A cat that’s a familiar face around Stockport has been left seriously injured after he was reportedly pinned down and kicked by a gang of ‘kids’.
Tosca, a black-and-white feline with special needs, is often found wandering the streets near his home in Offerton and has even been known to stroll in to the local children’s football club.
His owner has now launched a GoFundMe to pay for Tosca’s looming vet bills, after the little cat was left dangerously injured in the vile attack.
It’s not yet known what injuries he sustained, or the severity of them, but he has been sent home in a stable condition with strong painkillers until he can have more tests.
The fundraising appeal has already raised £2,438 at the time of writing from hundreds of people who were touched by the story.
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Tosca is well-known around the local area, as his owner says the cat has ‘no sense of direction’ and crops up all over town – the What’s On Offerton Facebook group is filled with photos of his adventures.
Tosca’s owner wrote: “I’m looking for any help to get Tosca his treatments he needs to help with his recovery, after a group of kids held him down by his collar and took turns kicking him.
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“He was taken to Woodcroft veterinary hospital by a member of the public who stopped the attack. We aren’t expecting much, but any amount is seriously appreciated as we’ve been quoted £700 for his initial assessment.
“We are trying to find ways to make this cheaper , and asking animal charities to help as it’s classed as an animal abuse case.
Tosca the cat is a familiar face around Stockport. Credit: Facebook
“The police are involved and we are waiting on the cctv of the attack. Thank you for everyone’s concern it means a lot to us.”
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He then updated on Facebook: “Wow we are overwhelmed with everybodies kindness! He really has made friends with so many people on his outings.
“The money will defo help with the costs of his treatment & I will update tomorrow when I know more of what’s happening. But at the moment he is at home and stable, he’s got strong painkillers.
“Thanks again everyone. If anyone has any cameras who lives on Turncroft Lane could they check Saturday for roughly around 6pm Thankyou.”
He had previously updated that Tosca was ‘f***ed and likely going to die’.
Several members of a local community group have been sending messages of support to Tosca and his owner, with one writing: “The whole of Offerton is rooting for the little fella.”
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A spokesperson for GMP said: “On Saturday 1 July, Greater Manchester Police were made aware of an alleged attack on a cat which is believed to have taken place on Turncroft Lane, Stockport.
“The cat was taken to the vets, but it has since been discharged.
“GMP is working with the RSPCA to understand the circumstances.”
Entertainment union Equity makes £1 bid for Manchester Pride to protect workers from ‘further exploitation’
Emily Sergeant
Performing arts and entertainment trade union Equity has made a £1 bid for Manchester Pride.
You may remember that, back in October last year, Manchester Pride – the charity / organisation that ran the Manchester Pride Festival – entered into voluntary liquidation, and news emerged last week that the assets were being sold off to the highest bidder by liquidators.
By offering a ‘symbolic’ £1 for the assets – which include the Manchester Pride brand name and associated domain names – Equity says its bid has been made to give workers the opportunity to ‘decide the future’ of the event.
The bid is also said to have been made to prevent a repeat of 2025 – which apparently left Equity union members more than £70,000 out-of-pocket in unpaid fees.
Equity’s variety organiser, Nick Keegan, warned that selling the Manchester Pride brand to a commercial buyer risks ‘undermining the values’ of the event and the community that built it.
He worried it could also leave performers and workers ‘vulnerable to further exploitation’.
“Manchester Pride is not just a city-wide party,” Mr Keegan explained. “Its roots in protest are as important today as then.”
He added: “Manchester Pride was built by the LGBTQ+ workers of Canal St and beyond who provide a space and a community for LGBTQ+ people all year round. The event should not be treated as a commodity to be bought and sold off to the highest bidder.
“The cultural workforce are at the heart of Pride, without them, there is no festival.
“After what happened in 2025, with members left tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket, we don’t want to see history repeat itself.”
Equity says that if its bid is successful, the workers will have control over who the ‘asset’ goes to.
“Our bid is about protecting Pride as a community asset, not a commercial one,” the union’s statement continued.
“Allowing the people whose labour was used to build this ‘asset’ to decide how the trademark of Manchester Pride is used in the future will help protect them from further exploitation, as well as preserve the values and the longevity of the event itself.”
Featured Image – Manchester Pride (Supplied)
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New police hub to be set up in Piccadilly Gardens to help reduce anti-social behaviour
Emily Sergeant
A new police hub is set to be established in Piccadilly Gardens.
In case you missed it, it was announced last week that council tax in Greater Manchester could be increased to help fund improvements to policing, and that a consultation on it has been launched – with local residents urged to have their say.
The police precept helps Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to build on a range of improvements, including the speed of answering 999 and 101 calls, road and transport safety across Manchester city centre, and bringing more sex offenders to justice, among many other things.
Greater Manchester council tax is set to be increased again to help fund improvements to policing, and a consultation is now live. 🏘️🚔📝
But on top of this, Mayor Andy Burnham has also pledged to deliver a new police hub in Piccadilly Gardens as part of a wider drive to improve policing.
GMCA says its ‘top priority’ is to build strong communities where people feel safe, and it is Mayor Andy Burnham and his Deputy Mayors’ responsibility to enable GMP to be an ‘effective and efficient’ police force.
Local leaders say their ambition for 2026 is to maintain a ‘high-performing’ police service by tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, and protecting residents and businesses along the way – and part of this ambition is to increase police visibility in Piccadilly Gardens, which is a much-maligned part of the city centre, by launching a new ‘prominent’ police hub.
The increase in the police precept is also being touted to help increase ‘hot spot policing tactics’ in town centres and other key locations to help drive down theft and other violent retail crimes.
A new police hub is to be set up in Piccadilly Gardens to help reduce anti-social behaviour / Credit: Gerald England (via Geograph) | Rawpixel
“We need GMP to be properly funded if it is to continue to deliver an effective and responsive service for people in Greater Manchester,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham. “The cost of running a modern police force is going up and this is at a time when our city region has become the fastest-growing economy in the UK, with visitor numbers increasing year after year.
“So much is happening here and that includes a number of major and complex incidents over the past year, including a terrorist attack. These incidents added significant pressure to police resources.
“We recognise the ongoing impact of the rising cost of living and do not take the decision to increase the precept lightly. But right now, this increase is our only option to ensure GMP can continue delivering an effective police service that ensures that people feel safe in their own communities.”
Daisy Jackson -
3rd July 2023 
