Tributes have been paid to a “dedicated” and “incredibly loved” North West paramedic following his sudden death.
Ben Lightburn sadly passed away on New Year’s Day following a road traffic collision.
The beloved husband and father-of-two previously served in the Royal Navy before he joined the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) back in 2014 as an emergency medical technician, and later qualifying as a paramedic in 2021 and going on to work across the Cheshire and Merseyside North sector.
Ben helped many communities in their time of need, and showed “immense care and compassion” to all his patients, the NWAS said.
So many of Ben’s friends and colleagues are now sharing their memories of working with him.
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“Ben was, and will forever remain, an incredibly loved member of our team,” said senior paramedics and technicians who worked closely with him.
“He was amazing with patients and so ridiculously smart. He mentored students and supported his colleagues with a passion that was admirable. He was a joker, he was cheeky, he laughed with us and at us, and was always at the heart of our team.
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“Ben has dedicated his life to the services, from serving in the Royal Navy – of which he always shared fond memories with us – and then joining us here at NWAS. He always aimed to excel at everything he did, both in work and in his personal life, and he was so well respected by his colleagues and adored by patients.
“His close-knit team, NWAS and beyond have lost a truly genuine, kind and ever caring soul.
“There are no words to describe how we feel to have lost Ben, so tragically and so suddenly, and we will cherish his memory forever, and our thoughts extend to his beautiful family at this unimaginable time.”
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Tributes have been paid to ‘incredibly loved’ North West paramedic who died suddenly / Credit: NWAS
Ben’s manager at the NWAS Cheshire and Merseyside North Sector said Ben was a dedicated paramedic who will have “undoubtedly changed patient and families lives for the better” and that his absence has already “an irreparable hole across the NWAS team he worked with”.
“Ben consistently placed others before himself, he was not just a paramedic, but a friend and a mentor to many of his colleagues.
“The sadness felt is shared by many and we extend our deepest condolences to Ben’s friends and family who have lost someone very special.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic loss.”
Featured Image – NWAS
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Canal Street cordoned off after ‘suspicious chemicals’ reported at hotel
Daisy Jackson
Canal Street and several other streets in the Gay Village in Manchester have been cordoned off this afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police are attending reported of a smell that’s believed to be chemicals coming from a hotel room in the area.
There’s a huge emergency services presence in the area, including vehicles from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, and the North West Ambulance Service.
Police have confirmed that they have detained a man who is believed to have been the occupant of the hotel room.
The hotel itself has been evacuated while the material is examined.
Thankfully, no one has been injured in the incident that has shut down part of Canal Street today.
Emergency services vehicles at the scene on Canal StreetThe cordon in place on Canal Street
GMP said in a statement: “We are currently searching a hotel room at a premises on Canal Street, Manchester. This follows a report of a smell – currently believed to be chemicals – causing suspicion.
“A man, believed to be the occupant of the room, has been detained and is currently in custody.
“As a precautionary measure, the hotel has been evacuated while specialist resources examine the material and conduct further enquiries.
“No-one has been injured and we are working to establish the full circumstances. We thank people for their patience as we continue with our work.”
England football fans warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of World Cup
Emily Sergeant
England football fans are being warned to remain vigilant, as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup merely weeks from officially kicking off in the North America and Mexico on 11 June, football fans are being urged to guard against scams, as newly-released data from Lloyds has revealed that football ticket scams increased by more than a third (36%) during the current Premier League season.
The findings – which are based on thousands of scam cases between October 2025 and March 2026 – showed that fraudsters focused heavily on popular teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
Fraudsters also repeatedly targeted supporters looking for tickets to some of the most in-demand football matches in the UK, which is why, with the upcoming World Cup set to be one of the most speculated sporting events of the year, scam warnings are being issued.
It’s anticipated that fraudsters will target the big-name fixtures and attempt to exploit international demand, according to Lloyds.
England football fans are being warned as ticket scams skyrocket ahead of the World Cup / Credit: Picryl
On average, it was revealed that victims lost £215 during the current Premier League football season, but some fans even paid thousands of pounds for ‘season tickets’ or VIP seats that never existed.
Hopeful football fans are expected to pay much more for expensive World Cup tickets, meaning the potential loss for victims could be ‘devastating’.
As scammers know demand for World Cup tickets will be huge, it’s expected that they will mimic the methods seen in club level scams – including fake listings on social media, pressure to act fast, and requests for bank transfers.
“Fraudsters thrive on urgency and target fans looking for hard to get tickets for big name fixtures,” explained Liz Ziegler, who is the Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds.
“Most of the football ticket scams we see start on social media, before the criminal moves the buyer onto WhatsApp and insists on a bank transfer to pay. It’s incredibly convincing, and we don’t want fans to lose their money trying to support their team.
“We’re urging supporters to stay alert and stick to official ticketing channels.”
Ahead of the World Cup, Lloyds and the Home Office have teamed up to take action to protect fans by highlighting how criminals will try to exploit the excitement – with Lord Hanson adding: “Our new fraud strategy sets out how we will use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle criminal operations, bring fraudsters to justice and strengthen support for victims.”
Emily Sergeant -
16th January 2023 
