Manchester Airport has revealed a shocking list of almost 400 items confiscated by security staff in just one morning.
And honestly, you won’t believe some of the things people’ve tried to take on a plane.
With the Easter break drawing to a close now across Greater Manchester, and children throughout the region getting ready to return to the classroom, Manchester Airport is urging all passengers travelling during the final few days of the school holidays to make sure they know the hand luggage rules before boarding the plane.
It comes after 22 pairs of scissors, eight toy guns, two blow torches, and even a couple of packs of darts, were just some of the goods confiscated at security gates in just one morning.
According to security staff, the most-confiscated item, by far, was the cigarette lighter – with 284 of them handed in over the course of the morning.
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Manchester Airport reveals shocking list of 400 items confiscated by security in just one morning / Credit: Manchester Airport
Passengers are permitted to carry one lighter with them, as long as it fits into a clear resealable plastic bag and contains under 100ml of liquid, but bringing through multiple lighters is not allowed, and this is what led to so many people having to turn them in.
As well as the lighters, scissors, toy guns, blow torches, and packs of darts, some of the other items confiscated on the morning include five multi-tools, four corkscrews, two hacksaws, 12 cans of deodorant, and even a hammer… yes, an actual hammer.
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Two large soft drinks bottles, a bottle of shower gel, and a one-litre bottle of vodka were a few of the other shocking confiscations.
Full list of items confiscated at Manchester Airport security in one morning
“We want passengers to feel like they’re beginning their holidays here at Manchester Airport,” commented Graham Matthews, who is Head of Terminal Security for Terminal 3 at Manchester Airport, on the list of confiscated items.
“Almost every passenger will wait for less than 15 minutes to get to security, so they can then get through and relax in the departure lounge within minutes of arriving here, but each time we have to pull a bag aside for a manual search, it takes several minutes.
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“Every search adds up and can slow down the whole security process, not only for the passenger carrying a non-compliant item, but also for the passengers behind them in the queue.
“The variety of items we seized in just a couple of hours shows what we deal with every day, so if we can cut that, it will help everyone get through security even faster.”
Featured Image – Manchester Airport
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Dame Sarah Storey is going on Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Danny Jones
Record-breaking local athlete and Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, is set to become the latest to join the Strictly Come Dancing annals.
With the Strictly cast for 2026 steadily being unveiled, we always keep an eye out for the Greater Manchester names in particular.
That being said, we’re buzzing to see the hugely successful Stockport swimmer turned cyclist will be swapping her Team GB kit for sparkly, sequined ballroom gowns and an entirely different type of sport and fitness.
Announced on Friday, 17 July, Storey is the seventh celebrity to be confirmed for the 24th series of the hit BBC show and dancing competition.
Having represented her country not only at nine Paralympics but across two different disciplines after switching to the racing bike back in 2005, she’s our most decorated competitor in the entire history of the Games with 30 medals to her name – 19 of which are gold.
Absolute GOAT levels.
But now the Cheadle Hulme-born is once again set to show her versatility to see how she fares on the dance floor later this year.
Commenting ahead of the new-look season which starts this September, the 48-year-old said: “Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting.
“I have always loved watching Strictly, and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world is incredibly motivating! I can’t wait to get started!”
This latest sea-change comes not long after the local legend and sporting icon officially announced her retirement from professional sport more than three decades on from first bursting onto the scene.
Thank you for taking the time to leave all the incredible messages. It’s so wonderful to read them and thank you for being the greatest supporters 🥰
— Dame Sarah Storey (@DameSarahStorey) July 9, 2026
What a career she’s had; it obviously didn’t take her long to get tired of sitting still for once, either.
She will be joined by the likes of Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer and Will Best.
In case you missed it, the upcoming edition of Strictly Come Dancing will be the first since Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and pro dancer Johannes Radebe stepping in as replacements.
In other starring Stockport news, we’ve finally got more info on the final season of a popular programme filmed in the area. Find out more down below.
Two more people arrested as investigation into Dovestone Reservoir moorland fire continues
Emily Sergeant
Two more people have been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the devastating moorland fire near Dovestone Reservoir.
Yesterday (16 July 2026), a 19-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of arson and has been bailed pending further police enquiries, before a man in his 20s has today (17 July) been arrested on suspicion of arson, and remains in custody for questioning.
These follow the arrest and subsequent charging of 20-year-old Shania Care-Slede, from Hyde.
Care-Slede has been charged with aggravated arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and dangerous driving, and was remanded in custody before appearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court this past Tuesday (14 July).
After the blaze broke out this past Saturday evening (11 July) at the popular beauty spot in Oldham, prompting a major multi-agency response, fire crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) have been working around the clock in challenging conditions to contain the fire and prevent further spread across the moorland.
Specialist wildfire resources, command support units, drone technology, and partner agencies have also been deployed as operations continue across multiple sectors of the incident.
To make matters worse, ‘strong’ winds carried smoke across parts of Greater Manchester – with reports of haze and the smell of burning being received from areas well beyond the immediate vicinity of the fire.
With three major arrests having already now been made, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says its officers are continuing to pursue a number of lines of enquiry and are seeking to identify any other individuals who may have been involved.
“This investigation has been progressing at pace, we are nearly a week on and the fire at Dovestones is still ongoing, and it has had devastating effects it has had on the Reservoir,” commented Detective Inspector Andrew Day, of GMP’s Oldham division said.
“As this incident continues, officers would like to thank all emergency service partners for their support and dedication.
“In particular, our colleagues at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, whose firefighters have spent countless hours tackling the fire in demanding conditions.”
Emily Sergeant -
11th April 2024 
