Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has reissued an appeal for witnesses following the disappearance of a woman one year after she went missing.
24-year-old Alisha Apostoloff-Boyarin from Ashton-under-Lyne was last seen in County Durham in January 2022, but was reported missing by her grandmother on 2 February 2022 after she had not heard from her and became concerned for her safety.
A missing persons investigation then launched shortly after.
After various lines of enquiry were followed initially by police, the search for Alisha then developed into a murder investigation.
A 59-year-old man, from Willington in County Durham, but with connections to Ashton-under-Lyne was arrested on suspicion of her murder in March 2022 after detectives established at the time that, although Alisha was still missing, evidence suggested that she had “come to serious harm” – but he has since been released on bail.
Although the man is still being investigated, police are still continuing the search for Alisha one year on from her disappearance, and are re-appealing for witnesses.
DCI Liam Boden, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “Alisha travelled as a passenger in a vehicle to the Bishop Auckland area on Friday 14 January 2022, and she was later seen travelling in the same vehicle on Saturday 22 January 2022, leaving Glossop towards Chapel-en-le-frith in Derbyshire.
“Alisha has not been seen or heard from since.
“The vehicle she was a passenger in is described as a 2003 gold coloured Volkswagen Passat saloon.
“The car has been seized and examined extensively [but] a year has passed now and still Alisha has not been seen by family, friends and loved ones and as the investigation continues it is believed that she may have come to serious harm.”
Alisha Apostoloff-Boyarin / Credit: GMP
DCI Boden is calling on the public to “cast your minds” back to Saturday 22 January 2022.
“Did you see Alisha? Have you seen the vehicle in question? Do you know where that vehicle went? Did you witness any suspicious activity on nearby lanes or land?,” he said in the appeal for witnesses.
GMP is also appealing to rural communities in Derbyshire, mainly around Glossop, Buxton, and Chapel-en-le-frith, to come forward “if you have seen anything suspicious or vehicles trespassing on private land around these dates”.
DCI Boden continued: “We are looking for CCTV, dashcam footage, images or any accounts of suspicious behaviour around that date as this will bring us one step closer to finding Alisha and help us understand what has happened to her.”
The 24-year-old was last seen in County Durham in January 2022 / Credit: GMP
Anyone with any information on Alisha’s disappearance are urged to call GMPs Major Incident team on 0161 856 6777, contact police on 101, or submit information via GMP’s Major Incident Portal here.
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
News
Manchester City dedicate derby win to late and beloved boxing blue, Ricky Hatton
Danny Jones
Manchester City players past and present, club members and fans alike have paid tribute to the late, great boxer, Ricky Hatton MBE, following his shock passing this weekend, honouring him with a fitting derby day win.
Safe to say there’ll be a blue moon all over Greater Manchester this week.
The tragic news about Ricky Hattonwas sadly announced just hours before the 197th Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, 14 September, with the entire ground observing a ‘minute of appreciation’ before kick-off.
Manager Pep Guardiola looked visibly emotional when the camera panned to him applauding his memory in the crowd, and there were plenty of other tributes to ‘The Pride Hyde’ spotted both the home and away ends, with several famous City faces taking to social media after full-time to share their own.
Our pre match display funded as ever by you the fans. We’re planning a Ricky Hatton tribute for Burnley. pic.twitter.com/l67gyyjSTK
Perhaps one of the most moving tributes came from Guardiola himself, who has always immersed himself in local Manc culture beyond just football, so it was no surprise he felt the sorrow in the stands.
Speaking to the media in his post-match duties, the Catalan coach and former athlete himself said: “I’ve been here for ten years, [seen/heard] a lot of minute [silences/applauses], and I don’t remember one so, so intense like today.
“I want to say thank you so much to the Man United fans because they behaved and applauded. I know he was a World Champion in boxing. It was a special, special moment. There are no words that can contain the pain that the family can feel right now for this loss, but we are close.
“I know how much of an incredible Man City fan [he was]. He lived the bad moments and the good moments in the last 10/15 years. I know for the fans how close he was [held]. The moment of applause was unbelievable.
“It was an experience I will always remember because I felt in every applause of every person in the stadium the gratitude for what he has done professionally and being a massive, massive City fan.”
Once again, he wasn’t the only familiar sports personality, blue or otherwise, who made it known how much he was admired by those in and around the region of Greater Manchester.
Both Manchester United legend Roy Keane and ex-Man City defender Micah Richards joined the Sky Sports panel in discussing his legacy as a local sporting icon.
Rest in peace to a legend and a mental health hero.
Everyone involved paid tribute to Ricky Hatton as City claimed the win over United.
Such a sad day for combat sports. Sad day for Great Britain. Sad day for Manchester. I remember as a young boy staying up late to watch his legendary career. The original people’s champion, one of us. Rest in peace Ricky Hatton 💔 pic.twitter.com/2phiyCEneM
Featured Images — Sky Sports (screenshot)/SamboD (via Flickr)/Man City via (X)
News
Warrington-born Adolescence star Owen Cooper becomes youngest ever male Emmy winner
Emily Sergeant
Owen Cooper has made history.
The Warrington-born actor who burst onto the scene as a newcomer in the Netflix smash-hit drama series Adolescence, starring alongside other big names like Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, and Ashley Walters, has become the youngest winner ever in any male acting category at last nights Emmy Awards 2025.
He took home the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series.
Youngest Emmy winner ever in any male acting category.
At just 15 years old, Cooper beat out his fellow co-star Ashley Walters for the award, as well as other renowned actors like Javier Bardem, Peter Sarsgaard, and Rob Delaney.
Adolescence, if you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, is a four-part limited series about a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering one of his classmates – with each episode remarkably being filmed in one unflinching and continuous shot.
The truly gripping story unfolds in real time as the main characters search for answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy.
Who is actually responsible? Why did it happen? And could it have been prevented?
Adolescence gained universal critical acclaim when it debuted on Netflix earlier this year / Credit: Netflix
Cooper was a complete screen newcomer starring as the young boy Eddie Miller, accused of murder, and the show tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside because of it.
Taking to the stage to accept his award last night, Cooper – who began taking weekly acting lessons with The Drama Mob here in Manchester – said: “[The win] is just so surreal. Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind [at The Emmys].
“So I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”
Elsewhere on the night, Adolescence cleaned up as a whole.
Co-creator and star of the show, Stephen Graham, took home the Best Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series award, as well as a Writing award alongside co-writer Jack Thorne, while Erin Doherty claimed the Best Supporting Actress accolade in the same category, and director Philip Barantini won the Best Director award.
Emily Sergeant -
7th February 2023 
