King Charles III has released a message of thanks to the nation for the outpouring of love and support ahead of his mother’s funeral today.
The State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II – who sadly died aged 96 on 8 September 2022 – is taking place today at 11am at Westminster Abbey, with full coverage of the historic event to be broadcast live as the nation comes together to commemorate her remarkable life.
During her reign, she served as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – undertaking an important symbolic and unifying role as a head of state, spanning numerous geographical regions, cultures, and religions.
She was not just the longest-reigning British monarch in history, but she was also the first-ever monarch to reign in the UK for 70 years.
“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my Family and myself in this time of grief.”
HM King Charles III says that he has been “moved beyond measure” at tributes paid.
The new monarch expressed his gratitude to mourners in various different cites across the UK who took the time to pay their respects, and said they have been “such a support and comfort” to him and his family over the last 10 days.
“Over the last ten days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world.
“In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff, we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, the late Queen.
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“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief.”
King Charles III says he’s ‘moved beyond measure’ thank you message to nation ahead of State Funeral / Credit: The Royal Family
King Charles III will lead the nation in mourning at the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey today.
A total of 2,000 guests are expected to attend, and this includes 500 foreign dignitaries – such as politicians, civil servants, and some celebrities – and many ordinary members of the public selected for charitable or community works.
World leaders will be among those representing nearly 200 countries and territories.
Tens of thousands of mourners have travelled to London and Windsor for the State Funeral and burial service, and many more will be gathering at different hubs across the UK to watch the historic event in real-time.
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Continuous coverage of the State Funeral is being screened by many of the nation’s major broadcasters, including BBC, ITV, Sky, and Channel 4, and is expected to be watched on television by millions of people around the world.
It’s thought the State Funeral could become the most-watched television broadcast in history.
Featured Image – The Royal Family
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Plans submitted to demolish 54-year-old Greater Manchester shopping centre
Emily Sergeant
Detailed plans have officially been submitted for the demolition of a once-thriving shopping centre that’s stood standing for half a century.
You may remember that Bolton Council purchased the Crompton Place shopping centre back in 2018 as part of its town centre regeneration masterplan, with the intent to demolish the building’s original structure and use the newly-cleared space for public performances, events, pop-up markets and loads more.
Pending approval later this year, the Council has now formally submitted demolition plans, with the process taking just 50 weeks and being completed in a single phase.
Visitors to Bolton town centre are expected to ‘quickly see the benefits’ of the demolition, according to the Council, thanks to the reintroduction of a direct pedestrian route between Victoria Square and Bradshawgate.
Ahead of the long-term use of the space, the Council says this so-called ‘meanwhile use’ in the short period between demolition and the start of new developments will ensure the area remains ‘vibrant’ and continues to attract visitors to the town centre in order to support local businesses.
Plans have been submitted to demolish a 54-year-old Greater Manchester shopping centre / Credit: Geograph
The transformation of Crompton Place is Bolton’s flagship redevelopment project and work is said to be ‘well underway’ to find the right developers for the site.
Planning was previously granted for a mixed-use development to replace Crompton Place, including leisure and hospitality venues, but once developers are appointed, they will hold a public consultation on the future for the site – including how it’ll benefit the wider town centre.
The demolition of Crompton Place follows years of work to relocate the former tenants of the shopping centre elsewhere in the town centre.
“This demolition plan marks the start of a truly transformational project in the heart of Bolton town centre,” commented Bolton Council Leader Nick Peel, as the plans were formally detailed and submitted this week.
“Last year saw several regeneration projects successfully delivered, but the start of work on Crompton Place sends a clear signal that Bolton means business.
“We have already had significant interest in the site, and we are confident that investment in the site will attract even more developers to other parts of the town centre.”
Featured Image – Google Maps
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Labrador puppy dies after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into Greater Manchester marina
Daisy Jackson
A five-month-old Labrador puppy has died after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into a marina in Greater Manchester last week, suffering ‘multiple fractures’.
The tiny pooch was initially pulled to safety by a passing member of the public, who found her struggling in the water between two boats.
The black puppy, who was nicknamed Peggy by RSCPA staff, had suffered such severe breaks to her jaw that she would have been unable to eat or drink and was humanely put to sleep.
The RSPCA is now urging local businesses to check their CCTV for any information relating to this shocking incident, and for any witnesses or people who recognise Peggy to come forward.
The puppy was thrown into the water at the Portland Basin Marina in Ashton-under-Lyne last Wednesday 12 March, and was pulled from the water by a passer-by at around 3.20pm.
Peggy was found near the steel footbridge with no sign of anyone nearby.
When Peggy was found, she was lethargic and extremely cold, and though she was stabilised and transferred to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital later that day, her serious and inoperable injuries led to her being put to sleep.
Her jaw appeared to have been prised open, leaving her tongue hanging out and the poor puppy suffering.
Peggy was not microchipped and it’s not known if her injuries happened as a result of the fall, or if they occurred beforehand.
Labrador puppy Peggy dies after being ‘deliberately thrown’ into Greater Manchester marina. Credit: RSPCA
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Kate Sargent, who is investigating, said: “Everyone who has been involved in this terrible incident has been left feeling shocked and saddened by what happened to Peggy.
“It’s hard to understand how anyone could do something like this to such a young dog. We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to the kind people who got her out of the water and sought help, and to the veterinary teams who saw her.
“We’d appeal to anyone who recognises Peggy or who was at the marina at the time to get in touch so we can progress this investigation further. We are also asking nearby businesses and homes in the surrounding area to check their CCTV and video doorbells.”
Anyone with first-hand information is urged to contact the RSPCA’s appeals line, in confidence, on 0300 123 8018 quoting reference number 01467665.
Emily Sergeant -
19th September 2022 
