Mancs are being urged to help stop more than 16,000 tonnes of textiles from going to waste each year by donating their unwanted clothes.
After shocking new figures revealed that a whopping 16,700 tonnes of textiles was sadly put into Greater Manchester’s general waste bins within the last year, Greater Manchester Combined Authority(GMCA) has teamed up with Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) to launch a bold new campaign called ‘Cotton On’ and work towards tackling the problem head on.
For the new campaign – which is aptly called ‘Cotton On’ – local residents are simply being encouraged to recycle their old, damaged, or unwanted clothes instead of throwing them away.
With the concept of ‘fast fashion’ still, unfortunately, going as strong as ever, it’s believed that each person in the UK chucks 35 items of clothing into the general waste every year on average – with old socks, ripped jeans, and stained t-shirts being some of the main culprits socks.
Your old clothes can have a new life. 👖👚
Even if they’re ripped or stained, they can be recycled at your local textiles bank. ♻️
While many people will consider parting ways with their unwanted clothes by donating them to charity or selling them online, GMCA and R4GM is keen for its new campaign to highlight the fact that damaged clothes and textiles can also be recycled, instead of thrown away.
ADVERTISEMENT
Greater Manchester already has a large existing network of textile banks, including at all of the region’s 20 recycling centres.
You can also find loads of others in supermarket carparks and large clothing stores too.
ADVERTISEMENT
All the textiles donated by residents are sorted here in Greater Manchester, and when the clothing is in a state of disrepair so much that it can’t be re-worn, this doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road, as the material is then recycled into something new like animal bedding, carpet underlay, and even things like car seats.
Mancs are being urged to donate their unwanted clothes to help stop 16,000 tonnes being thrown away / Credit: Crew | Maude Frederique Lavoie (via Unsplash)
Cllr Tom Ross, who is GMCA’s lead for Waste and Recycling, says that the thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown away each year is “damaging” to the region’s ambitions to be carbon neutral by 2038.
“Under Government plans, these extra carbon emissions will lead to increased costs for the GMCA and individual local authorities, so it’s great to see this campaign underway to raise awareness of what Greater Manchester residents can do with the unwanted or damaged clothes in their home.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’s a fantastic example of what R4GM does to make recycling simple.”
England football fans warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of World Cup
Emily Sergeant
England football fans are being warned to remain vigilant, as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup merely weeks from officially kicking off in the North America and Mexico on 11 June, football fans are being urged to guard against scams, as newly-released data from Lloyds has revealed that football ticket scams increased by more than a third (36%) during the current Premier League season.
The findings – which are based on thousands of scam cases between October 2025 and March 2026 – showed that fraudsters focused heavily on popular teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
Fraudsters also repeatedly targeted supporters looking for tickets to some of the most in-demand football matches in the UK, which is why, with the upcoming World Cup set to be one of the most speculated sporting events of the year, scam warnings are being issued.
It’s anticipated that fraudsters will target the big-name fixtures and attempt to exploit international demand, according to Lloyds.
England football fans are being warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the World Cup / Credit: Picryl
On average, it was revealed that victims lost £215 during the current Premier League football season, but some fans even paid thousands of pounds for ‘season tickets’ or VIP seats that never existed.
Hopeful football fans are expected to pay much more for expensive World Cup tickets, meaning the potential loss for victims could be ‘devastating’.
As scammers know demand for World Cup tickets will be huge, it’s expected that they will mimic the methods seen in club level scams – including fake listings on social media, pressure to act fast, and requests for bank transfers.
“Fraudsters thrive on urgency and target fans looking for hard to get tickets for big name fixtures,” explained Liz Ziegler, who is the Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds.
“Most of the football ticket scams we see start on social media, before the criminal moves the buyer onto WhatsApp and insists on a bank transfer to pay. It’s incredibly convincing, and we don’t want fans to lose their money trying to support their team.
“We’re urging supporters to stay alert and stick to official ticketing channels.”
Ahead of the World Cup, Lloyds and the Home Office have teamed up to take action to protect fans by highlighting how criminals will try to exploit the excitement – with Lord Hanson adding: “Our new fraud strategy sets out how we will use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations, bring fraudsters to justice and strengthen support for victims.”
Featured Image – Pexels
News
Cold case solved after 34 years as Stockport man is jailed for indecent assault and attempted rape
Emily Sergeant
A cold case has finally been solved after more than three decades, as a man has been jailed for indecent assault and attempted rape.
Aron Traynor, 56, of London Road in Stockport, was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court last Friday (8 May 2026) for the violent indecent assault and attempted rape of a then 74-year-old woman all the way back in 1992.
The conviction follows a renewed cold case investigation by Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) Cold Case Unit, as well as advances in forensic science that allowed the evidence to be re‑examined.
The victim – who has sadly since passed away – was attacked by a stranger while walking near her home.
Despite extensive forensic work at the time, no suspect was identified, and the case remained under ‘active review’. Then in 2005, the Cold Case Unit commissioned further forensic analysis, producing a near‑complete DNA profile that was added to the National DNA Database… unfortunately though, no match was found at that time.
A breakthrough came when a DNA sample taken from Traynor following an unrelated arrest for drink-driving in August 2023 matched the profile developed by the Cold Case Unit, finally bringing long‑awaited justice for the victim’s family.
In October 2023, the Cold Case Unit was formally notified of the DNA match, and Traynor was arrested shortly afterwards.
A five‑day jury trial in March 2026 found him guilty on both charges, and last week, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Speaking following Traynor’s sentencing last week, Detective Chief Inspector Cheryl Hughes said: “Time is quite simply no barrier to justice.
“Today’s sentencing shows that we never close investigations into serious violent or sexual offences. DNA is crucial, but it’s the painstaking work of our officers – revisiting evidence, tracing witnesses, and rebuilding the investigative picture – that ultimately brings offenders to justice.
“Offenders should be in no doubt that forensic science continues to advance, and every interaction they have with the criminal justice system increases the chance of their crimes being uncovered.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th August 2024 
