The 88-year-old had been diagnosed with bone cancer after breaking his arm, but had managed to beat the disease.
At the time of his diagnosis, Ron’s wife Gwen was dealing with a secondary tumour from a previous breast cancer, which had spread to her rib, spine and bowel. She died in April 2022.
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In a new JustGiving page set up to raise money for a memorial bench, their son Paul wrote: “Gwen and Ron Roose were two of the kindest, generous, caring people, they touched the lives of so many in so many different ways.”
He added: “On the 28th November Dad vanished and after a huge police response a body was recovered in the river six weeks later on the 7th January
“The support of friends family and neighbours has been amazing. Mum and Dad didn’t want funerals or a fuss but i would LOVE to be able to put a bench in [Fletcher Moss] in their memory so their friends and family all have a little place where they can remember Gwen and Ron.”
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Detective Superintendent Neil Jones said: “Our condolences are with Mr Roose’s family and we would also like to thank the members of the public who helped with the search or shared our appeal.”
In a further statement issued to the Manchester Evening News, Paul added that the couple were ‘pillars of the community’.
He told the paper: “For the last couple of years we’ve been dealing with cancer with both of them. Mum’s cancer spread to her bowel and she passed away in April last year.
“She had chemo and she died on end-of-life meds with dad holding her hand for 19 hours. They had been married 53 years.”
Paul also said that he wasn’t sure if his father Ron had just gone for a walk and slipped into the river, but that even before he was found the family knew he ‘wouldn’t be coming home’.
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You can donate to the family’s Just Giving page here.
Featured image: GMP
News
Train ticket prices slashed by more than 50% as huge rail sale returns across UK
Emily Sergeant
The Great British Rail Sale is returning in the new year, and train ticket prices will be slashed by up to 50% or more.
Millions of discounted train tickets for half term activities, weekend getaways, and even commuting will be up for grabs next week, as the week-long rail sale – which is set to run from 6 to 12 January 2026 – will give passengers the chance to save well over 50% on many advance and off-peak tickets.
The reduced fares can be used to travel on thousands of popular routes between 13 January and 25 March 2026.
Nearly all train operators are taking part, with routes spanning the entire country.
For example, those who may be planning a quick getaway abroad over the next couple of months will be able to save quite a few pennies, as journeys from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport will cost just £1.20, down from £2.90.
You can get up to 50% off train tickets next week / Credit: Northern | Transpennine Express
This is the fourth year of the Great British Rail Sale, with last year’s sale selling more than one million tickets and saving passengers around £8 per journey, as well as generating £9 million in ticket sale revenue for the industry.
“The Rail Sale is back,” commented Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander. “And that means further discounts for passengers as we freeze rail fares for the first time in three decades to help ease the cost of living.
“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so whether you’re planning a half term getaway, or visiting friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions.”
This year’s sale comes as the Government aims to ‘ease the cost of living’ for hard-working people by freezing rail fares for the first time in 30 years.
If you weren’t aware, the Government is also in the process of bringing in major reform to Britain’s rail services by establishing Great British Railways (GBR) – which is the new, nationalised organisation to run the railway uniting together 17 different organisations under a single directing mind.
Manchester councillor Bev Craig has been awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List
Danny Jones
The leader of Manchester City Council and representative for Burnage, Bev Craig, has officially been awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours List for 2026.
Councillor Craig, who has held her leadership position since October 2021, received the OBE for her services to local government.
She joins several other regional councillors to be named by King Charles III.
First elected by Burnage residents back in 2011, she has spent more than a decade and a half devoting her professional life to the community, as well as nearly a whole five years of that time at the highest level within the Council.
The University of Manchester graduate has played several key roles throughout her career, including giving back to higher education, helping trade unions, as well as serving as an executive member for adult social care and health during the pandemic, before serving as Deputy and eventually Leader.
Speaking in an official statement, Craig said: “To receive an OBE is a huge privilege, and to get awarded it for what I’ve been able to give back to our city is all the more special.
“Manchester is an incredible city, made special by its people and a place I’m proud to call home.
“Leading our city is a privilege I don’t take for granted, so to get awarded an OBE for what we’ve been doing to make Manchester an even better place to live and improve the lives of Manchester people, while creating a city that is fairer and more inclusive for generations to come, is the real honour.”
With the Council having also confirmed two special NYE events on either side of the Town Hall this year, it feels like a fitting celebration.
Congratulations to Bev Craig on the well-deserved accolade and title; we have no doubt she’ll continue to excel in her post.
You can find the King’s 2026 New Year Honours List HERE.
As for the discussion around knighthoods, many Brits are currently calling for a change in the rules in hopes of making OBE, CBE and MBE, Kevin Sinfield a Sir.
Daisy Jackson -
16th January 2023 
