Parents across Greater Manchester are being urged to warn their children about a highly toxic plant that can cause severe blistering burns.
Most prevalent at this time of year, Giant Hogweed – also known by its Latin name Heracleum Mantegazzianum – is a plant that originated in Southern Russia and Georgia, and was introduced to Britain and Europe in the 19th century.
The plant itself can reach over 10ft in height and, according to The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), “most gardeners will want to eradicate it, as it is potentially invasive and the sap can cause severe skin burns”.
The sap contains a chemical called furocoumarin which makes the skin sensitive to the sun, and can cause bad blistering – which can recur over the span of months, and even years.
Giant Hogweed was introduced to Britain and Europe in the 19th century / Credit: Flickr
How can I spot Giant Hogweed?
If you’re looking to identify this dangerous plant to better inform yourself and your children, then The Woodland Trust outlines the appearance of Giant Hogweed by these characteristics:
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Stems: The stems are green with purple blotches and stiff, white hairs and are hollow with ridges and a thick circle of hair at the base of each leaf stalk.
Leaves: The large leaves can measure up to 1.5m wide and 3m long, and are often divided into smaller leaflets. The Woodland Trust compares them to rhubarb leaves, with irregular and jagged edges, with the underside of the leaf being described as hairy.
Flowers: Giant Hogweed flowers appear in June and July, and are small and white and appear in clusters on “umbrella-like heads” that face upwards.
Seeds: The seeds are dry, flattened and an oval shape, almost 1cm long and tan in colour with brown lines.
Regular hogweed leaves are more rounded, whereas Giant Hogweed leaves are more jagged.
It’s important not to confuse Giant Hogweed with cow parsley too, as although they look similar, cow parsley can only grow about three-four feet, and also has smaller florets and broader leaves that are much more rounded than the jagged leaves of Giant Hogweed.
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Giant Hogweed flowers appear in June and July, and are small and white / Credit: Flickr
Sightings of Giant Hogweed have been spotted in Greater Manchester in recent weeks.
Community group Bolton NEWT say it’s recently found Giant Hogweed plants in Leverhulme Park, along the rivers Tonge and Croal, and at Moses Gate Country Park.
“We strongly suggest taking a few minutes with your kids to show them these pictures, so that they can safely identify giant hogweed and not panic when you find native hogweed or cow parsley.” a spokesperson for Bolton NEWT.
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Similarly, Mini First Aid in High Peak and Tameside has also taken to social media to issue a warning about the plant, saying: “Now is the season for ‘Britain’s most dangerous plant’ and with the lovely weather forecast in a couple of weeks time, this stuff will thrive and spread.”
The group added: “All parents, please warn your children not to touch the plant as the leaves, stems, roots, flowers and seeds all contain this terrible poisonous toxin.
“Any parts of the body that come into contact with the sap of a giant hogweed should be immediately washed with soap and cold water and seek medical advice. Further exposure to sunlight should be avoided for at least 48 hours.”
You can find more information about Giant Hogweed here.
Featured Image – Flickr
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Manchester Half 2025 guide – route, waves, start times and everything you need to know
Danny Jones
The Manchester Half, the largest of this marathon distance in the entire North West, is back for 2025 this weekend, and literally tens of thousands of Brits and more are set to descend upon 0161 for the big race. And that’s just the runners…
It’s estimated that 26,000 participants are set to lace up their running shoes for the ninth edition of the Manchester Half, which also marks the third and final year of their ‘Express Yourself’ campaign.
This year’s event is also expected to raise £1.5 million for various organisations, with thousands running in support of partnered charities like the Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer Research UK and The Christie. One of the best days of the year and all for a good cause.
With all that in mind, whether you’re taking part or just spectating, we want to do everything we can to help to get ready for the event; here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Manchester Half.
Manchester Half 2025 guide – all the important info
What time does the Manchester Half start?
Elite wheelchair participants will set off first at 8:55am, followed promptly by the elite wave at 9:00am.
Following this, the rest of the participants will get going in roughly 10-minute intervals, depending on their allocated colour, with staggered waves setting off up until approximately 10:48am.
You can see all the waves and their relevant start times below:
Credit: MCR Half (supplied)
The Manchester Half route: start and finish line + key checkpoints
Access to the start process is adjacent to Trafford Town Hall; those wishing to use the bag drop can enter the Emirates Old Trafford (Lancashire Cricket Club) stadium via gates 5 and 10.
Marshals will then direct participants to the start line from both locations.
On the route, participants will head towards the city before looping back, passing through Stretford, Sale, Chorlton-cum-Hardy and eventually the finish line back along Talbot Road.
The full participant guide, containing start times, a detailed breakdown of the route and more, can be viewed here, but you can see a helpful map of the Manchester Half route down below.
Check out our new updated Activations Route Map, featuring @AppliedNutrition
Where are the toilet locations, water and nutrition stations on the MCR Half?
As you can see, there will be a total of four drink stations along the half-marathon course. Isotonic Energy Gels from Applied Nutrition will be available at stops two and three.
Similarly, there will be portaloo toilets at each of the water stations, as well as plenty at the Event Village for those pre-race precautions (time that morning coffee carefully, folks…)
Road closures for the Manchester Half
Road closures will be in effect along and around the half-marathon route starting from early on Saturday, 11 October.
Those affected should allow extra time for journeys, as open roads in the surrounding areas will be busy.
Many bus services will also be diverted due to these closures, and you can also expect added congestion further out into Greater Manchester, especially towards Trafford.
Full details of road closures can be found HERE, and you can consult an interactive map below:
How to get to Event Village for the Manchester Half
The tram network will allow both runners and spectators the best access to and from the event.
For a quieter journey, the Imperial War Museum stop is a 15-minute walk to the Event Village. The closest tram stations are Old Trafford (a 3-minute walk) and Trafford Bar (a 10-minute walk), but these will be very busy and will likely have significant queues.
As mentioned, buses will be disrupted by road closures, meaning those arriving in Manchester by train are advised to take the tram directly to the Event Village if and wherever possible.
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Participants are advised to avoid driving to the event due to the increased level of traffic already brought about by the well-attended annual event.
For those who do plan on driving, however, there is no official parking, but Manchester United do offer pre-paid parking spaces at Old Trafford. They are available for £18 when booked in advance.
Make sure to double-check your Manchester Half guide on race morning, too. (Credit: Supplied)
How to track runners and watch the 2025 Manchester Half remotely?
Once again, countless numbers are expected to line the Manchester streets in support of those running the MCR Half, but for those who can only cheer on from afar, the race will be available to view via livestream on the full Manchester Marathon YouTube channel.
If you’re looking to see where a participant is along the route, you can find more help on how to best utilise all the recommended tracking features like the ‘Find My’ app, ‘share my location’ on WhatsApp and the Strava beacon function HERE.
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Supporter hub and dedicated cheer zones
As for where is best to cheer on the 26k or so legends running the Manchester Half, the temporarily re-named Deansgate ‘Inter-rave’ (Deansgate-Castlefield Interchange) will see hordes of spectators amping up the atmosphere at mile 1 with a Cybertruck DJ and ‘kick-off cam showing live starts.
Over at Wharfside, the ‘Buzz Hub’ will enable spectators can see participants twice on their journey past the iconic Old Trafford stadium, before heading toward Stretford. There will also be inflatable dancing bees and a DJ.
Other prime viewing spots include Stretford, Sale and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The Event Village at LCCC will also have a large screen showing live finish line coverage, as well as food outlets and activities from partners for everyone to enjoy.
It’s highly recommended that supporters avoid going directly to the finish line, where viewing will be limited due to large crowds and one-way systems.
Easy bit of advice that often gets forgotten for you here: organise a specific meeting point to reunite with those runners beforehand – saves a lot of time and faff among the crowds.
What/who else to look out for at this year’s Manchester Half…
Other things to keep in mind include the official Manchester Half shakeout run, which is being hosted by lead sponsors PUMA and Runna, and takes place the official Manchester Half shakeout run will take place on Saturday, 11 October.
Having set up another pop-up for this year’s event, where top-end running trainers, merch and other goodies can be picked up, they’re just one of many brands getting involved with the wider 2025 Supporter Hub.
For instance, ERDINGER’s – who will be handing out alcohol free beers for those crossing the finish line – are also serving as this year’s team of pacers.
If you’re looking to get a certain time in your race, as well as assembling with the rest of your wave at the start line, look out for your relevant pacer at the start on the day.
That should be just about all the key details you need to know for this year’s Manchester Half-marathon guide, but if in doubt, you can always check the event website for more info.
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Last but not least, make sure you get a good breakfast in, prepare your race kit all ready the night before, get plenty of rest and drink even more water.
Best of luck to all those running, not that anyone needs it – you’re going to absolutely SMASH it and we’ll see you at the pub for plenty of celebrating afterwards!
Man re-arrested in relation to Manchester synagogue terror attack after previous release
Emily Sergeant
A man who was previously arrested and released in relation to the terror attack at a synagogue in Crumpsall last week has been re-arrested.
The 30-year-old was first arrested on 2 October on suspicion of the commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism following the shocking knife and car attack, which took place on Yom Kippur last week – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.
Two men sadly lost their lives during the attack – Adrian Daulby, 53, who is believed to have been shot dead by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) while trying to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who also helped stop the attacker.
The attacker has been named as 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie – a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich – who at the time was on bail for an alleged rape, before being shot dead by police.
A man has been re-arrested in relation to the Manchester synagogue terror attack after a previous release / Credit: GMP
The man was re-arrested on suspicion of Failing to Disclose Information contrary to S38B of the Terrorism Act 2000.
He was arrested at 12.34pm under PACE at Manchester Airport earlier yesterday (9 October) and has since been released on bail – but this time ‘with conditions’.
GMP says they ‘do not believe’ there is any ongoing threat to the public following the incident last week, even in the wake of the re-arrest.
The news of the re-arrested comes after an ongoing investigation currently by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) revealed earlier this week that it had found no evidence of police ‘misconduct’ during the incident.