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Tributes flood in for beloved Piccadilly Radio host Umberto, who has sadly passed away

News of Umberto's passing surfaced on social media on Wednesday (23 December), with tributes pouring in to mourn the popular radio host.

The Manc - 23rd December 2020

Beloved local broadcaster Umberto has sadly passed away, it has been revealed this morning.

News of his death surfaced on social media on Wednesday (23 December), with tributes pouring in to mourn the popular radio host.

Umberto was well known in Manchester for his work with fellow presenter Dave Ward.

The duo were a much-loved double act on Piccadilly 1152 during the ’90s – hosting the weekend breakfast show together for over four years.

Listeners have remembered Umberto as doing ‘real radio’, with the man himself being described as ‘funny’, ‘entertaining’ and ‘lovely’.

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One fan summarised him as ‘a Manc legend’.

“Umberto was a part of Manchester life back in the day,” read one tribute.

“Always seemed such a caring and compassionate man.”

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Three Manchester motorways named in UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’

Motorway

Three motorways in and around Manchester have been named the ‘most challenging’ in the UK.

As part of MoneySuperMarket’s new Great British Motorway Report, new research has found that one in three UK motorists find motorway driving ‘stressful’ – despite more than 70 billion miles being travelled on Britain’s motorways each year.

From delays and congestion to high traffic levels, there are a number of factors that can contribute to driver stress levels.

But are some motorways more challenging for drivers than others? According to the data, yes. And three of the top 10 worst motorways in the UK are in and around Greater Manchester.

To find out which are the most challenging, MoneySuperMarket analysed everything from collision rates and roadworks, to lane closures and driver feedback in order to reveal the top 10.

Manchester is home to three of the UK’s top 10 most challenging motorways – the M602, M62, and M60, the latter of which took the top spot on the list.

Woman driving a car — Three Manchester motorways have been named in the UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’ / Credit: pxfuel

Encircling Greater Manchester and linking many of the region’s motorways, the M60 recorded the lowest overall score in the index.

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Despite handling significant volumes of traffic, the M60 experienced some of the highest average delays, at 15.58 seconds per vehicle per mile, and alongside this, it saw 34 collisions in the past year alone. But despite these challenges, the M60 remains an essential route for regional connectivity, and often cannot be bypassed.

“If you’re feeling anxious, allow extra time for your journey so you don’t feel pressured to rush or make last-minute decisions,” commented Alicia Hempsted at MoneySuperMarket.

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“Plan your route in advance, including where you’ll stop for breaks, as regular rest stops can help you stay alert and reduce stress on longer trips, and if you’re travelling alone, consider sharing your route with someone you trust if it helps you feel more comfortable.”

Featured Image – Mike Birdy (via Pexels)

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Chinatown restaurant pleads for help after dine-and-dash customer leaves staff member in A&E

Chinatown restaurant pleads for help after dine-and-dash customer leaves staff member in A&E

A brilliant restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown has shared CCTV and a heartfelt appeal after one of its staff members was left in A&E.

Noodle Alley shared that one of its young staff members chased after a group of dine-and-dash customers who’d left without paying for their meal.

The restaurant then said that she was ‘assaulted’ at some point in the chase and ended up in A&E.

In their statement, Noodle Alley said that the staff member ‘had treated them kindly and never expected that kindness to come back to her like this’.

They wrote: “What has this world come to? A violent man sent our staff to A&E over an unpaid meal.”

The CCTV shows a group of three young men, all carrying Selfridges shopping bags, entering the restaurant.

They sit and enjoy a meal, before two of them slip out of the restaurant. The third man then exits but is chased by a Noodle Alley staff member.

It’s at this point – out of the range of the restaurant’s CCTV – that they said she was assaulted ‘after going beyond her duty to try and recover what had been taken’.

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A post shared by Noodle Alley Manchester (@noodle_alleymcr)

The family business said that she has been ’emotionally affected’ by the incident.

The police are involved and the restaurant has appealed for anyone who can help with their investigation to get in touch.

It’s also the second time they’ve appealed about a dine-and-dash customer in the last few months, but this incident went ‘far beyond’ previous incidents.

In their full statement, Noodle Alley said: “We’re a small family business, and lately it feels like small businesses are being targeted again and again.

“But this time, it went far beyond anything we have experienced before.

“One of our young staff members — a girl simply doing her job — was assaulted after going beyond her duty to try to recover what had been taken from our restaurant. She ended up in A&E.

“What hurts us most is seeing how emotionally affected she has been by what happened. She told us she had treated them kindly and never expected that kindness to come back to her like this.

“We work hard to look after our staff and our customers, and nobody should have to go through this simply for doing their job.

“We have reported the incident to the police.

“If anyone recognises these individuals or has any information that could help the police with their investigation, please contact us or the police directly.

“We’re sharing this because we believe our staff deserve to feel safe at work.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group