BeeU, a new festival in Manchester that was to be headlined by Steps, has been cancelled.
The festival informed ticket-holders over the weekend that its Platt Fields Park event would no longer take place.
Shortly afterwards, the BeeU website and its Instagram page were taken down.
Organisers said it was ‘not a decision taken lightly’ and thanked everyone who had supported the new event.
Pop group Steps were meant to be performing as part of their 25th anniversary tour around the UK.
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Steps’ statement on BeeU Festival. Credit: Facebook, Steps
The band said they were ‘disappointed’ that the event, along with Party at The Park in Perth, had been called off.
They wrote in a Tweet: “We are disappointed to announce that the promoters of BeeUFest Manchester on Jun 18 and Party at The Park in Perth on Jun 19 are no longer able to proceed with these festival shows. Please contact your point of purchase for refunds.
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“We are sad we won’t be seeing you on those dates but we hope you can make it to other shows in our #Steps25 summer run. All other dates are going ahead as planned.”
A statement from BeeU Festival organisers said: “We are deeply disappointed to have to announce that BeeUFest will not be going ahead this summer.
We are disappointed to announce that the promoters of BeeUFest Manchester on Jun 18 and Party at The Park in Perth on Jun 19 are no longer able to proceed with these festival shows. Please contact your point of purchase for refunds. pic.twitter.com/rs8DybEatk
“We have worked hard over the last few months to bring an exciting and vibrant new event to the centre of Manchester however, sadly, we have been unable to manage this.
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“We appreciate this will be hugely disappointing for our ticket holders, many of whom supported the event from the very beginning.”
All ticket-holders have been contacted and will automatically be issued refunds.
Ticket-holders have also been given free tickets to a Jubilee party in Sackville Gardens, which is being headlined by The Vengaboys, Cheeky Girls, and Cascada.
The replacement tickets also include entry to after-parties at Bar Pop and Churchill’s in the Gay Village.
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A further statement from BeeU Festival said: “We would like to thank everyone for their support that bought tickets.
“Unfortunately with large scale events comes great costs and we understood that at the beginning, we did everything in our means to promote this event and bring a brand new fun festival to Manchester, this summer, but unfortunately we can only do so much our end and due to this had to make the decision to cancel.
“This was not a decision taken lightly but one we had to make. All ticket holders have now been contacted and fully refunded. Once again we thank everyone that was in support of this event and bought tickets.”
Featured image: Steps
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Trafford Council temporarily bans barbecues, fireworks and more at key local attraction after Dovestone fires
Danny Jones
Trafford Council has issued a limited ban on barbecues, fireworks and more at the beloved public attraction and suburban hotspot, Sale Water Park, following the fires near Dovestone Reservoir.
Wildfires and areas of concern remain around the moorland region, which caught fire last weekend.
After a woman was arrested as part of a wider investigation into a group that accidentally caused the ignition, accidental or not, the Greater Manchester borough’s local authority has temporarily restricted BBQs, fireworks, and any other kinds of naked flame.
This is a proactive and preventive measure by the Council in an effort to avoid similar circumstances as those seen in the Saddleworth and Oldham vicinity, with the sight and smell of the smoke still lingering across the region.
Barbecues, fireworks and naked flames are temporarily restricted at Sale Water Park due to the increased fire risk during the hot and dry weather.
Please help us keep the park safe for visitors, wildlife and nearby communities.
As explained in the official update from Trafford Council, while local residents and tourists alike are welcome to bring picnics and cold beverages as they hope to both beat and enjoy the heat, a serious fire risk is still very much present.
Implementing the ban across Sale Water Park in an effort to protect native visitors, wildlife and nearby communities, increased police patrols will be dispatched across the 152-acre patch of grasslands and artificial lake.
While the Manc nature reserve and popular slice of countryside just beyond the outskirts of the city centre will still be open from “dawn until dusk” throughout the week, security staff will also be on site, ready on standby with water and sand available to safely extinguish any fires.
The Council has also reminded people to park responsibly and avoid blocking access routes in and around the parkland, as recent busy periods during the ongoing UK heatwave have led to congestion in and around the park, which can also delay emergency vehicles.
Visitors are encouraged to walk, wheel, cycle or use public transport where possible.
A Trafford Council spokesperson said in an official statement: “We want everyone to enjoy Sale Water Park safely. However, the current hot and dry conditions mean there is an increased risk of fire, particularly from barbecues, fireworks and naked flames.
“This temporary restriction is a proportionate step to protect people, wildlife and the park itself. Visitors are very welcome to bring cold picnics, but we are asking everyone not to bring or light barbecues while the restriction is in place.
“We’re also asking visitors to park considerately, keep access routes clear and take litter home if bins are full. To avoid the busiest times, people could consider visiting before 9am or later in the evening.”
As for the Dovestone and Tintwistle Moor blaze, the latest is that a suspect’s identity has now been revealed; you can find out more down below.
Featured Images — Namiras1 (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group
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Woman, 20, publicly named and charged with aggravated arson in relation to Dovestone moorland fire
Emily Sergeant
A woman who was arrested on suspicion of arson as part of the ongoing investigation into a large moorland fire near Dovestone Reservoir has now been charged.
She has also been publicly named as 20-year-old Shania Care-Slede, from Hyde.
She has been charged with aggravated arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and dangerous driving, and has been remanded in custody before appearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today (14 July 2026).
After the blaze broke out on Saturday evening at the popular beauty spot in Oldham, prompting a major multi-agency response that has now entered its third day, 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.
Residents affected by smoke are advised to keep windows and doors closed where possible.
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.
“While we have secured charges against one individual, our investigation remains ongoing,” explained Detective Inspector Andrew Day. “Detectives are carefully reviewing all available evidence to identify anyone else who may have been involved in criminality linked to this incident.”
As criminal proceedings are now active, GMP says it would encourage people to ‘avoid speculation’ online, particularly on social media.
Daisy Jackson -
17th May 2022 
