The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Aerobatic Team – of course, more commonly known as the Red Arrows – will be making their way from their base at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire over to Blackpool Airport this afternoon, which means people will be able to catch a rare glimpse of the impressive jets as they fly over head from wherever they are in the region.
The Red Arrows are known for representing the speed, agility, and precision of the RAF.
Having been displaying since 1965, the Red Arrows are instantly-recognisable to aviation fans thanks to often flying in their trademark Diamond Nine shape, and for their combination of close formations and precision flying too.
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The Red Arrows are flying over Greater Manchester today / Credit: Royal Air Force
The team flying these distinctive Hawk fast-jets are made up of pilots, engineers, and essential support staff, who work to assist in recruiting to the Armed Forces, act as ambassadors for the UK at home and overseas, and promote “the best of British”.
And while the planes won’t be shooting out their eye-catching red, white, and blue vapour trails as they fly over Greater Manchester today, it’ll still be spectacle worth watching regardless.
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So, when exactly should you be watching out for the Red Arrows today? When are the planes flying over our region? And what’s their expected flight path?
The Red Arrows are known for representing the speed, agility, and precision of the RAF / Credit: Royal Air Force
The planes will take off from RAF Waddington at 4pm today.
They will then begin their journey by flying towards the Peak District and from Glossop towards Oldham, before heading over Denshaw, Newhey, the south of Rochdale town centre, and Heywood, then making their way to Bury town centre.
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Harwood and the north side of Bolton town centre should look up next, then the people of Smithy Bridge, Horwich, and Blackrod just after, before the planes head to over to Wigan and pass by Worthington, Standish, Shevington, and Parbold.
They’ll then be turning towards Skelmersdale and go on to Liverpool, before eventually landing at Blackpool Airport just before 4:30pm – so it’s a pretty fleeting flight in reality.
Here’s the exact flight path timings:
RAF Waddington – 4pm
North East of North Scarle – 4:02pm
North of Ashbourne – 4:08pm
Buxton – 4:11pm
East of Glossop – 4:13pm
South of Marsden – 4:14pm
East of Denshaw – 4:15pm
Flypast Rochdale – 4:16pm
East of Burscough – 4:19pm
North West of Rainford – 4:20pm
Flypast Prescot – 4:21pm
East of Liverpool Airport – 4:22pm
West of Liverpool Airport – 4:23pm
West of Formby – 4:25pm
West over Irish Sea – 4:27pm
Blackpool Airport – 4:29pm
They’ll be flying over our region this afternoon / Credit: Royal Air Force
If you’re going to be stuck inside for one reason or another, and you happen to miss out on seeing the Red Arrows fly over Greater Manchester today, then not to worry, there’s no need to having FOMO just yet.
You can just try again tomorrow.
Luckily, there’ll be another chance to see the jets on Saturday, as they will once again fly over the region as they head to Southport Air Show for midday and will get to work wowing the crowds with a display they’ll never forget.
Bolton will be the lucky lot on Saturday in particular, as the best expected view of the planes will be when they make their way over the borough’s skies at around 11:56am.
Featured Image – Royal Air Force
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The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home
Emily Sergeant
The Council is now offering financial help to support people moving into a smaller and ‘more manageable’ property.
Ever heard of ‘rightsizing? Well, according Manchester City Council it’s a process where a tenant in a larger social rent, Council, or Housing Association property, that may have more rooms than they need or perhaps are struggling to manage a big house as they get older, can be supported into a smaller property that better suits their needs.
The benefits of this process include cheaper bills, lower rents, and overall, just homes that are easier to clean and manage.
The aim of it is also to free up larger Council properties for families who are on the housing register – of which there are said to be around 20,000 of them currently at this time, with larger homes having some of the most significant wait times.
Are you struggling to look after a big Council or housing association home? We can help!
We are offering £2,500 to help people move into a smaller more manageable home, freeing up larger homes for families that need them.
It’s also estimated, according to the Council, that a third of all social rented family homes are thought to ‘underoccupied’.
This is why financial support and grants are now being offered.
Last year alone, 109 households were helped to ‘rightsize’ and were supported in the process by a dedicated team of Council officers, as well as benefitting from the Rightsizing Incentive Scheme – with a further 432 households having expressed interest doing so in the future.
Residents interested in ‘rightsizing’ could get a cash incentive of £2,500, which can be spent on anything they like, along with moving costs.
The Council is giving Mancs £2,500 to move into a ‘more manageable’ home / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
“Rightsizing could be a brilliant option for older people who are renting a Council home who may have spare rooms they don’t need or would benefit from looking after a smaller property,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development.
“Often a barrier to moving is the cost, but the Council will take care of the financial burden to help a resident move into a new home.
“The benefit for the city is that we can free up more larger homes for people who are waiting for a property that properly meets their needs. We think around a third of Council tenants could be under occupying their home, which means they could be paying more than they need to or they could be hit with the bedroom tax.”
Does this sound like you? Are you ready to ‘rightsize’? Find out more and begin the process via Manchester City Council’s website here.
Featured Image – Vitaly Gariev (via Unsplash)
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Trailer released for Netflix’s new Lucy Letby documentary with ‘unprecedented access’
Emily Sergeant
The trailer for Netflix’s new documentary about the investigation of Lucy Letby has been released.
The feature-length film about Lucy Letby – the infamous neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others under her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital – hears for the first time from the police officers who investigated the case that shook the nation.
It features never-before-seen footage of Letby during her arrests and police questioning, and even includes interviews with experts and lawyers on both sides, as well as with the hospital consultants who initially raised the alarm.
Tragically, it also includes an anonymised interview with a mother of one of the victims, who also speaks for the first time about her experience and involvement in Letby’s trial.
Produced as a result of years of research and relationship-building, the film – simply titled The Investigation of Lucy Letby – is described as being the most ‘comprehensive’ look at one of Britain’s most notorious crimes, and traces developments from her arrest to trial in chronological order.
Viewers will be given ‘unparalleled and exclusive access’ to those central to the story.
“This was an exceptional and demanding project, marked by significant creative and ethical responsibility,” commented director, Dominic Sivyer. “Our aim was to craft a powerful, emotionally resonant depiction of the events surrounding the case.”
Caroline Short, Head of Global TV at ITN Productions – who produced the documentary – added: “The access to all our contributors came with a huge responsibility to present everyone’s perspectives with care and understanding.
“We are grateful to all those people who trusted us to tell their story.”
Emily Sergeant -
8th September 2023 
