Someone has robbed the Rashford 1 – 0 Boris flag and its owner is raging
Yesterday, in the midst of all of the Marcus Rashford news regarding his whopping win over MPs who were refusing to provide free school meals to kids over the summer, a little bedsheet in Wythenshawe went viral.
Yesterday, in the midst of all of the Marcus Rashford news regarding his whopping win over MPs who were refusing to provide free school meals to kids over the summer, a little bedsheet in Wythenshawe went viral.
The bedsheet, fashioned into a flag, was created by the guys behind Facebook community Wythenshawe Whispers and friend of The Manc, Andrew Ellis, who is also one of the stars of This Is England. Yeah, there’s plenty of dynamics involved here.
The flag was then pinned up to a Welcome to Wythenshawe sign in a prominent part of the busy south Manchester town and it didn’t take long to go viral on social media.
The once used bedsheet then quickly found its way onto Twitter, being liked and shared by literally tens of thousands of people, including The National Football Museum, who saw an opportunity.
The flag had become instantly famous, and quite arguably, a piece of footballing and political history within hours – symbolising a rare win for the people that will result in thousands of children not going hungry during what will be a very tough summer for families in poverty.
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So, England’s most famous football shrine saw a place for it in their collection, and took to social media to find its owner.
During the lockdown period, our collections team have been chronicling how football has reacted to the pandemic.
— Nat. Football Museum (@FootballMuseum) June 17, 2020
But this story has a twist, and it’s not a surprising one at that. Because within hours of the flag going viral, some scoundrel had nicked it – and the National Football Museum are not happy.
— Nat. Football Museum (@FootballMuseum) June 17, 2020
It’s not currently known who stole the banner (obviously), or whether it was simply removed by council officials, or Boris Johnson himself (although it’s unlikely he’s ever stepped foot in Wythenshawe) – but one thing is for sure, whoever has it is a targeted man or woman.
If you do have the flag, do the right thing. Rashford’s rallying cry for a simple life necessity for children in need is the perfect symbol of standing up and getting the job done when the odds are stacked against you, and we think it’s important to have this small piece of history hanging in the middle of a football mecca in Manchester city centre.
So hand it in, you wally.
News
Dame Sarah Storey is going on Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Danny Jones
Record-breaking local athlete and Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, is set to become the latest to join the Strictly Come Dancing annals.
With the Strictly cast for 2026 steadily being unveiled, we always keep an eye out for the Greater Manchester names in particular.
That being said, we’re buzzing to see the hugely successful Stockport swimmer turned cyclist will be swapping her Team GB kit for sparkly, sequined ballroom gowns and an entirely different type of sport and fitness.
Announced on Friday, 17 July, Storey is the seventh celebrity to be confirmed for the 24th series of the hit BBC show and dancing competition.
Having represented her country not only at nine Paralympics but across two different disciplines after switching to the racing bike back in 2005, she’s our most decorated competitor in the entire history of the Games with 30 medals to her name – 19 of which are gold.
Absolute GOAT levels.
But now the Cheadle Hulme-born is once again set to show her versatility to see how she fares on the dance floor later this year.
Commenting ahead of the new-look season which starts this September, the 48-year-old said: “Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting.
“I have always loved watching Strictly, and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world is incredibly motivating! I can’t wait to get started!”
This latest sea-change comes not long after the local legend and sporting icon officially announced her retirement from professional sport more than three decades on from first bursting onto the scene.
Thank you for taking the time to leave all the incredible messages. It’s so wonderful to read them and thank you for being the greatest supporters 🥰
— Dame Sarah Storey (@DameSarahStorey) July 9, 2026
What a career she’s had; it obviously didn’t take her long to get tired of sitting still for once, either.
She will be joined by the likes of Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer and Will Best.
In case you missed it, the upcoming edition of Strictly Come Dancing will be the first since Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and pro dancer Johannes Radebe stepping in as replacements.
In other starring Stockport news, we’ve finally got more info on the final season of a popular programme filmed in the area. Find out more down below.
Two more people arrested as investigation into Dovestone Reservoir moorland fire continues
Emily Sergeant
Two more people have been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the devastating moorland fire near Dovestone Reservoir.
Yesterday (16 July 2026), a 19-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of arson and has been bailed pending further police enquiries, before a man in his 20s has today (17 July) been arrested on suspicion of arson, and remains in custody for questioning.
These follow the arrest and subsequent charging of 20-year-old Shania Care-Slede, from Hyde.
Care-Slede has been charged with aggravated arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and dangerous driving, and was remanded in custody before appearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court this past Tuesday (14 July).
After the blaze broke out this past Saturday evening (11 July) at the popular beauty spot in Oldham, prompting a major multi-agency response, fire crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) have been working around the clock in challenging conditions to contain the fire and prevent further spread across the moorland.
Specialist wildfire resources, command support units, drone technology, and partner agencies have also been deployed as operations continue across multiple sectors of the incident.
To make matters worse, ‘strong’ winds carried smoke across parts of Greater Manchester – with reports of haze and the smell of burning being received from areas well beyond the immediate vicinity of the fire.
With three major arrests having already now been made, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says its officers are continuing to pursue a number of lines of enquiry and are seeking to identify any other individuals who may have been involved.
“This investigation has been progressing at pace, we are nearly a week on and the fire at Dovestones is still ongoing, and it has had devastating effects it has had on the Reservoir,” commented Detective Inspector Andrew Day, of GMP’s Oldham division said.
“As this incident continues, officers would like to thank all emergency service partners for their support and dedication.
“In particular, our colleagues at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, whose firefighters have spent countless hours tackling the fire in demanding conditions.”
Sam Ridgway -
17th June 2020 
