Greater Manchester Police officers investigating a rape and three stabbings at a Trafford rave have released update tonight (July 15).
The incidents happened on Saturday evening after three illegal raves broke out across Greater Manchester. One in Trafford, one in Droylsden and one in Oldham. Over 7,000 people attended the raves in total – with reports of parents even dropping their kids off.
However, things quickly got out of hand, and shortly after 2.50am officers were called after reports that a woman had been raped by a man at Broad Oak Woods in Carrington, by a man who she is believed to have met earlier that night.
According to Greater Manchester Police, the man is thought to be aged between 20 and 25 and is described as a white man with a Salford accent, standing at 5ft 7/8ins tall with a medium build.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 15, 2020
He was believed to be “wearing what appeared to be a grey tracksuit and has dark blonde hair; short at the sides and with a longer fringe to one side,” it states on the official GMP website.
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The statement continues: “No arrests have been made and specialist officers are supporting her at this time.
“Earlier that evening, an 18-year-old man was seriously assaulted and responding officers administered life-saving first aid at the scene before paramedics arrived.
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“The man remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.”
There were also two other reported attacks that night in which two other men – aged 25 and 26 – were also injured but have since been discharged from hospital.
GMP’s statement continues: “An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault and is in custody to be questioned by detectives.
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“Police are also aware and are investigating a video on social media purporting to show three men and a woman wielding large bladed weapons close to the area where the rave is said to have taken place.
“Anyone who may have witnessed any of incidents, or have information in relation to them, is asked to contact the police or Crimestoppers to aid detectives’ enquiries.”
It is being stressed by police that no retrospective action will be taken on anybody who attended the raves and calls in with information – they simply want to focus all of their attention on the attacks that took place.
If you are one of the morons who attended one of the illegal raves in Partington and Daisy Nook last night, you are a disgrace. You’ve now put yourselves, your friends, your families and loved ones at risk. I’ve seen some of the footage. You aren’t clubbers. Just selfish idiots.
Detective Inspector Julian Scarsbrook, of GMP’s Trafford division, said: “This is an urgent appeal for information relating to the horrific rape of a woman and three vicious assaults – one of which almost cost a young man his life.
“While I – like the majority of the public – was shocked and dismayed at the scenes in Carrington on Saturday night, my interest is entirely focussed on investigating the serious crimes that took place that evening.
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“I understand some people may be reluctant to contact police because they were present at the rave on Saturday and don’t want to land themselves in trouble, but I must stress that the severity of these crimes outweigh any self-interests people may possess.
“No one should feel deterred from providing the police or Crimestoppers with any information that they believe could have the slightest bit of relevance into finding those responsible for these assaults.
“If you saw anyone in possession of a potential weapon or noticed certain hostilities between groups that night, it is vitally important that you get in touch and provide us with as much information as possible.
“Information will be treated with the strictest confidence and I urge any witnesses or those with details that could aid our enquiries to do the right thing and contact us directly, or anonymously through Crimestoppers.”
Anyone with any information should call police on 0161 856 7573 quoting Operation Norfolk. Details can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Video footage can be uploaded via the following link: [email protected]
News
Greater Manchester officially launches five-year climate change action plan
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester has officially begun its five-year climate change action plan, with the overarching goal of becoming a net-zero city region by 2038.
The comprehensive pledge put together over a number of years itself will see Manchester City Council and the nearby local authorities put into action a number of key measures that will help to reduce not only central carbon figures but, eventually, across the 10 boroughs in turn.
Over the last 15 years, emissions have been reduced by approximately 64%, saving an estimated 44,344 tonnes of carbon through cleaner building energy, street lighting and other electronics, as well as the increasingly green and over-growing Bee Network.
They have also insisted that it isn’t just about cutting down on greenhouse gases; the aim is to make the city region and the surrounding areas more sustainable, affordable and create a better standard of life.
Our five-year plan to tackle climate change launches today. 🌏
It details how we’ll continue to deliver dramatic reductions in the amount of carbon we emit (the biggest contributor to climate change). 🏙️
As per the summary on the Council website, in addition to creating more efficient homes, they’re hoping to provide more access to nature and good-quality green space, “public transport you can rely on”, and “better health and wellbeing for those who live, work, study and visit here.”
With a steadily recovering local and national economy (touch wood), they’re also hoping for an influx of new jobs, too.
Summarising the key bullet points leading up to the end of the decade, these are the next steps currently outlined by the Council:
Lower carbon emissions
Grow the use of renewable energy
Improve low-carbon travel in the city
Improve air quality
Grow the city’s natural environment and boost biodiversity
Improve resilience to flooding and extreme heat
Engage and involve our workforce and our city’s communities
Reduce waste and grow reuse, repair, sharing and recycling
Support a move to a more circular economy
Minimise the negative impact of events held in the city
Develop our knowledge of our indirect emissions and lower them
Create a green financing strategy and explore new funding models for the city
Influence the environmental practices of other organisations
As for emissions, the target is now to drop the present output by another 34%, which will prevent almost 43,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from being pumped into the atmosphere.
Having touched upon the continued expansion of the Bee Network infrastructure, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is also set to install multiple new travel links over the coming years, including both new tram stops and train stations – further
You can read the climate action plan in full HERE.
Manchester’s firework displays are ‘back with a bang’ as they return from 2026
Emily Sergeant
Council-organised firework displays in Manchester’s parks are set to return from next year, it has been confirmed.
You may remember that these once-popular events have not been held since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic initially prevented them from taking place from 2020 onwards, and then following that, they remained paused on a trial basis while the Manchester City Council sought to ‘reprioritise funding’ to support a wider range of free community events across the city.
But now, as it seems, the door was never shut on their potential return.
An ‘improved financial position’ now means that the Council is in a position to bring firework events back, while also still continuing to support other community events.
Papers setting out the Council’s financial position show that fairer funding being introduced by the Government next year will leave the Council better off than previously anticipated, he the reason firework displays have been brought back into the mix.
The Council has admitted that ‘pressures remain’ after so many years of financial cuts, but this new funding creates the opportunity to invest in the things residents have said matter the most to them.
“Manchester prides itself on free community events and we know many people have missed Bonfire night firework spectaculars,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“That’s why we are pleased to confirm they’ll be back by popular demand in 2026.
“We know that generations of Mancunians have enjoyed Council-organised displays and that free family events are a great way to bring people together… [and] now that this Government is actually investing in Councils like ours rather than the cuts we had since 2010, we can bring back Bonfire events.”
The Manc -
15th June 2020 
