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Man charged and named after two attempted rapes in Rochdale parks just hours apart

He will appear in court today.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 27th July 2026

A man has been charged after two attempted rapes took place in two Rochdale parks merely hours apart from each other.

He has also been publicly named as Harvey Symes, from Milnrow in Rochdale.

The 23-year-old black British national has been charged with two counts of attempted rape and threats to kill, and is due to appear at in Manchester and Salford Magistrates court today (27 July), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.

Symes was arrested and then subsequently charged after police received a report that a woman had been sexually assaulted in Rochdale’s Broadfield Park, by a man unknown to her, at around 6:15am on Saturday 25 July.

A second report was then made at 8:38am concerning the sexual assault of a woman in Milnrow Memorial Park – again with the victim reporting being attacked by a man she did not know.

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Both victims provided GMP with a similar description of the suspect, leading police to believe the attacks were linked.

Investigation officers began their search for a black male believed to have been wearing a three piece suit or smart black clothes and a dark coat, and also carrying a briefcase, and as part of ongoing enquiries, they identified CCTV footage of a man matching the description in the Coco Lounge in Rochdale town centre – with the man leaving the venue at around 5am.

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While Symes has now been arrested, charged, and publicly named, police are still appealing for anyone with information, and CCTV, dashcam, doorbell, or mobile phone footage from the Rochdale town centre, Broadfield Park, or Milnrow Memorial Park areas in the early hours of Saturday morning, to come forward.

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Anyone with information should contact GMP on 101, quoting incident number 679 and 880 of 25/07/2026, or report it via the LiveChat service online.

Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons

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When does the UK’s fourth heatwave of the year hit Greater Manchester?

Danny Jones Danny Jones When does the next heatwave hit Manchester

Brace yourselves: ANOTHER heatwave is set to hit the UK – the fourth in 2026 so far – and, understandably, Greater Manchester residents are already preparing for the latest blast of hot weather and wondering when it gets here.

Yes, in case you missed the news, more high temperatures are set to spread across Great Britain and Ireland this month and heading into August.

The increase will gradually build throughout this week, with Wednesday tipped to be the hottest day according to various meteorological sources.

Fortunately for us here in the North West, parts of the Midlands and the usual suspects down south are set to hit the highest numbers, but the thermometers are still on course to reach around the mid-20s over the coming days.

When does the next heatwave hit Manchester?

As per data from BBC Weather and the Met Office, Greater Manchester locals and our neighbours around the North West can expect the heatwave to kick in tomorrow (Tues, 28 July).

Estimates of 26°C have been predicted for this coming Tuesday, with the levels floating in and around 24/25 on the following Wednesday.

The heat is then due to drop off slowly, with top scores of no higher than 21°C on the cards for Thursday and Friday. Although the weekend forecast is less certain at present, one thing that has been announced is reduced rainfall.

Aside from a few more trickles today (Mon, 27 July), the showers or lack thereof cease rather soon, with some of the driest parts of the country already having various effects; for instance, parched parts of Wales have even revealed lost archaeological sites last Friday (24/7/2026).

It would be remiss if we didn’t mention the obvious moorland fires across our region, which were sadly exacerbated by hot weather earlier this month.

Following on from the hottest June on record, the Dovestone and Tinwhistle areas of Oldham and parts of Derbyshire saw hundreds of hectares turn into a deeply dangerous blaze for several days.

As per the latest statistics, it’s said that the equivalent of 1,250 football pitches were scorched following the alarming wildfire, which also raised concerns for wildlife and surrounding air quality.

In fact, some parts of the local moors are still burning over a fortnight on from the initial ignition, with warnings and temporary bans surrounding fireworks, BBQs and more remaining.

Find the most recent update below:

Greater Manchester moorland fires still burning after more than two weeks

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE

Featured Images — The Manc Group

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Former US President Barack Obama is coming to Manchester for a special ‘Evening With’ event

Danny Jones Danny Jones Evening with Obama event Manchester

No, not a prank: the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, is coming to Manchester on his upcoming UK tour.

Confirming just three domestic dates across Great Britain and Ireland, the 44th President turned successful global speaker has delivered talks all over the world, and now he’ll be coming to the Co-op Live arena.

We always knew the industry-leading events space was going to lead to some big names, but no one was expecting this one.

Set to deliver his first-ever ‘An Evening With’ here in Greater Manchester, Barack Obama will be coming to the Co-op later this year.

Officially announcing the live show in line with a key American date, Obama will be making his first-ever visit to our city.

The Co-op Live post reads: “As America marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, President Barack Obama joins us in Belfast, Glasgow and Manchester to discuss what comes next – for America, and for all of us.”

More than two and a half centuries on from the start of the nation becoming the United States, the series of intimate interviews comes alongside a significant anniversary for both countries.

Always praised for being a talented orator, the 64-year-old ex-Commander in Chief has found a fruitful second career on the so-called ‘keynote circuit’ following his time as POTUS.

Having served two consecutive terms in the post, it feels undeniably surreal to hear that he will be coming to visit, especially amid the obvious recent development of our very own Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, having now become the 59th British PM.

‘I will give this my all’ – Andy Burnham’s speech in full as he becomes Prime Minister

As for Obama, it’s no surprise that he booked the biggest venue possible for his debut talk in 0161.

Presented by SeatUnique, who specialise in affordable but premium hospitality seats/tickets for live entertainment, it goes without saying that this is an unprecedented moment for the venue, specifically.

Set to arrive on 15 October, tickets go live from 10am at the end of this month, with official Co-op members pre-sale passes available from the same time on Wednesday, 29 July.

You can get ready to grab your tickets right HERE.

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Featured Images — Publicity pictures (via Co-op Live)/Pixabay (via Picryl.com)

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