News
Tommy Dolan, the man behind the legendary Tommy’s House of Fires, has died aged 72
He passed away peacefully in his sleep.
Tommy Dolan, the man behind the legendary Tommy’s House of Fires in Old Trafford, has died aged 72.
His iconic storefront has been a fixture in the town for years – and any self-respecting South Mancunian will be more than familiar with its busy, if dilapidated, frontage.
Owned for decades by the Eccles-born businessman, who identified as a Hulme lad through and through and ran a series of successful chippies before venturing into the world of marble fireplaces, there’s nowhere else quite like it.
For years, Tommy’s House of Fires was a go-to spot, not just for Old Trafford locals but also for rich and famous footballers thanks, in part, to its close proximity to the Manchester United grounds.
Counted amongst Tommy’s most famous customers was The Prodigy Firestarter the late Keith Flint, who notoriously then went on a three-day bender with Tommy that, allegedly, saw the businessman spiked with LSD.
The 72-year-old also saw a fair bit of national fame in his time, thanks to a series of weird and wonderful advertising campaigns he ran in the 90s.
Most famous, of course, was the ‘FREE SEX (with every 100 fires sold)’ advert, swiftly followed by ‘TOMMY’S GETTING A DIVORCE – (come get it before she gets half)’.
Tommy may not have been actually getting a divorce, but that didn’t matter – it landed him in all the national newspapers, and that more than did the job of promoting his business.
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Tommy passed away peacefully in his sleep unexpectedly last month, leaving behind his wife Judy of over 50 years Judy, and his four children TJ, Emma, Anna and Danny.
An iconic South Manchester character, he will be greatly missed by all who knew him and those in the local community who grew to know his shop over the years.
His funeral will be held on Tuesday 22 August at St John’s in Chorlton at 12pm, followed by a wake at The Woodstock in Didsbury at 2pm.
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Featured Image – Yell
News
Man jailed following series of ‘violent’ knife attacks in Wigan town centre last summer
Emily Sergeant
A man has been sentenced this week following a series of ‘violent’ knife attacks in Wigan town centre last summer.
Charles McMurray, of Satchel Close in Wigan, appeared at Bolton Crown Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of Section 18 wounding with intent, threatening a person with a bladed article, and threats to kill following a distressing incident in Wigan town centre last summer.
The court heard that McMurray arrived on Wallgate at around 6:33am on 9 August 2025 before entering a taxi office, where he stabbed two men without warning.
The victims fled, and McMurray pursued them towards the town centre.
McMurray then went on to threaten a passer‑by at Wigan bus station and held a knife to the man’s stomach. A short time later, he located the injured victims on Standishgate and assaulted one of them again. Following that assault, he chased after another member of the public with the knife shouting that he was going to kill him.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers arrived shortly after 6:50am and found McMurray in possession of the knife, before he was subsequently quickly arrested at the scene.
McMurray has now been sentenced to nine years and nine months behind bars, which police say is a ‘testament to the brave victims’ who gave their accounts.
Speaking following McMurray’s sentencing this week, Detective Constable Harris from Wigan CID, who led the investigation, said: “This was an entirely unprovoked attack which left multiple victims requiring hospital treatment. McMurray is a dangerous and violent offender who is now safely behind bars.
“Knives have no place on our streets, and we hope today’s sentence shows just how seriously we take knife crime. Our communities should feel safe where they live and work, and we are committed to tackling knife crime to ensure no family has to face their loved ones being harmed.
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“It is a testament to the brave victims who not only endured this attack but had the courage to provide detailed accounts together with the impact this has had on them, that we have been able to ensure McMurray has been brought to justice.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
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Featured image: GMP
Georgina Pellant -
10th August 2023 
