Social media is awash with tributes to an “outstanding journalist” and “a wonderful, caring person” as writer and dedicated Hillsborough campaigner, Dan Kay, has sadly passed away aged 45.
The former Liverpool Echo reporter and lifelong Liverpool fan was said to have died suddenly, with the first reports of his passing on Monday, 8 May, which has come as a shock to both supporters of the football club, his industry colleagues, the city of Liverpool and its local Jewish community.
Having worked on behalf of families and survivors of the Hillsborough disaster for many years, the Echo has described him as a “tireless campaigner” who “pioneered digital journalism in the newsroom… whose compassion, empathy and concern for others touched countless lives in Liverpool and beyond.”
Everyone at LFC is deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Dan Kay.
A much respected journalist who was well known to many at the club, tireless Hillsborough campaigner and lifelong Liverpool fan, our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues, @LivEchonews. https://t.co/cpNwVmaaDe
Devastated by this news. @dankay was such a lovely man. We were both like kids in a chocolate factory when we both first interviewed klopp in front of the Kop at Anfield. We were buzzing through the whole day. It was a moment we always talked about over a brew. RIP Dan ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Yaws1qbCcJ
Dan worked with the late Anne Williams’s daughter Sara to co-write With Hope In Her Heart, a powerful account of her mother’s fight for justice in memory of her son Kevin, 15, and the 96 other supporters unlawfully killed at Hillsborough.
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Acting as a champion for social justice and always looking to help those in need throughout his personal and professional life, he also compiled individual tributes to each one of the victims, spending countless hours with their families and friends, as well as producing the visual tribute ‘97 Candles Burn Bright‘,
Writing on Twitter just last month, Dan said of the tribute: “As always our city stands together – love and strength to the inspirational families, heroic survivors and everyone affected by this most cruel of days.”
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As for “best friend” Sara, she said he became part of the family and “had a heart of gold”, insisting that “he would do anything for anyone… we will all miss him so much.” It appears the amount of lives he touched is beyond number, as social media mourns “a truly kind-hearted, generous man”.
You genuinely did not have a bad bone in your body. Purple Daniel the Maniel.
I’ll miss your Pits goalscoring and your ‘just taking a quick call’ turning into a 90 minute conversation🤣 The nicest man you could meet. I’ll miss you so much.
Devastating news to hear my friend and colleague Dan Kay has died. Dan was the definition of kindness and generosity. A tireless Hillsborough campaigner and the most knowledgeable, passionate Red you could meet. Love to his friends and family. He'll be greatly missed. RIP Dan💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/hNrKBxTs2R
Kay’s cause of death is not yet known but the sadness being felt across Liverpool, the Jewish community for whom he acted as an honorary secretary at his local synagogue; his journalistic colleagues and those close to him that are “really struggling to come to terms with this news” is plain for all to see.
As the Echo‘s Audience Editor, Paul Philbin, wrote: “The outpouring of love for Dan Kay says everything you need to know about him. A giant of this city”.
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A date has not yet been confirmed for Dan’s funeral but it is expected to take place at Broadgreen Jewish Cemetery.
By all accounts an incredible journalist, a dedicated campaigner, a friend to all and an all-round lovely person. Rest in peace.
Salford man jailed after pointing loaded gun at police and members of public while on the run
Emily Sergeant
A man from Salford has been jailed for more than a decade after he pointed a loaded gun at police officers and members of the public while he was on the run.
Jay Conway, of Leicester Walk in Salford, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week (6 March 2026) where he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and assault of an emergency worker, as well as also pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs.
His sentencing comes after officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Salford Challenger team were patrolling Albert Park in plain clothes on Tuesday 20 May 2025.
They spotted a man riding an e-bike and wearing a balaclava, and attempted to detain him there and then, but despite their best efforts, he fled the area, brandishing what officers believed to be a pistol in the process.
The suspect – which was later identified as Conway – stole a bike and cycled on to Great Clowes Street, where a neighbourhood officer heading towards the incident attempted to detain him but he resisted. The officer deployed his Taser but he drew the pistol for a second time, pointing it at police and also at a member of the public.
Conway then dropped the firearm – which police later confirmed as a viable, loaded pistol – and a mobile phone, and fled for a second time.
Thanks to a ‘fast-paced and thorough’ investigation by specialist GMP teams, involving forensic analysis of the phone and CCTV which identified Conway as the suspect, he was arrested by armed officers the following day in Whalley Range.
“Nobody – a police officer or a member of the public – should be confronted by a gun,” said Detective Superintendent Simon Moyles, following Conway’s sentencing.
“These were frightening incidents and Conway is clearly a dangerous individual who is rightly serving a prison sentence. We need to commend and recognise our officers who showed immense bravery in trying to stop Conway.
“Guns have no place on our streets and the work we are doing in Salford, and across Greater Manchester, in relation to firearms incidents continues.
“If you know anyone who is using, or possesses, an illegal firearm, we urge you to get in touch with us as, for each firearm we recover, that’s potentially a life saved.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Nearly 300 new ‘social rent’ homes given go-ahead as part of £500m Wythenshawe regeneration
Emily Sergeant
Nearly 300 new homes are set to be built in Wythenshawe as part of a wider £500 million regeneration scheme.
In case you didn’t know, Placemaker Muse and Wythenshawe Community Housing Group submitted three separate planning applications for 422 new affordable homes back in December 2025, following a public consultation with locals.
Now, works on two of the three new communities can begin, with the third expected to get the green light in the coming weeks.
Brotherton House – which is a former office building – will be transformed into 216 new homes, including an extra care apartment building with 109 homes for people in later life and those living with dementia, while C2 The Birtles, also currently retail and office space, is situated next to the former market square and will be replaced with 81 one and two-bedroom apartments.
Alpha House, which is currently awaiting a planning decision, has now been demolished and will be rebuilt to provide 125 one and two-bedroom apartments – including 16 wheelchair accessible homes.
According to developers, all the homes will be ‘affordable, high-quality, and energy-efficient’, with additional outdoor and communal spaces to promote health and wellbeing.
The approval given to build these new homes forms part of the wider ‘ambitious’ plan to transform Wythenshawe over the next decade.
The wider masterplan for Wythenshawe will see up to 2,000 new homes created over the next 10 to 15 years, which will complement the wider investment currently underway in Civic – supported by £20 million of Government funding, and £11.9 million from Manchester City Council.
Nearly 300 new homes have been given the go-ahead as part of a £500m Wythenshawe regeneration scheme / Credit: Muse (Supplied)
New community facilities in the town include the Culture Hub – which is now underway – the Food Hall, currently awaiting a planning decision, new workspaces, and improvements to the outdoor spaces in Civic, all designed to create a ‘greener and more welcoming’ town centre.
“For us, this is about delivering the truly affordable homes local people have told us they need,” explained Andrea Lowman, who is the Executive Director of Development at Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.
“Every one of these homes will be for social rent, giving more families, older residents and people with additional needs the opportunity to live well in the heart of Wythenshawe.
“As the local social housing provider, we are focused not just on building new homes but on creating sustainable communities and making sure this investment strengthens the town centre for existing and future residents alike.”
Danny Jones -
9th May 2023 
