A local restaurant has expressed their gratitude for their neighbours after they were the victims of another ‘heartbreaking’ burglary.
Sweet Mandarin in the Northern Quarter was broken in to in the early hours of Friday morning by two burglars, who made off with the restaurant’s till.
But the restaurant’s neighbours and customers rallied around, and found the smashed-up till in a nearby flowerbed – along with evidence that will hopefully help police to trace down the criminals behind the break-in.
The Chinese restaurant, which has been operating in the city centre for almost two decades, said that the kindness of customers and fellow business has ‘spurred them on’ through a ‘helpless’ time.
They initially shared CCTV footage of the burglary itself, which shows two men deftly removing a window and climbing inside to steal the till.
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Sweet Mandarin’s till was found in a nearby flowerbed. Credit: Instagram, @sweet.mandarin
Sweet Mandarin wrote that the pair rode up on bicycles and appealed for people to share any information they may have to their identities.
They posted: “This is not a faceless crime. We are a family business serving the local community. We have huge bills to pay as its month end. They just took the till and its heart breaking. It is time to stand up to these perpetrators. Please share names with us privately.
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“Trying to keep our heads up. We remain open today come what may! Sorry about the door!”
Since sharing the footage, hair salon RCNQ (one of Sweet Mandarin’s neighbouring businesses) tracked down the till to a patch of flowers nearby.
The restaurant updated followers to say thank you, writing: “May we just pause from this crazy day to say a massive thanks for the love and kind messages which have spurred us on.
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“Seeing some of you tonight made me forget the pain of being broken into again and again. I feel so helpless and not quite hopeless but it’s harder every time to turn on the woks when something like this happens.”
They added that police had not found any prints on the till, but that officers did find a glove and footprints elsewhere, which are being examined.
Sweet Mandarin’s post continued: “I just wanted to say thank you very much to you all for your messages. It has given me heart to continue.
“We’ve been going for 20 years even before the @nqmanchester became a thing. Perhaps we may continue another 20 years more.
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“The verse which has struck me is John 10:10-15 ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep….. ‘ wow powerful words.
“Here’s to keeping positive, silver linings and knowing the voice which leads my heart.”
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Daisy Jackson -
30th May 2022 
