTP
News
GMP officer sentenced after hitting pedestrian during police chase in Rochdale
Emily Sergeant
A police officer has been sentenced this week after he struck and ‘seriously injured’ a pedestrian following a pursuit of a suspected drink driver in Rochdale.
35-year-old Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer PC Sam Lockley pleaded guilty back in January 2026 following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation.
The IOPC investigation established that, in the early hours of the morning on 19 November 2023, PC Lockley was driving a marked police vehicle with the lights and sirens activated, and attempted to stop a suspected drunk driver on Drake Street in Rochdale.
A short pursuit that commenced but stopped merely a minute later after the police vehicle collided with a pedestrian on the footpath of Rochdale Road at approximately 3:30am.
The evidence gathered indicated that PC Lockley failed to slow down as he approached and drove through the red traffic lights at the Kingsway junction, and was travelling at a speed of 96mph in a 30mph zone.
The pedestrian suffered ‘serious injuries’ as a result of the collision, and received extensive medical treatment following.
At a hearing back in February of this year, PC Lockley received a two-year suspended sentence and was ordered to carry out 15 days community service, while also receiving two-year driving disqualification.
Also following the investigation, the IOPC decided that Lockley should face a gross misconduct hearing to face allegations that his manner of driving breached the police standards of professional behaviour.
“We continue to liaise with the force about disciplinary proceedings,” the IOPC concluded.
IOPC Director Amanda Rowe added: “My sympathies remain with the man, who sustained serious injuries, and all those affected by the incident.
“This was a complex investigation which relied on extensive amounts of data and expert analysis and the evidence showed PC Lockley drove at excessive speeds at night-time and although he was responding to a report of a suspected drink driver, it does not excuse his manner of driving.
“PC Lockley admitted he drove in a dangerous manner when he didn’t address hazards or warnings during the pursuit and ultimately by the time he saw the pedestrian, he was travelling too fast to avoid a collision.
“His actions that day have had long-lasting consequences and he has now been held accountable.”
Emily Sergeant -
16th June 2020 
