The University of Manchester has confirmed it has begun the process of weekly testing to allow students to safely return home for Christmas.
The university’s asymptomatic testing programme – which is geared towards enabling students to travel home over the festive break – has been running for almost a week, with thousands of students having signed up for a test and registrations clocking in at over 5,500.
Each student is recommended to take two tests before returning home.
This therefore means that the university is set to administer around 10,000 tests over four sites in the coming weeks.
The team behind the project has turned around the programme from scratch in a little under two weeks, with a project group led by Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, Patrick Hackett, and Vice-President for Social Responsibility, Professor Nalin Thakkar.
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The group also involves PS and academic staff, and representation from the Students’ Union to ensure tests are being delivered safely and efficiently.
Key information related to COVID-19 testing and supporting students get home this term.
As well as testing University of Manchester students, the university has provided free testing to students at other Higher Education institutions in the city – such as the Royal Northern College of Music – and also other further education facilities.
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The University is also working closely with the Greater Manchester authorities to share what it has learned through the testing programme, ahead of any mass testing which could be implemented in the city.
Speaking on the ongoing testing programme, Professor Nalin Thakkar said: :This has been an astonishing achievement for our university, with many people working very hard to deliver a testing service with one of the largest capacities, so that any student travelling within the UK can have a test.
“Public Health England and the NHS have told me that they are extremely impressed by the speed we set up an operation of this scale.”
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He continued: “Student feedback on the testing process has been extremely positive.
“There are plenty of slots left, so I would encourage any colleagues who are in contact with students to remind them to get a test, to help them get home safely and protect their loved ones.”
The University of ManchesterThe University of Manchester
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson first confirmed that university students would be allowed to return home over Christmas in an address to MPs in the House of Commons toward the end of September.
Making the announcement at the time, Mr Williamson said: “I know there has been some anxiety about the impact safety measures will have on the Christmas holidays. Students are important members of the communities that they choose to study in [and] we expect them to follow the same guidance as those same local communities.
“We are going to work with universities to make sure that all students are supported to return home safely and spend Christmas with their loved ones if they choose to do so.”
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He added: “Students as well as the wider community accept when we are living in a global pandemic we have to operate in a society with restrictions, but I do not believe that we should look to inflict stricter measures on students or expect higher standards of behaviour from them than we would from any other sector of society – there must be a parity.”
Official guidance on students returning home for Christmas can be found here.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Price caps and standardisations to be introduced for vet care in UK following major investigation
Emily Sergeant
Reforms to the veterinary industry to help pet owners better navigate the vet services market are set to be introduced this year.
After an independent inquiry group recently found that the current system is leaving pet owners ‘in the dark’, with a lack of information to help make informed decisions leading to weak competition and high prices, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week concluded its investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK.
The final report green-lights a package of measures to make the market more competitive, easier to navigate, and more responsive to pet owners’ needs.
It outlines the final remedies and recommendations, which together, will transform the market.
Remedies and recommendations in the report range from price caps and standardisations, through to upfront cost transparency.
We’ve set out major reforms to the UK’s veterinary sector now our market investigation is complete.
Our reforms will help pet owners better navigate the vet services market and will start coming into force later this year.
— Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) March 24, 2026
Practices will soon be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options – so pet owners know up-front how much certain services are expected to cost.
They’ll also have to make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business, and provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill.
Written prescription fees are set to be capped at £21 for the first medicine, and then £12.50 for any additional medicines.
Price caps and standardisations are set to be introduced for vet care in UK / Credit: Pxhere
There’s also set to be changes to the complaints process, as practices will now be required to follow a transparent, accessible, in-house complaints process, and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.
The CMA says an ‘unprecedented’ response from both the public and the sector has helped to shape the final report.
The next step is for the Government to respond to the report formally – with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, commenting: “We are grateful for all the work of the Competition and Markets Authority, and we will respond to the report and set out next steps for our proposed reforms in due course.
“This Government is focused on helping families save money on vet services by improving transparency and choice around pricing, so the public can make informed decisions about their pets’ care.”
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Police release footage of Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest by hiding under a bed
Emily Sergeant
Police have released unseen footage of a Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest and justice by hiding under a bed.
David Dale Thompson, of no fixed abode, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week (18 March) where he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of residential burglary at an earlier hearing.
The 43-year-old was caught early last year (15 January 2025) following proactive patrols by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) neighbourhood officers across Rusholme and Moss Side, who were in the area due to a high number of reports of burglaries in the weeks prior.
While on patrol, police spotted Thompson ‘acting suspiciously’ while riding a bike just before 5pm, and once officer subsequently followed him to a property on Boscombe Street, before calling for more officers to attend.
After gaining entry to the address, officers suspected something was wrong when they entered one of the rooms, and after lifting up the bed, they found Thompson hiding in the storage compartment attempting to evade arrest.
GMP has now released footage of the moment Thompson was caught.
Speaking following Thompson’s sentencing last week, Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, of GMP’s Manchester Central Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “This was a fantastic example of proactive policing, which has resulted in a serial offender now behind bars.
“We know how devastating a burglary in your own home can be and this shows our commitment to tackling them head on.
“If you have any information or concerns about neighbourhood crime in your area, make sure you speak to us. In the meantime, we have officers on regular patrols in areas that need us the most.”
The Manc -
4th December 2020 
