Greater Manchester Police have issued an urgent appeal to help locate a missing 14-year-old boy from Trafford described as very vulnerable after he failed to come home on Thursday evening.
Local teenager Luke Howe disappeared around 6:15pm in the village of Hale after school and was last seen around Nursery Avenue and Bankhall Lane, close to the local nursery and primary school and not far from the nearby Hale Golf Club.
Luke was last seen wearing his school uniform — a blue sweatshirt, dark grey trousers and trainers — and police have described him as being of slim build.
After being reported as missing last night, police put out their first public plea at 11:53pm, providing an update an hour later after his family supplied more a recent picture of him.
Friends and family have now been taking to social media to urge others to reach out with any information they might have, sharing more current images of him.
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Posting on Facebook, his auntie Jessica Howe implored everyone to “share as far and wide as possible”, stressing that Luke is “extremely vulnerable” and stating that the police have encouraged “any and everyone who can get out on the streets around Hale, Sale, Altrincham, Wythenshawe” to please do.
Howe went on to add that “he is drawn to waterways so we have been focusing on the Bollin and the Mersey. Any woodlands, off-road, on-road in the area. We just need as many people as possible as soon as possible – this is absolutely time-critical”.
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Detailing that Luke has global developmental delays, she explained that he “has run away from his grandparents’ home” and “is known to put himself in dangerous situations so we are all incredibly concerned”. His family have also created a Facebook group for people to post updates.
She also asked that people check things like CCTV and Ring doorbell cameras to see if he might have passed in the last 15 hours or so.
The missing Trafford boy is not thought to have any money or a phone on his person and police are now urging people to come forward with any and all information they might have.
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If you think you might have seen Luke or can help in any way, please get in touch with the police on 101 or call 999 directly quoting log 2710 of 18/01/2024.
Featured Images — Greater Manchester Police/Family handout
News
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free bus travel to and from school
Emily Sergeant
Children who are currently living in temporary housing in Greater Manchester are set to get extra support with school travel.
In a move that was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) at the end of last week, and following years of campaigning, homeless children living in temporary accommodation are now set to get free school travel on all Bee Network buses.
TfGM says it understands that some children end up a long way from their school when placed into temporary accommodation, and this leaves parents or carers with the difficult choice of either having to move them to a closer school, which ultimately disrupts their education, or having to pay unexpected travel costs.
While the Greater Manchester Strategy – which is the plan for the city region’s next decade – commits to reducing the number of families and children in temporary accommodation, and measures are also being taken to make sure residents have the support they need to ‘access, improve, and retain’ a decent, affordable home, this doesn’t tackle the immediate issue.
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free school bus travel / Credit: TfGM
So, to help those families when they ‘need it most’, free bus travel to and from school is set to be provided, as subject to approval of this year’s Combined Authority budget.
The move comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asked TfGM last year to look at options to help with the cost of travel.
“Using our locally-controlled Bee Network buses to support families when they need it most is the right thing to do,” Andy Burnham commented.
Of course, the long-term solution is no kids in TA and we’re working with our councils to achieve this in the next few years.
We can do it because GM will soon hit the point where we are building more council and social homes every year than we’re losing through right-to-buy. 👍🏻
“A move into temporary accommodation is often a massive upheaval for families and can be a worrying time. With this measure, the cost of travel to school will be one less thing for families to worry about.
“It will mean parents and carers don’t have to choose between an extra demand on their household budget and keeping their children with friends and teachers they know and trust.”
Danny Jones -
19th January 2024 
