It’s been another busy weekend for news here in Greater Manchester – here are the top five stories we were all talking about over the last couple of days.
Storm Arwen
Erst was closed because of the storm on Saturday. Credit: Instagram @erst_mcr
We’ve all been talking about the weather. All of us.
The weekend started with Manchester getting battered from all angles by Storm Arwen.
Overnight on Friday and well into Saturday, gale-force winds caused havoc across the region.
The massive storm saw the M62 closed as lorries got stuck, trees ripped up from their roots, and Erst in Ancoats closed as water flooded into the restaurant.
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Omicron
Credit: (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)
A new variant of concern that has emerged in South Africa, putting six countries onto the red list and triggering new rules from the UK Government.
Three cases of the new Omicron variant have now been found in England, with a further six in Scotland – contact tracing is underway.
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From Tuesday November 30, face masks will once again be mandatory in retail and on public transport, though hospitality settings will be exempt.
All people arriving in the UK will now need to take a PCR test too.
Suspected contacts of Omicron cases will have to isolate for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status.
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There are also plans to speed up the booster jab programme.
Snow day
Snow in Manchester city centre. Credit: Instagram @bee_manuk
It’s the weather again!
Manchester spent most of yesterday in a flurry of snow and woke up on Monday to a blanket of white.
It’s made the roads a little tricky and closed a few schools.
Don’t expect it to stick around for long though – there’s rain forecast this evening and much milder temperatures of 10C from tomorrow.
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I’m A Celebrity
Thanks to the wild weather brought by Storm Arwen, I’m a Celebrity has dropped off air.
The live portion was called off on Friday and over the weekend, highlights reels have been broadcast on ITV instead.
The channel confirmed that the production site at Gwrych Castle has been badly damaged.
The celebrities – including Frankie Bridge, Naughty Boy and David Ginola – were all removed from the castle.
It’s hoped that the live show will return tonight.
Virgil, a ‘genius and visionary’ designer and father of two, was the founder and CEO of Off White and artistic director at Louis Vuitton.
He was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer in 2019, which he battled privately.
Tributes from the likes of Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Venus Williams have been pouring in.
Featured image: Instagram @bee_manuk
News
Man jailed for 10 years after raping ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after being found guilty of raping an ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman multiple times in Manchester city centre.
Benjamin Wilson, of Norwood Avenue in Chesterfield, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison after being found guilty of offences committed in Manchester city centre back in June 2022, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.
The victim – who was described as being ‘extremely vulnerable and intoxicated’ – plucked up the courage to go on a night out with friends in Manchester, however she became separated from them and was later subjected to a serious sexual assault, which was linked to a suspected drink spiking.
During the evening, the victim – whose identity has been withheld – and her friend believed their drinks had been tampered with, and she later found herself alone, heavily intoxicated, and extremely vulnerable, before she came into contact with Wilson near a takeaway.
Wilson took advantage of the situation, guiding her into a taxi before repeatedly raping her at a flat in Manchester.
The following morning, he dropped her near the hotel where she had been due to stay with her friend, and she proceeded to report the incident to police shortly afterwards.
A man has been jailed for 10 years after raping an ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman in Manchester city centre / Credit: GMP
From the outset, investigators said they faced ‘significant challenges’ – including limited early forensic opportunities and issues securing CCTV footage, all while needing to prioritise the victim’s wellbeing.
Hundreds of hours of work went into analysing witness accounts, financial and phone data, intelligence checks, and overcoming cross-force barriers leading to Wilson’s arrest in Derbyshire.
“The case was ultimately built through meticulous investigation, persistence, and, crucially, the strength and courage of the victim’s testimony,” GMP said.
Speaking following Wilson’s sentencing this week, DC Phillip Sargeant, of GMP’s Longsight CID, commented: “I am awestruck not only by the courage of the victim in coming forward, but also by her patience and resilience in waiting for justice.
“The impact on her, her family and her support network has been profound.
“I hope today’s sentence provides some measure of closure and enables them to move on from this traumatic experience.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Council sets out plans to rework busy Manchester junction after ‘serious safety concerns’
Emily Sergeant
Bold new plans to transform one of Manchester’s busiest junctions following ‘serious’ safety concerns have been unveiled.
All the way back in 2022, Manchester City Council identified the junction of Wilmslow Road with Ladybarn Road and Sherwood Street as an area that would ‘greatly benefit’ from upgraded infrastructure.
As a major route into Manchester, and an important route cutting through the city’s southern neighbourhoods, this junction sees a vast amount of road, cyclist, and foot traffic every day… and because of this, there are also said to be ‘serious concerns’ around safety when it comes to this particular stretch of road.
In a five year period between 2018 and 2023 alone, there were 15 collisions at this junction, the Council explained – with two of these classified as ‘serious’.
Under the plans – which have been announced by the Council this week – the junction is to be partially redesigned, creating several new and safer crossing points for cyclists and pedestrians, a more ‘seamless’ route along the current cycling lanes, and overall, just general improvements to the layout.
🚧 Wilmslow Rd Junction Improvements 🚲 Works start 18 May 2026 at Wilmslow Rd / Ladybarn Rd / Sherwood St to make the junction safer for pedestrians & cyclists. ✅ New cycle lanes ✅ Safer crossings ✅ Better links to the Fallowfield Loop 🔗 https://t.co/Y26mH7cc8Epic.twitter.com/IiOih5ehqp
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) May 11, 2026
Some of the safety features set to be included are three dedicated crossing points for pedestrians at the junction, rumble strips for cyclists at pedestrian crossing points, and improved signage and road markings.
Work is due to begin as early as next Monday (18 May), and will run until January 2027.
The work is set to be carried out in four phases, the Council has confirmed – with the first phase of these works comprising of the removal of street furniture, kerbs and tarmac, as well as upgrades to the drainage and road markings.
“This junction in particular sees a high volume of traffic – from cars, cyclists and pedestrians, commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“So it was clear that improvements were required following our engagement with local residents.
“As has been the case with other schemes like this in Manchester, safety remains our number one priority.
“We have long said that we want Manchester to be a city where people can walk and cycle around in safety, and by upgrading this junction and improving its crossing points, we are taking another step towards that goal.”
Daisy Jackson -
29th November 2021 
