Greater Manchester Police has released an e-fit image of a man they want to speak to after a woman was “dragged across the road” in Newton Heath.
The 19-year-old woman was waiting at a bus stop on Oldham Road at around midnight on Tuesday 7 September when the man approached her and started talking to her, before restraining her as a bus approached them.
Police said the man told the victim “I’ve got a knife”, and then dragged her across the road in the frightening incident.
A passer-by in a vehicle stopped to help the woman, before the man ran away.
Detectives are now urging anyone who witnessed the incident – which happened near the junction with Dean Lane – to come forward.
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They are also asking anyone who recognises the man in the e-fit image to get in touch.
The man is described as being white, around 5ft 8in tall and of a slim build. He is thought to be in his 40s, with dark eyes and dark shoulder length hair and was wearing a blue jumper at the time.
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Detectives are now urging anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward with information / Credit: Google Maps
During the conversation, the man said he lives in the Chadderton area of Oldham and had spent the day working on roofs.
Detective Inspector Louise Edwards, of GMP’s City of Manchester division, said: “This was a frightening incident and we are supporting the woman whilst doing everything we can to identify and locate the man [so] I would like to use this opportunity to thank the member of the public who bravely intervened.
“The investigation team has searched the area and are trawling CCTV, whilst working alongside the bus companies.
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“We are now appealing for anyone who travelled along Oldham Road late last night to contact us [and] we are particularly interested in hearing from anyone with dash cam footage.”
Anyone with information, or anyone who recognises the man in the picture, should contact police on 0161 856 1146 of 07/09/21 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – Greater Manchester Police
News
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
The Manc -
8th September 2021 
