Two nurses have won compensation after being fined £10,000 during a socially-distanced NHS pay protest during lockdown.
Karen Reissmann – a 61-year-old frontline NHS nurse, who worked throughout the pandemic – organised a socially-distanced demonstration outside in St Peter’s Square in Manchester city centre on 7 March 2021 to protest against the government’s proposed 1% pay rise for NHS workers.
Even though only around 40 people were expected to attend, Ms Reissmann was informed by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers that the protest was not permitted under the COVID-19 regulations and could not go ahead.
She was then fined £10,000 for organising the protest, and was cautioned by a police officer.
Ms Gallagher, also an NHS frontline nurse who was 65 years old at the time, was arrested by the police, and later de-arrested and fined £200 for contravening the COVID-19 regulations.
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Faced with having to pay the fines and report themselves to their professional body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the nurses then decided to instruct lawyers, Bindmans LLP, to challenge their fines.
Latest news: NHS nurses win compensation claim against Greater Manchester Police following £10,000 #Covid19 fine
Initially, Greater Manchester Police defended the £10,000 fine as “proportionate, legal, accountable and necessary in the circumstances” – but now, after legal proceedings were brought against the force, it has agreed to settle the nurses’ claims for compensation, and has also accepted that Ms Gallagher’s arrest had been unlawful, and the fines were unlawfully imposed, subsequently agreeing to withdraw them.
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The police conceded that they had “misunderstood the effects” of the COVID-19 regulations.
“The force however refused to apologise to Ms Reissmann for the distress caused to her by the £10,000 fine, or for the professional embarrassment the criminal sanction caused her,” Bindmans LLP did however say in a statement on the case.
“The police have also refused to make a fulsome apology to Ms Gallagher for her arrest and the impact that this had on her.”
Two nurses have won compensation after being fined £10,000 during a socially-distanced NHS pay protest during lockdown / Credit: Bindmans LLP
Commenting on the compensation claim win, Ms Reissmann said: “In March 2021, the NHS had 100,000 unfilled vacancies [and] when the government offered a 1% pay rise to traumatised and exhausted health workers after a year of battling the pandemic, we knew this situation would only get worse – we needed to protest to protect the NHS.
“I received a fine 200 times the amount of the fine Boris Johnson has received. Why, when the protest I organised was lawful and intended to improve the world, not party in a flagrant abuse of the rules?”
She added: “The NHS now has 110,000 unfilled vacancies.
“Over a hundred thousand people died in the UK from COVID-19 [and] millions are on NHS waiting lists – the Prime Minister should be resigning over this, as well as his parties.”
Police appeal after woman is killed by driving wrong way down M62 near Rochdale
Emily Sergeant
Police have issued an urgent appeal after a woman has sadly been killed while driving the wrong way down the M62.
At around 11pm yesterday (11 July 2026), officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) we were called to reports of an incident where a grey Nissan Juke had collided with a grey BMW X5 between Junction 21 and 22 of the M62, near Rochdale.
It is believed the Nissan was travelling in the wrong direction on the eastbound carriageway prior to the collision, police have confirmed.
The driver of the Nissan – who is said to be a woman aged in her 50s – suffered serious injuries following the collision and sadly died at the scene, while the driver and passengers of the BMW were only treated for minor injuries.
No arrests have been made at this time in relation to this incident, GMP said.
An investigation has been launched and the Serious Collision Investigation Unit are now appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.
They are keen to speak to anyone who may have dashcam or CCTV from the area in the moments leading up to the incident.
Can you help? Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 474, quoting log 4349 of 11/07/2026, or by using the ‘report tool’ or LiveChat function on the GMP website – www.gmp.police.uk.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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Beaches close to Manchester that you don’t need to drive for hours to reach
Danny Jones
Now, when we’re lucky enough for the sun to hit big and hard in and around the North West, it’s common for people to start searching ‘beaches close to Manchester’, and that’s exactly why we’re here – you’re welcome.
Ian Brown of The Stone Roses famously said, “Manchester has everything but a beach”, and while he’s technically right, we are lucky enough to be close to a fair few.
Whether it’s down the other end of the Mersey, over near our friends in Yorkshire, or up in nearby Cumbria, you can get to plenty of beaches and/or similar settings that are roughly 90 minutes or so from Greater Manchester.
Let’s not waste one more single second of sunbathing time, shall we?
The top 10 best beaches near Manchester
1. Urmston Beach – Trafford
First up, we’re going with the only kind of beach in the 10 boroughs that comes to mind: Urmston Beach, not far from the nearby Meadows, Ashton-upon-Mersey, Sale and other parts of Trafford and the surrounding areas.
It may only be a little one and more of a stony/gravely affair as opposed to the boundless white Belize (let’s be reasonable now), but it’s still a beloved local attraction perfect for a day out with family, friends, or if you just need some time to yourself near the water with a good book.
— Monica NAUGHTON Crimmins (@MonicaCrimmins) April 18, 2021
2. Gaddings Dam – Todmorden
Heading over to West Yorkshire now and the town of Todmorden in Calderdale, Gaddings Dam is a surprisingly intimate slice of sand next to a Victorian reservoir, with the embankment serving as an ideal spot for a mini beach day.
Less than an hour away by car – and not too awkward to get to by train, either – it still feels like a bit of a hidden gem unless you’re from closer to the region yourself, where plenty of people flock over the year; it’s also dubbed ‘Britain’s highest beach’, but we will warn you that it’s fairly remote with no real facilities.
The first of a few from our Northwestern cousins and football rivals down the river, many of you already know and love Formby Beach, but for anyone who hasn’t tried it before, it’s well worth the short journey up the M62.
You can also get there by rail as fast as an hour and 20 minutes if you time the right service, and once you’re there, you’ll see why so many make a regular pilgrimage to see the sand dunes and pinewoods frequented by red squirrels. Great parking and dog-friendly – no-brainer.
4. Ainsdale Beach – Southport
Not too far from Formby and further along the same Sefton coast, a criminally unsung alternative is Ainsdale Beach near Southport, which boasts great facilities and family-friendly activities such as swimming, watersports and the nearby nature reserve.
It’s another one that’s super easy and affordable to get to on public transport; they even hold a Blue Flag award for top-notch conditions when it comes to water, safety, environmental education, conservation and all-round coastal management.
Next on the list from our specific ‘Mer-seaside’ selection (you can have that one for free) is arguably the other best-known one besides Formby: Crosby.
Just five miles from central Liverpool, lots of people visit not only for the sands but also for laid-back leisure at The Bus Yard Bar, and striking public open-access installations like Sir Anthony Gormley’s Another Place, known colloquially as the ‘Iron Men’. Well worth seeing for yourself if you haven’t before.
Moving over to West Kirby on the Wirral, this picturesque part of the peninsula promises more than 300 metres of reasonably soft beaches, more Liverpudlian sand dunes and its stunning Marine Lake.
One of the best things to do here is wait for low tide when you can walk out to the Hilbre Islands nearby – but please, as always, be safe and responsible whenever you’re doing anything like this.
Also in roughly the same vicinity – though this one is technically in the town of Wallasey within the wider Wirral borough – New Brighton Beach certainly does a decent job of living up to the name.
It’s renowned for various landmarks including the recognisable lighthouse, shops and street art in and around the Victoria Quarter and along the promenade, not to mention the Floral Pavilion, Fort Perch Rock, ‘The Mermaid Trail’, restaurants, bars and MUCH more. There’s even a pirate, yes, pirate ship.
You can really make a full weekend out of this one.
A similarly Victorian-era seafront setup can be found in the affluent area of Lytham, known not only for its popular music festival but also for golf courses, a historic Georgian Hall and, of course, the beach.
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The sands themselves are almost as luxurious as the area itself, and it’s probably one of the most ‘golden’ surfaces you’ll find in this part of the world – perfect for a game of bat and ball. With buses, trains and driving routes all clocking in at just over an hour, it’s an ideal option for a day out.
Our penultimate pick is – surprise, surprise – the iconic seaside town and home of the Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, where we’ve enjoyed so many memories throughout our childhoods, adolescence and well into adulthood, too.
Whether you just want really good fish and chips, a stick of rock, foot-long sausage butties on sub rolls, a go on the Grand National ride, or actually want to walk down from the seaside and onto the beach itself, it may never have become the ‘Las Vegas of the North’, but there’s still plenty to entertain you.
For instance, they’ve got a brand new live music festival that should draw extra crowds moving forward.
Last but not least, it’s definitely more of a lakeshore than a traditional beach, but you’ll still see plenty of people treating it like the latter, especially during a heatwave.
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You don’t need to be told how lovely it is to spend time travelling up in the Lakes, but if you’d rather a scenic trip up to Cumbria to enjoy the stunning vistas whilst lying on your back, soaking in the rays and maybe dipping your toes in a few slightly smaller bodies of water, this tourist hotspot is a great choice.
There’s a resident parkrun event, watersports and boat hire available, an aquarium close-by and plenty of other stuff to do besides pretend you’re on a little holiday.
Here’s hoping we’ve given you a few decent suggestions when it comes to beaches near Greater Manchester, and if we’ve missed any off the list, please do let us know in the comments.
We’re sure you will, as always.
Meanwhile, if you’re happy to stay within the region but still fancy a taste of waterside leisure sometime soon, how do you fancy hopping in a canoe?…
Emily Sergeant -
27th May 2022 
