For those who missed it, last week a bakery in Yorkshire went viral after its owner clapped back at a request to provide more than 100 cakes for free to a Mancunian celebrity.
Yorkshire baker Rebecca Severs received the request from a PR company, who said they were working for a ‘well-known’ local celebrity who was about to celebrate their 40th birthday.
The publicist said that payment ‘would be made in the form of promotion on their socials with over 700k followers, as well as OK Magazine’, adding: ‘they will be crediting all the suppliers on this platform.’
The message continued: “The party has a guest lists full of celebrities, and industry people from tv / film and music, so loads of work would come from it.
“NVRLAND would also use you for our future events and parties.”
ADVERTISEMENT
However, Rebecca, who has been running her Three Little Birds Bakery in Keighley for seven years, turned the offer down.
She has since been praised for her snappy reply, which told the publicist they ‘do have availability for your date’, before adding: “I’m so sorry to hear that your client has fallen on such hard times they can’t afford to pay small businesses for their products.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Image: Catherine Tyldesley
Image: Three Little Birds Bakery
That celebrity was later revealed to be none other than ex-Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley, who then took to her own personal Instagram to defend her publicist’s request – saying: “I mean, I hope the cake lady got the exposure she was craving.”
The bakery has since revealed that it has been inundated with ‘vile’ abuse after going viral, sharing messages in which a person called the owner an ‘entitled millennial’ and told her she ‘deserve[s] to go bankrupt.’
Taking to Facebook to share another update to the ongoing drama, first branded cake gate by Tyldesley in an exasperated video filmed from her car, the bakery joked: “Sounds like someone might need some cake. Even if it is Keighley cake.”
They then shared a series of screen shots of some of the abusive messages the business had received, in which one person tells them they are really ‘thick AF’ before asking: “You think you can go public about a legitimate business offer that you don’t like the sound of, and now play victim?”
The message thread continued with a series of laughing crying faces, before the person added: “You deserve to go bankrupt. Entitled millennial. You’ll learn the hard way.”
Further screenshots showed messages in which the baker was told they were ‘Simple MFs’ who are “so out of your depth it’s f*cking hilarious.”
The individual also shared a link to a BBC article covering the story entitled ‘Ex-Coronation Street star and baker in social media cake row” within the abusive message thread.
ADVERTISEMENT
Still, despite the keyboard warrior aggression coming from one loyal Coronation Street fan for the most part it appears that people are once again on the side of Three Little Birds bakery, with fans quick to comment their support on a post that has been liked over 1,500 times.
One person commented: “I don’t know what to say … er well I hope Angry Man gets the attention he’s craving! Oh hang on, that sounds familiar. I love Keighley cake especially yours.”
Another fan said: “Why do people think it’s appropriate to speak to others like this behind a screen? Your response was perfect. You have been dignified and professional. Everyone in keighley supports you and your beautiful business and family.”
A third added: “You deserve all that follows” maybe they meant all your new followers you definitely deserve them.”
Featured image – Three Little Birds Bakery
News
Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
You can read the full Altrincham feature here, and see where else The Sunday Times included in its list for 2026 here.
Featured Image – Geograph
News
11 arrested and £70k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
11 people have been arrested, as well as a large amount of cash and drugs seized, during early-morning raids across Greater Manchester.
The raids took place during the early hours of the morning yesterday (Thursday 19 March 2026), where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) successfully executed eight warrants simultaneously across Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale to tackle a ‘suspected criminal network’ involved in the distribution of class A drugs and firearms.
Officers from Tameside Programme Challenger team, the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) were deployed to each of the addresses.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and preparation, a total of 11 people – each aged between 24 and 77 – were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences during the raids.
Eight men and three women were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, being part of an organised crime group, possession with intent to supply, money laundering, and possession of an offensive weapon.
They all remain in police custody for questioning at this time, GMP confirmed.
During searches of the addresses, various class A, B and C drugs – including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and nitrous oxide – were seized, while further recoveries of £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun, and four vehicles were also made at the same time.
Speaking following the success of the raids yesterday, Chief Superintendent Shan Nasim, District Commander for Tameside, said: “[This] operation has been a powerful example of our continued, determined effort to dismantle organised crime in our district and Greater Manchester.
“We have 11 people in custody being questioned by our investigation teams in relation to an organised crime group (OCG) that have been causing widespread harm across our communities.
“This action caused significant disruption of an organised crime group (OCG) and has prevented drugs and weapons from reaching the streets, as well as the associated harms that come hand in hand with organised crime.
“Organised criminals exploit vulnerable people and blight our communities; we will take robust action to catch offenders, keep our communities safe, and protect vulnerable people across Greater Manchester.”
Georgina Pellant -
7th August 2023 
you definitely deserve them.” 
