An armed gang has stolen a woman’s life savings in an aggravated burglary in Wigan.
Three men broke into the home in Bickershaw and made off with a safe containing at least £50,000 in cash.
The victim, a woman in her 60s, was ‘painstakingly’ saving the money to support her vulnerable son, police have said.
Detective Inspector Patrick Wood has described it as a ‘despicable crime’.
Officers were called at around 11.20pm on Tuesday December 21 to reports of a burglary on Beacon Road in Bickershaw.
GMP are appealing for information
The gang were armed with pepper spray and a machete, and demanded that the victim hand over cash from a small safe.
They made their escape on foot and police are now looking for witnesses and information.
There were no injuries and no arrests have been made.
Mr Wood, of GMP Wigan CID, said: “We believe this to be a targeted incident and are appealing to the public to find those responsible.
“A small safe with at least £50,000 in cash is believed to have been stolen from the property – these were the victim’s life savings which had been painstakingly saved over a long period of time and were in place to support her vulnerable son in the future when the victim was unable to care for him herself.
“Right now, there are three men in your community who have committed the despicable crime of stealing the life savings from a woman which has seriously impacted the future of her vulnerable son and I expect this will disgust you as much as it has the police.
“If you know who these offenders are – I would suggest somebody will do, as this is a significant amount of money stolen and difficult to keep quiet – I strongly urge you to do the right thing for the family and contact us and report them for this awful crime.
Anyone with information – including CCTV or dashcam footage from the area at the time of the incident and anyone who finds a discarded safe – is asked to report it online or by using the LiveChat service at www.gmp.police.uk quoting log 3261 of 21/12/2021.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured image: Pxhere
News
‘Eyesore’ Northern Quarter car park to be redeveloped as ambitious new neighbourhood
Emily Sergeant
An underused multi-storey car park in the heart of the city centre is set to be sold and redeveloped as an ‘ambitious’ new neighbourhood.
The ‘eyesore’ car park situated in Manchester’s iconic Northern Quarter will be transformed into what Manchester City Council is hoping will become a green and sustainable neighbourhood set to complement the ‘unique and independent’ ethos of the area.
It comes after developers CBRE were appointed by the Council last year to market the Church Street site for disposal, ahead of seeking formal planning permission.
The new scheme will deliver more than 300 new homes – including 60 affordable homes – alongside new commercial opportunities and high-quality public spaces.
A before and proposed after of Church Street Car Park / Credit: Manchester City Council
It’s expected that the development will respect the heritage and architecture of the historic city centre neighbourhood and help to enhance the wider area, all while improving a car park site that has long fallen out of favour.
The new neighbourhood will also feature four new public squares and green spaces, along with opportunities for pedestrianising the surrounding streets as part of the public realm.
As mentioned, commercial space is also part of the plans, as the ground floor of the building will offer a mix of smaller, more affordable units to ensure local independent businesses can access the neighbourhood, alongside units for food and beverage outlets.
“For too long, the Church Street car park has been an eyesore and a barrier to the ongoing success of the Northern Quarter,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“We want to bring forward a world-class development that has the potential to completely transform this part of the neighbourhood, together with the newest city centre public squares and green spaces.”
The final legal negotiations will conclude over the summer, and it’s expected that a public consultation will then take place to inform a future planning application.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
News
‘Major milestone’ as planning permission secured to transform Oldham town centre
Emily Sergeant
Planning permission has been granted for six transformational sites in Oldham town centre, with developers calling it a ‘major milestone’.
This approval marks a key step forward in Muse Places and Oldham Council‘s long-term partnership with a shared ambition to deliver a ‘vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable’ town centre that not only reflects Oldham’s heritage but also meets the needs of the people who live there.
Following ‘extensive consultation’ with the local community earlier this year, where hundreds of people took park and shared valuable feedback to help shape the proposals, a total of 1,619 new homes will be delivered as part of the plans, offering a mix of high-quality, energy-efficient apartments designed for families, older people, and young professionals.
The plans also include social and affordable housing provision too in a bid to help more local people find a home that suits their needs and circumstances.
According to the Council and developers, the approved plans will bring underused sites back into ‘productive’ use and support a ‘cleaner, greener’ future for Oldham, opening the door to new opportunities for local businesses and communities alike.
“This decision marks a key milestone in delivering on our promises for Oldham,” commented Cllr Arooj Shah, who is the Leader of Oldham Council.
Planning permission has been secured to transform Oldham town centre / Credit: Muse Places
“Oldham Council and Muse have a shared, ambitious vision to create a quality place that people genuinely want to spend time in.
“I am thrilled that we can continue moving forward with our plans, delivering high-quality homes, including the provision of social and affordable homes to meet local needs. We will also support local businesses and create opportunities for everyone, as part of a clean, green and sustainable future.
“Together, we are creating a place that we can all be proud of.”
Site investigation works are now complete at the Civic Centre, and works at Prince’s Gate will begin shortly, followed by the former Magistrates’ Court later this year.
With planning consent secured and preparatory works underway, construction at Prince’s Gate is expected to begin this autumn.
Daisy Jackson -
23rd December 2021 
