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.”
‘Prolific’ South Manchester burglar jailed for thefts which included peanuts…
Daisy Jackson
A ‘prolific’ burglar has been jailed for just over two years, for numerous thefts including sunglasses, airpods, and peanuts…
The man was caught red-handed inside someone’s property, where he claimed he was just wanting a glass of water – but was found by police officers to have the resident’s car keys in his pocket.
Fazal Alnesi, 26, from Moss Side, was then linked to a number of other burglaries, attempted burglaries, and thefts across South Manchester.
Fazal was sentenced to 27 months at Manchester Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to offences including six counts of burglary in June of this year.
He was arrested on 12 June, when a man returned to his home in Fallowfield in the early hours of the morning and discovered Fazal inside his address.
He claimed he was there because he wanted a glass of water but subsequently refused to leave, which led to police being called.
Officers placed Alnensi in handcuffs and found the resident’s car keys in his pocket, as well as indications that he’d been rummaging through the man’s drawers.
He was later linked to other thefts include a wrench set from a car, a pedal cycle worth £350, airpods, sunglasses – and even peanuts from one address.
He additionally took an electric bike charger from one address worth hundreds of pounds.
PC Jon Holden, from GMP’s City of Manchester district, said: “Alnensi took various items from several homes and cars across a two-week period earlier this year, making off with hundreds of pounds worth of goods.
“Ultimately, Alnensi left people feeling unsafe in his own home, and I am glad he is now behind bars.
“Our team will investigate all burglaries, and I would encourage people to get in touch with us – all intelligence helps us lock up criminals and bring them to justice.”
The top 10 ‘happiest’ places to live in the North West in 2026 have been named
Emily Sergeant
The top 10 happiest places to live in the North West have been named for 2026.
It comes as Rightmove has published its annual ‘Happy at Home’ index this week, just as it has done for the last 14 years now, exploring exactly what it is that makes people feel content about where they live, and highlighting the happiest places nationwide ahead of the new year – with thousands of residents across more than 200 locations providing feedback.
The residents told the leading property listing platform what they love (or don’t love) about their community, from the friendliness of their neighbours, to job opportunities, access to green spaces, and so much more.
The survey also outlined the differences in happiness in rural, urban, and suburban environments, as well as the way our sense of ‘home happiness’ changes as we age.
So, when it comes to the North West as a whole then, where do we have in the top 10?
Well, to kick things off, you may have already seen that one Lancashire market town has earned its place in the top 10 nationwide, not just for the North West region – and that’s Chorley.
Closest to the Bolton and Wigan boroughs, Chorley – which is is about a 40-minute drive outside of Manchester, and sits on a direct train route into the city centre.
But aside from the national top 10, when it comes to the regional top 10, the next two towns following Chorley in second and third are both in Greater Manchester.
The North West’s top 10 happiest places to live 2026
Chorley
Stockport
Altrincham
Chester
Macclesfield
Southport
Kendal
Wirral
Northwich
Carlisle
Altrincham has been named one of the North West’s happiest places to live / Credit: The Manc Group
The ever-thriving Stockport comes in at number two, followed by Trafford favourite Altrincham directly behind it at number three.
Other of the region’s inclusions like Bury, Bolton, Wigan, and the Manchester borough itself all ranked towards the bottom.
Speaking on this year’s list, Colleen Babcock – a property expert at Rightmove – explained: “The balance between greenery and everyday convenience runs through the wider findings. Even among people who would ideally choose a rural setting, access to amenities, parks and public transport remains important.
“This year’s results suggest that the places people rate most highly aren’t simply urban or rural, but often bring together some of the best elements of both.”
Featured Image – Roger Kidd (via Wikimedia Commons)
Daisy Jackson -
3rd July 2023 
