The mural was subsequently restored by the original artist the following day – but the messages kept on coming.
While the glorious sunshine over the last week meant that the messages have remained mostly unharmed, Manchester City Council confirmed on Wednesday that it would be carefully removing them this morning (23 July) ahead of a forecasted change in the weather at the weekend.
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There were fears that the messages would disintegrate and be lost forever if they aren’t removed in advance of the prolonged rain expected in the area from Saturday.
An unexpected downpour arrived on Thursday evening, but the council took to social media to confirm a plan was in place to preserve the messages.
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Hey #MCR – things got a bit damp tonight here at the @MarcusRashford mural in Withington.
But don't worry we have a plan!
Everything will be safely moved in the morning and carefully preserved. It will take a bit longer than we thought, but it's OK – we've got this 👍 pic.twitter.com/oOh4uup54l
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 22, 2021
Providing an update on Twitter yesterday evening, Manchester City Council said: “Hey Manchester – things got a bit damp tonight here at the Marcus Rashford mural in Withington, but don’t worry we have a plan!
“Everything will be safely moved in the morning and carefully preserved. It will take a bit longer than we thought, but it’s okay – we’ve got this.”
Council representatives have also urged the public not to touch the messages, stating: “…if you’re passing by the mural tonight, please have a look – but please leave everything in its place for us to sort.”
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A message written on a chalk board at the mural itself also read: “Please don’t touch. The tributes on this mural will be fine [and] they will still be removed as planned.”
MA students from the Institute of Cultural Practices at the University of Manchester are also standing by, ready to help with collecting the messages and documenting the process.
Wherever possible, messages will be removed individually, but due to the amount of adhesive tape that has been used to fix tributes to the mural, it is more likely that whole sections will have to be lifted and packed on site, and then carefully separated later.
After their removal, all the messages will be transported to Central Library’s archives department for safekeeping.
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All partners involved will then decide how best to make them more widely available.
It is hoped that by preserving the messages, they can be made available for education and public display in the future as an important and permanent reminder of just what a significant moment in the city and country’s cultural history this has been.
Rashford himself will also have a say in what happens to the messages and how he would like them to be used.
Manchester Storm announce return to AO Arena after nearly two and a half decades
Danny Jones
In a huge bit of regional sporting news, Manchester Storm have announced they will be coming home to the AO Arena after nearly two and a half decades away from the iconic venue.
Massive news for Manc ice hockey followers and local sports fans in general.
Revealing the long-awaited return after 24 long years away from the place where Manchester’s native hockey team first began its story, the team, AO figures, and even some fans were part of a special announcement event inside the 20,000-seater stadium this week.
Confirming the news on Monday, 27 April, MCR Storm will be back playing at the AO Arena later this year – just in time for the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
— Manchester Storm | #TakeShelter (@Mcr_Storm) April 27, 2026
As detailed in a full press release from the Greater Manchester club, they are seemingly marking a milestone moment in their next chapter by going back to their roots.
It goes on to read: “Founded back in 1995 as a tenant of the then newly-opened Manchester Arena, the original Manchester Storm quickly became one of British ice hockey’s most iconic teams.
“In their inaugural season, the Storm secured the First Division championship before becoming founding members of the Ice Hockey Superleague in 1996.”
Coming somewhat full circle more than a generation later (Storm having made it to the play-off finals of the modern Elite Ice Hockey League era this April for the first time in their history), they have made one-off returns to the storied space in recent times.
However, many supporters have been waiting for a fully fledged return for some time now; equally, others are understandably sad to pay a bittersweet goodbye to the ‘Storm Shelter’ over in Altrincham, with the building having already pulled licensing for next year.
They have been at the Planet Ice rink for over a decade now, and the company itself have even issued a lengthy response following the departure – namely noting the issue of communication, clarity and fair notice. Nevertheless, for the vast majority, this felt like a long-overdue comeback.
With an ex-player turned head coach and all-round club legend, Cam Critchlow, having also signed on for another campaign behind the bench, it’s been a busy week in and around the organisation.
Representing the Manchester Storm ownership group, former coach Ryan Finnerty and partner Emma said in a joint statement: “This is a major milestone for our partnership group and a vision we’ve worked towards for some time.
Returning Manchester Storm to the AO Arena is a proud moment for everyone involved. It’s about giving our fans a premier stage in the heart of the city and delivering an outstanding live experience.
“Together with our leadership team and Canadian partners, our ambition is clear — not just to compete, but to lead in the Elite Ice Hockey League and beyond. This marks the start of an exciting new era for the club. Manchester Storm is coming home.
“Today marks a hugely exciting and significant moment for both the Manchester Storm and the Elite League”. The EIHL themselves have also celebrated the news, adding that they feel it reflects “the scale and ambition of the league”.
Are you happy to see them setting up shop at the AO Arena once again? Better still, do you remember going there to watch games the first time around? Let us know down in the comments.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via GALA PR)/The Manc Group/AO Arena
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Discount flights from Manchester up for grabs as easyJet’s ‘Big Orange Sale’ returns for 2026
Danny Jones
Get ready to book in some annual leave, because easyJet’s ‘Big Orange Sale’ is BACK for 2026, with cheap flights from Manchester and more up for grabs.
Not only can you get affordable trips from Manchester Airport, specifically, but there are discounts across the board by the operator.
The Big Orange Sale is becoming an increasingly popular annual occurrence for Brits, with countless holidaymakers, rather fittingly, making the most of the offer.
In fact, you might have already seen the advert yourselves:
Packing our bags already.
Just as the ad explains, those travelling via easyJet can get up to 20% discount on flights to a load of different destinations across the globe.
Yes, the company are knocking up to a fifth off the price on flights over the course of nearly 10 months’ worth of travel from the UK, provided the trip is booked within the right window.
Seeing savings on more than 730,000 seats, the time frame itself is also one of the longest cut-price periods you’ll come across this year, not to mention well into 2027.
Better still, it doesn’t just stop at flying itself…
Get this, the flight operators and travel agents are offering up to £400 off on package holidays, meaning those old faithful all-inclusives are about to become even more bang for your buck.
Featuring not only countless mainland European favourites on the list, but also the likes of the Canary Islands, Morocco, and numerous popular skiing hotspots, just to name a few.
In ideal news for all you lot, approximately 90,000 of these reduced seats are on flights from Manchester Airport, with the operators also having just added 30 new locations to the areas they service.
Allowing you to book trips departing between 1 May 2026 and 14 March 2027, it’s a huge travel window for you to get extra value-for-money deals on your next getaway.
You can find the full list of flights and package holidays on easyJet’s Big Orange Sale right HERE.
Speaking of airports, you’ll also be glad to hear that public transport infrastructure is also getting a big upgrade to make your next holiday even easier:
Emily Sergeant -
23rd July 2021 
