Lancashire’s Highest Point Festival has revealed two new headliners for its line-up, as it prepares to return to its 54-acre home in Williamson Park this summer.
The festival has revealed that Grammy award-winning chart-toppers Clean Bandit are set to perform the headline slot on Friday night, followed by rock legends Kaiser Chiefs on Saturday.
The Lancashire event, which lays claim to the title of being the county’s biggest open-air music festival, has already confirmed music royalty and former ‘The Verve’ frontman Richard Ashcroft as its third headliner.
Image: Highest Point Festival
Further announcements revealed by Highest Point today include support slots from the likes of Basement Jaxx, Sigala, Example, Brit Nominee Not3s, Low Steppa, as well as performances from breakout stars Mae Muller and Mimi Webb.
Revellers can also look forward to appearances from Horse Meat Disco, SASASAS, Shy FX, Sub Focus, Turno, DJ & producer Emily Nash, Lancaster natives Lowes, Judge Jules, Luke Una, Charlie Tee and local hero Matt Thiss plus indie favourites Reverend and the Makers, The Lottery Winners and The Sherlocks.
Bringing a heavy dose of nostalgia, Escape Classics, Mr Wilsons Second Liners, 80s V 90s and Funkademia promise to wow crowds.
Elsewhere, festival favourites The Cuban Brothers will return once again with their outrageous comedy performances.
During the 2022 festival, guests can expect to see a huge variety of artists across multiple stages whilst enjoying regional street food and craft beer on-site.
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Image: HIghest Point Festival
New additions to the festival this year include the Not-tober beer hall, a new area of the festival which will feature an immersive bingo experience with rave intervals, dance-offs and audience participation, karaoke, drag acts & more.
There will also be a new drinks masterclass area, a bigger stage area at The Woods, plus more bars and more toilets.
The next wave of tickets for the festival go on sale this Friday at 9am and can be bought through Skiddle. This year the festival will take place between Thursday 12 and Saturday, 14 May 2022
Full weekend tickets start at £135 for an adult, or £115 for a two-day ticket, whilst individual day ticket prices start from £42.50.
The setting for the festival could very well be one of the most beautiful event sites in the UK, with enchanting woodland, and breathtaking views over Morecambe Bay and the Lake District fells and mountains.
Image: Highest Point Festival
The park is also home to Lancaster’s most iconic building, the Ashton Memorial, which dominates the city’s skyline at around 150 feet tall.
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Jamie Scahill, co-founder of the festival said, “It was amazing to be able to host the festival last September after two years off, the crowd was amazing and we had such incredible feedback.
“Now we’re back to our usual festival weekend in May, and we have another huge line up heading for Lancaster.
“We can’t wait for the festival season to kick off!’In 2021 the festival welcomed 35,000 ticket-holders for four days of fun-filled musical performances from some of the music industry’s biggest names.”
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A FREE family-friendly lantern parade is returning to Altrincham this Christmas
Thomas Melia
There’s a family-friendly lantern parade making its way back to Altrincham town centre this Christmas and it’s completely free.
If you thought the Christmas season couldn’t get any better, you were wrong, as now you can have your very own Rapunzel moment as Altrincham welcomes the return of its lantern parade.
Before these dazzling paper creations light up this Greater Manchester town, there will be a very exciting Nativity Trail spread across various locations starting at Stamford Square.
Not only this, you can also expect a range of family-friendlyactivities running throughout the day featuring everything from live music and storytelling.
And if you’re after getting stuck in yourself rather than just watching from the sidelines, there’ll be lantern making workshops taking place on the day.
Although these classes will be free for all to enjoy, any families looking at attending will still need to book a ticket to create and design their own lantern at at OYEZ Arts in Altrincham Town Hall.
Previous lantern parades that have been held in Altrincham have seen lots of exciting and fun festive surprises with live donkeys trotting through the town last year.
The event itself encourages parade-goers to gather in Goose Green from 4pm before the official walk and lighting takes place from 4.45pm.
This illuminated walk includes a full Nativity cast, local schoolchildren, lantern puppets alongside a live soundtrack courtesy of Sale District Scout and Guide Band.
With the lantern parade finishing in Stamford Square and expected to last just under one hour, there will be a live Nativity performance happening at 5.30pm.
Mandy White, Director of Altrincham BID, said: “The Lantern Parade and Nativity Journey truly capture the spirit of Christmas in Altrincham. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, explore the town and celebrate the festive season.”
Altrincham’s Lantern Parade and Nativity Journey returns on Saturday 13 December from 12pm with lantern lighting at 4pm onwards – all events and further info. HERE.
Featured Images – Supplied (via Altrincham BID)
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‘Disgraceful’ Manchester sex offender jailed after messaging several young girls under 16
Emily Sergeant
A sex offender from Manchester has been charged with 35 offences, including messaging several young girls while on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
William Howarth, from the Miles Platting area of Manchester, appeared at Manchester Crown Court this week where he was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison – with a further six years on licence.
The 23-year-old’s sentencing follows an investigation by Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT) after Howarth was found to be in possession of an unregistered mobile phone in a visit from his offender manager in 2023.
Howarth was subject to routine checks due to him being an already-registered sex offender managed by GMP through a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and it was here where he had to register his mobile device and hand it over to his offender manager from our Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) during home visits.
After Howarth’s phone was seized by police, forensic analysis revealed a number of messages were sent to several young girls under the age 16.
#JAILED | On Thursday at Manchester Crown Court, William Howarth (28/7/2002), of Miles Platting, was sentenced to 15 years & 8 months with a further 6 years on licence – after previously pleading guilty to the 35 offences involving messaging young girls pic.twitter.com/HrYKCVay2l
An investigation was immediately launched, and with the help of police forces across the country, GMP managed to trace the children Howarth had been in communication with – who ‘bravely’ agreed to give their accounts.
Police say Howarth displayed ‘controlling’ behaviour over the children he had been in contact with, not allowing them to refuse his requests.
When the children attempted to make a stand and refuse to send further images to him, Howarth would threaten them by stating if they didn’t do as he asked, he would post their images online.
In a hearing at Manchester Crown Court last week (10 November 2025), Howarth pleaded guilty to the following 35 offences – including 11 counts of breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and possession and making of indecent images of children.
Speaking following Howarth’s sentencing, Detective Constable Joshua Cresswell, from GMP’s Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT), commented: “I’d like to thank the brave child victims in supporting our investigating through agreeing to give us their harrowing accounts of how Howarth came in contact with them.
“Howarth is a disgraceful predator and belongs behind bars away from causing further harm to children.”
Georgina Pellant -
9th February 2022 
