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Mancunian Way set for more closures while ‘vital’ inspections are carried out

The closures will take place overnight.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 24th September 2025

Mancunian Way is set for yet another round of ‘vital’ closures next week.

As Manchester City Council looks to ‘improve’ what is, by far, one of Manchester’s busiest and most-used roads, given the fact it is the main thoroughfare in and out of the city centre, it has been confirmed that a part-closure of Mancunian Way is set to take place so that essential inspection works can be carried out. 

With an estimated 15 million journeys taken along this road annually, the Council says it’s vital that inspections are conducted to keep traffic flowing.

As a result, plans are now in place to close the inner lanes of Mancunian Way next week from Monday 29 September through to Saturday 4 October.

The inner lanes will be closed in both directions of the road along its entire length. 

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Partial closures are necessary so that engineers are able to safely carry out an inspection of the central reservation to ensure that the road remains safe for motorists, and this is ahead of the replacement of parts of the central reservation – which is due to take place in 2026. 

To keep disruption minimal, the Council has confirmed that the inner lanes are only to be closed from 7pm to 6am, with traffic management removed during the day for normal usage of the road. 

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The other two lanes will be open to use as normal, as will the slip roads.

Mancunian Way is set for more closures while ‘vital’ inspections are carried out next week / Credit: Pixabay

Speaking ahead of the upcoming closures, Councillor Anthony McCaul, who is the Deputy Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment, and Transport at Manchester City Council said: “We’re grateful for people’s patience during these inspection works.

“The Mancunian Way is a vital piece of the city’s transport infrastructure and it’s really important that we regularly ensure that it is safe for use.”

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Signed diversions will be in place during the course of the inspections, and details of this can be found on the Council’s dedicated webpage here.

Featured Image – Geograph

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Family pay tribute to Tameside teen Catherine Blackhurst found dead after reported missing

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The family of a 17-year-old girl who was found dead after being reported missing in Tameside have now paid tribute to her.

The girl has been publicly named as Catherine Blackhurst.

Catherine died after officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were led to an address on Whalley Close in Ashton-under-Lyne at around 9am on Sunday 21 September, but despite the best efforts of all emergency service workers involved, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

At this time, investigating officers say her cause of death remains ‘unclear’, but detectives are ‘keeping an open mind’.

A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, but has since been bailed.

Catherine’s family described her as being an ‘intelligent young lady’ who was ‘so full of life’ and had a ‘can-do attitude’ with the drive to achieve anything.

Paying tribute to her, Catherine’s family added: “Cat was a bright, beautiful young woman with an infectious enthusiasm for life. She left an instant, lasting impression and anyone she met instantly fell in love with her larger-than-life personality.

“Her siblings loved her endlessly, they enjoyed special individual memories with her that will be cherished forever.  

Catherine Blackhurst, 17, died after being reported missing in Tameside / Credit: GMP

“We can’t put into words what Cat meant to us. She was so funny and smart. She accepted people for who they were with no judgement and was never afraid to be herself.

“If love was enough, she would be here with us right now celebrating.”

Her family say they are ‘immeasurably saddened with her passing’ and are now asking that their privacy is respected as they begin to process her death and grieve as a family.

In the meantime, police are still appealing to the public for any information that may help them with their investigations.

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Anyone with any information, CCTV, mobile phone or Ring doorbell footage is urged to contact police on 0161 856 9307, quoting the log number 802 of 21/09/2025, or online via gmp.police.uk.

Information can also be shared anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Featured Image – GMP

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‘The United Strand’ shares update after video of assault at Old Trafford goes viral

Danny Jones Danny Jones The United Strand shares update after Old Trafford attack

Viral Manchester United fan Frank Ilett, more commonly known online as ‘The United Strand’, has now spoken out in a video update after a clip of him being attacked by another man at Old Trafford was shared across social media.

The 29-year-old Man United supporter was in attendance for the Red Devils’ rainy win against Chelsea in the Premier League this past weekend, and proved a popular figure around the majority of the stadium.

However, despite being previously preoccupied with meeting, greeting and taking selfies with other United fans, his time at Theatre of the Dreams took a more nightmarish turn as one individual began pulling him by the hair before being separated by Reds in the vicinity.

The supporter who assaulted Ilett has yet to be identified, but Frank himself has now opened up on the incident in his latest video.

Sharing a lengthy update across all of The United Strand accounts,

It’s worth noting that Frank didn’t take a break from his daily posting challenge either, as his streak of not cutting hair and recording its now internet-famous growth every day until Man United win five games in a row continues.

But as for the ordeal itself, as you can see, Frank genuinely thought his aggressor was just joking at first.

Just like those around him, it only clicked that the man meant to do him harm when he “properly started yanking my hair”, detailing that he also called him an “attention-seeking [undisclosed expletive]” at the same time.

Sadly, Frank – who not only started this challenge as a silly bit of fun but also to help raise money for charity – went on to reveal that, unfortunately, this wasn’t the only less-than-warm reception he received from fans in and around the stadium.

In addition to the unprovoked attack, Frank says he also received some verbal abuse.

Manchester United are yet to issue any kind of public statement regarding the matter, but subsequent reports have claimed that United officials have been made aware of the footage and are now investigating the incident internally, and will “impose strong sanctions” if/when caught.

You can read more on the altercation down below.

Fellow fan account Stretford Paddock (formerly Full Time Devils) responded in the comments: ‘Keep it up, Frank. You’re giving us all a smile at a difficult time as United fans and doing some brilliant things along the way!

Even JD Sports offered their support with a reply, with their social media admin writing, “Keep doing your thing, broski.”

As for Frank Ilett, besides thanking those who helped him in the inexcusable moment of violence, he reiterated that not only did he never expect to still be doing this challenge, but that it was only ever meant to be “something to laugh at in a difficult time as fans.”

His goal was simply to “spread positivity and humour”; we can only hope that he faces nothing but more of the many “positive interactions” that he did in fact enjoy on the day, the next time he visits the ground.

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Featured Images — The United Strand (screenshot via YouTube/Instagram)

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