News

Northern man jailed after being found with £1 million of cocaine in a bag for life

Police said he appeared nervous and was "visibly shaking" when speaking to officers.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 10th February 2022

A man has been jailed after being found in possession of £1 million worth of cocaine stored in a bag for life.

Merseyside Police explained that on Saturday 8 January, officers stopped a black Volkswagen on Heysham Road in the Netherton area of Sefton, which was being driven by 27-year-old John Butler, of Clements Way in Tower Hill.

Police said Butler appeared nervous and was “visibly shaking” when speaking to officers.

After the vehicle was stopped, police confirmed that officers conducted a search of the car and subsequently found a bag for life – which appears to have been an insulated bag, as per the shared image – that contained 10kgs worth of the Class A drug cocaine.

The drugs seized from Butler’s vehicle were examined and found to have an estimated street value of around one million pounds, according to Merseyside Police.

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Butler was then arrested, charged, and remanded in custody.

On Tuesday 8 February, Butler was jailed for eight years at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

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Butler was found in possession of £1 million worth of cocaine stored in a bag for life / Credit: Merseyside Police

Speaking on the incident and the sentence handed down, Detective Inspector Furlong from Merseyside Police said: “We welcome the significant sentence handed down to Butler which shows that we simply will not tolerate those who put our communities at significant risk by supplying drugs and the misery they bring.

“Thanks to the work of our officers, a significant quantity of drugs can no longer cause fear and harm on the streets of Merseyside.

“Every time our officers disrupt the activity of criminals by arresting suspects and seizing illicit drugs and cash, it removes their ability to cause further harm and to use the misery of others to line their pockets.

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“Remember that every time someone buys drugs from criminals they are fuelling an illicit business that directly impacts the safety of people in our communities [and] I would urge anyone aware of drug dealing in their area to let us know so that we can take the direct action we have taken today, and improve the quality of life for people right across Merseyside.”

Featured Image – Merseyside Police

News

You can live in a Greater Manchester manor house from the 1700s

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

There’s a manor house which dates back to the 1700s that’s just gone on the market in Greater Manchester.

Now, obviously, we know Manchester is the best place on Earth and, naturally, people have been wanting to live here since the 18th century (and even earlier).

Westerhill House in Ashton is a property that dates back to 1764, and now you could be the next lucky owner to live in this five-bedroom property, which really is a piece of living history.

The legacy of this property spans more than just this country house site, as the previous tenants – who inhabited the house until 1964 – actually provided the rivets for the Eiffel Tower on behalf of their company, Park Bridge Ironworks.

The grand entrance to this 1700's manor house in Ashton.
The grand entrance to this 1700’s manor house in Ashton.
The hamlet in which this Greater Manchester property resides.
The hamlet in which this Greater Manchester property resides.
Credit: On The Market

One particular room in this manor house features the work of a well-known Mancunian architect, Donald Reeve Buttress, who spent more than a decade at Westminster Abbey until his departure in 1999.

On the estate agent’s website, each room is described as being individually detailed with its specific role in the house, and if you think you don’t have enough space for all your stuff, think again.

This 1700s character manor house has a room for just about anything you could possibly think of, including a billiard room (posh word for pool) and a wine cellar – I know which room I’ll be accidentally getting myself locked in once a week…

This Ashton historical property spans three floors, with the downstairs being the smallest in size with only one room, while the ground floor boasts 10 and the first floor has eight designated rooms.

As you enter the living space, there is an entrance hall that leads to a bigger hall and a staircase; meanwhile, there is a breakout room immediately on the right side leading to a toilet and a dedicated boot room. Handy.

On your left-hand side as you step through the front door, there is another bigger breakout room which hosts the impressive billiard room and seating area, which is a considerably large space.

The conservatory designed by architect from Westminster Abbey.
The conservatory designed by architect from Westminster Abbey.
The main hall which leads to various rooms in this 1700s Ashton manor house.
The main hall which leads to various rooms in this 1700s Ashton manor house.
Credit: Supplied

Step through to the main hall and you’ll find doors leading to the dining room, kitchen space and a lounge which has an adjoining conservatory.

It’s this very conservatory that was designed by none other than Buttress himself, who worked at Westminster Abbey for 11 years as the ‘Surveyor of the Fabric’.

Any loyal Ashtonians will also be impressed with the stained glass window in the inner hallway, which also happens to contain a depiction of the ‘Black Knight of Ashton-Under-Lyne‘.

Moving upstairs, you find a wide landing which leads to all four bedrooms and three bathrooms, two of which are en-suites.

This 1700s manor house is currently listed for offers in the region of £750,000, and although it may be historic in age and interior, in terms of broadband, the property apparently has super-fast broadband.

The billiard room with adjoining seating area.
The billiard room with adjoining seating area.
Curved seating area overlooking the stunning garden space.
Curved seating area overlooking the stunning garden space.

Ever get bored of looking around this magnificent and interesting mansion’s four walls? This house is situated in a lovely hamlet located close to Daisy Nook Country Park.

Of course, we understand that a lot of us reading certainly can’t afford a property of this nature, but when the manor house is rooted in this much history, it would be rude not to have a snoop on the official site.

Oh, and if that wasn’t enough browsing for you, there’s a three-bed coach house up for sale in this same exact Ashton hamlet, also dating back to the 1700s. Cool, right?

Check it out HERE.

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Featured Image: Supplied via On The Market

News

Travel warning issued as Manchester braces for busiest day of the year so far

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Travel warning issued ahead of busiest weekend of the year for Manchester Marathon

A ‘plan ahead’ travel warning has been issued for this weekend as the Manchester Marathon brings the busiest day of the year so far on the tram network.

Tens of thousands of people will hit the streets to take part in the race itself, with thousands more cheering them on from the sidelines.

This year’s Manchester Marathon route takes 36,000 runners through Sale, Stretford and Timperley before finishing up at a new finish line on Oxford Road – and there’ll be some big changes to your usual travel routes to accommodate this.

TfGM has said that Bee Network trams will be very busy before, during and after the 26.2 mile race, especially in Manchester and Trafford, with a number of road closures in place too.

Taking place on Sunday 27 April, the Manchester Marathon will coincide with Manchester’s popular St George’s Day parade which starts and ends across town around Oldham Road and Great Ancoats Street.

People are being encouraged to plan their journeys carefully this weekend, as it’s expected to be the busiest day of the year on the Bee Network trams.

The Manchester Marathon last year set a new personal best for the tram network, with 175,000 tram journeys racked up – the highest ever recorded on a single Sunday.

Trams will be the best choice to get around the Manchester Marathon course with key stops along the route including Sale, Timperley and Chorlton.

Many road closures will also be in place but at different times of day, so make sure you check HERE for the latest.

This will impact bus services, which will be on diversion from 8am until the end of service on Sunday, with traffic and congestion expected on surrounding roads.

Runners heading to the start line will only be able to access the athletes’ village from Old Trafford and Trafford Bar tram stops up until 9am. Participants arriving after 9am should get off at Wharfside or Exchange Quay instead.

Metrolink is promising to deploy as many double trams as possible across the network, with additional services between Piccadilly and Timperley.

Manchester Marathon guide 2025 important info

As for other modes of transport, those who wish to drive should make us of Park and Ride facilities where possible; and those on the train should note that Salford Central remains closed with bus replacements in place.

Danny Vaughan, Chief Network Director at TfGM said: “The Manchester Marathon is a highlight of the Manchester city centre calendar and our job is to make sure everyone can get to and from the event as smoothly as possible.

“We want everyone to have a great day – whether they are taking on the run themselves or cheering on a friend or loved one – and would urge people to plan their journey in advance, leave plenty of time and check the Bee Network app or website for the most up-to-date information.

“The start and finish lines will be especially busy so if you are coming to watch you may be better off catching the tram to Sale, Timperley or Chorlton, grabbing a coffee and claiming afront row seat to cheer runners on.

“Using public transport is the best way to avoid congestion and delays – and with Tap and Go contactless payments it’s never been easier or more seamless to get around Greater Manchester by bus and tram.”

Passengers can now travel seamlessly between bus and tram and pay for their journey by tapping on when boarding a bus without the need for a ticket, making it the quickest and easiest way to pay for travel.

People travelling on Bee Network buses on Marathon Day can simply tap in and pay £5 for the day on as many buses as they need and just £4.90 on the tram. You can use all Bee Network buses as much as you want all day from just £5.40*.

Kirsty Wilde, Operations Director, from Manchester Marathon organisers A.S.O. UK, said: “The TfGM tram service is an invaluable part of our event, which allows thousands of participants and supporters to navigate around the city. With a record-breaking 36,000 participants set to take part on Sunday 27th April – and more exciting activities taking place over the weekend as a whole – we’re anticipating a rise in tram journeys, which will subsequently bring economic benefits to local vendors, the hospitality sector, and retail businesses.

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“We’d like to thank Transport for Greater Manchester for its continued hard work helping to facilitate what will be the largest event yet, and would also like to say a big thank you to the residents and businesses across Greater Manchester for their understanding and support.”

For further information and travel advice visit the dedicated Manchester Marathon page on the Bee Network website.

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Featured image: Supplied

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