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Thousands of Greater Manchester university students given free anti-drink spiking kits

It comes after the North West had more reports of spiking than anywhere else in 2021.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 27th September 2023

Thousands of students arriving at Greater Manchester’s universities have been given free personal safety kits.

With Freshers Weeks currently in full swing, and new and returning students in their thousands having now descended on Greater Manchester to attend many of the region’s world-renowned universities, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says it’s “dedicated” to ensuring all who come to study within the area are safe.

The force has dished-out thousands of free personal safety kits containing anti-drink spiking items, personal attack alarms, crime prevention leaflets, and more.

Safety kits have been given to students in Manchester, Salford, and Bolton.

Thousands of Greater Manchester university students given free anti-drink spiking kits / Credit: shawnanggg (via Unsplash) | PickPik

Dedicated GMP officers in each of the three boroughs’ city and town centres are also currently conducting community engagement activities with new students, and are actively talking to them about personal safety, theft, burglary, and cybercrime.

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On top of this, police are also out on patrol at evening and night times, and will be in both plain clothes and visibly uniformed.

They’ll be particularly targeting the region’s “high-traffic areas” and “crime hotspots”.

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GMP says this is to ensure everyone continues to be safe, and are “free to enjoy themselves in Greater Manchester’s bustling night life”.

Students who have moved, or are moving to live within the Greater Manchester region for the first time are also being actively encouraged by police to “familiarise” themselves with their new area.

This includes checking out public transport routes that they may be regularly using, obtaining up-to-date contact details and information for licensed taxi companies in the region, and familiarising themselves with the safest routes between their homes, shops, university buildings, and favourite places.

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After the North West had more reports of spiking than anywhere else in 2021 – with around 90% of those incidents taking place in central Manchester – GMP has also pledged to provide support and information for potential victims of spiking.

The force is now actively-telling students what to do if they think they’ve been spiked.

GMP officers are also patrolling at night across the region to keep students safe / Credit: GMP

“We know it can be scary to report being spiked,” GMP said in a statement.

“But the police are here to help you, and we will listen to you and take you seriously. It is not a crime to have illegal drugs in your system (unless you are driving), so please don’t let this stop you reporting spiking.”

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GMP recommends calling 999 or 101 immediately if you think you have been a victim of spiking, and encourages letting a member of staff know too if you’re in a bar or a club.

Featured Image – GMP

News

Police granted extra time to question four people arrested over Manchester synagogue terror attack

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant GMP synagogue attack

Extra time has been given to police to continue questioning the four people arrested over the terror attack at a synagogue in Crumpsall.

The shocking knife and car attack, which took place last Thursday 2 October on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar at the the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, saw two men sadly lose their lives – Adrian Daulby, 53, who is believed to have been shot dead by police while trying to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who also helped stop the attacker.

The attacker has been named as 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie – a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich – who at the time was on bail for an alleged rape, before being shot by police.

Three other men also still remain in hospital at this time.

The ongoing investigation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW), supported by resources from across the national Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) network and Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

Police say ‘significant resources’ from across CTP have been ‘mobilised’ in order to establish the full picture into what happened.

This past Friday, the head of counter-terrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, gave an update on the investigation declaring that a ‘suspicious device’ attached to al Shamie’s torso was fake, and that police believed he ‘may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology’.

With the investigation said to be ‘continuing at pace’, GMP has now been given extra time to question four individuals currently in police custody.

The warrants relate to – which relate to two men, aged 30 and 32, and two women, aged 46 and 61 – have ben extended after their arrests on suspicion of commission, preparation, and instigation of acts of terrorism.

This means they can remain in custody for up to a further five days from the point that warrant was granted (Saturday 4 October).

“We understand there is significant public interest in this case, and appreciate many who may have known or had previous contact with Jihad Al-Shamie will be coming to terms with the fact this horrifying attack has been perpetrated by somebody they recognise,” GMP said in a statement.

Appealing to the public, the police continued: “We would also ask people to refrain from speculation or sharing unverified information as that could potentially cause unnecessary delays in our enquiries and additional upset for all those impacted by these horrific events.

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If you have information, then please contact police via the Major Incident Public Portal which is available online here.

Featured Image – GMP

News

Gig guide | Lady Gaga at Co-op Live – tickets, times, setlist and more for ‘The Mayhem Ball’

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Pop champion Lady Gaga is heading to the notable Manchester music venue, Co-op Live, for two nights of her spellbinding ‘Mayhem Ball’ this October.

Little Monsters, “It’s time to cast your spell tonight” as ‘Mother Monster’, a.k.a. 14-time Grammy-winning singing sensation, Lady Gaga, is treating us lucky lot here in Manchester to not just one but TWO theatrical performances.

This pop mastermind has soundtracked many over the past two decades, and her latest LP, Mayhem, continues this streak with the success of its enchanting and harsh-pop lead single, ‘Abracadabra.’

Gaga has cultivated a worldwide following thanks to hits like ‘Poker Face’, ‘Telephone’, ‘Bad Romance’ and ‘Die With a Smile’, which will all receive a huge reception when across the two nights at Co-op Live.

Lady Gaga is playing Co-op Live in Manchester twice on 7 and 8 October as part of her Mayhem Ball tour / Credit: Supplied
Lady Gaga is playing Co-op Live in Manchester twice on 7 and 8 October as part of her Mayhem Ball tour / Credit: Supplied

Most recently, the US vocalist found her hit ‘Bloody Mary’ trending alongside the coming-of-age Netflix series Wednesday, which led to her creating ‘The Dead Dance’ for the show’s second season.

Now we’re ready to see our much-loved monster in the flesh

Lady Gaga at Co-op Live, Manchester – all you need to know

Lady Gaga UK tour dates

  • Mon 29 September – London, UK – The O2
  • Tue 30 September – London, UK – The O2
  • Thu 2 October – London, UK – The O2
  • Sat 4 October – London, UK – The O2
  • Tue 7 October – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Wed 8 October – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live

Lady Gaga tickets for Co-op Live gig

If you want to see this ‘Perfect Celebrity’ through your own eyes, you’ll have to act fast, as there’s only a handful of seats left to witness the star in action. Get ready to ‘Just Dance’ the night away with tickets HERE.

After avoiding all the ‘Paparazzi’? Then why not treat yourself to exclusive tickets in one of Co-op Live’s luxury boxes on Tuesday 7 October and enjoy premium seats, a dining experience and more HERE.

Lady Gaga ‘Mayhem Ball’ setlist

  • Bloody Mary
  • Abracadabra
  • Judas
  • Aura
  • Scheiße
  • Garden of Eden
  • Poker Face
  • Perfect Celebrity
  • Disease
  • Paparazzi
  • LoveGame
  • The Beast
  • Killah
  • Zombieboy
  • The Dead Dance
  • LoveDrug
  • Applause
  • Just Dance
  • Shadow of a Man
  • Kill for Love
  • Summerboy
  • Born This Way
  • Million Reasons
  • Shallow
  • Die With a Smile
  • Speechless
  • Hair
  • Vanish Into You
  • Bad Romance
  • How Bad Do U Want Me
The Mayhem Ball marks pop heavyweight Lady Gaga's first time returning to Manchester in over 10 years / Credit: Supplied
‘The Mayhem Ball’ marks pop heavyweight Lady Gaga’s first time returning to Manchester in over 10 whole years (Credit: Supplied)

What are the stage times for Lady Gaga in Manchester?

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning that Mother Monster won’t get the opportunity to ‘Marry The Night’ – however, this does mean fans can get an early night.

There is no official support act listed for any date across her UK tour, with doors set to open from 6:30pm and no start time for the show, but her London dates did kick off around 8:30pm.

How to get to Co-op Live

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.

Getting there by car and parking

If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.

The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.

Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:

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  • Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
  • Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
  • Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.

For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

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Featured Images – Press Shots (via Supplied)

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