Tributes are pouring in for a Lancashire dad who has reportedly died fighting Russian invaders in Ukraine earlier this week.
Former paratrooper Simon Lingard, known to close friends and family as ‘Grimmy’, is said to have been killed on 7 November after his unit was attacked in the Bakhmut area of the war-torn nation.
The region has seen almost constant fighting over recent weeks and months, with more than 700 Russian troops thought to have been killed there on Monday alone.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign Office said in a statement: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has lost his life in Ukraine and we are in touch with the local authorities in connection with his death.
“Our thoughts are with their family at this difficult time.”
Kierren Stokes, who served alongside Lingard in the parachute regiment, paid tribute to the “great soldier” on social media:
The veteran soldier and father of two from Great Harwood near Blackburn travelled to defend Ukraine from Putin’s invasion back in February, having previously served in the British Army as part of the Special Forces Support Group.
A vigil was held in his home town shortly after the news of his passing was announced. Friend Mickii Edwards told ITV that everyone “wanted him home but he didn’t want to come”, adding: “He was just courageous. He was like a lion and I loved him to bits.”
Writing via his mother’s Stacey Longworth’s Facebook, Lingard’s 17-year-old son Jackson said: “After years of dedicating his time and effort to protecting our country, my dad still had more fight in him and left the country to protect the people of Ukraine against the Russian army too.
“My heart is broken to announce that Dad has passed away in battle, a true hero and beloved to so many of us. I can’t put into words how much he is and will be missed, but I’m comforted to know that this happened doing what he loved and surrounded by friends.
“I love you dad, I’m so proud of you.”
As the post goes on to explain, the Ukrainian military is covering the fee for returning his body to the UK but the family still needs funeral costs.
A GoFundMe page was set up in his honour and with hopes to give the “local hero the send-off he deserves” and the funds have already surged past the £22,000 target, with Jackson insisting that “even the smallest donations mean the world” to himself and his younger brother Keane.
In the description of the fundraiser, the family writes that Lingard was “an inspiration to all who knew him, a real-life hero who died fighting for what he believed in. He was loved and adored by so many a true representation of what a soldier should be.”
They also go on to explain that any additional money raised will go into a trust fund for Jackson and Keane which they can access once they turn 18.
Urgent appeal issued following serious road traffic collision involving motorcyclist on M60
Emily Sergeant
An urgent appeal has been issued following a serious road traffic collision on the M60.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are appealing for information and dash-cam footage, as well as urging witnesses to come forward, after a motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries during a collision on the M60 this past Saturday (12 July).
Shortly after 1:40pm, police were called a report of a collision involving a motorbike on the anti-clockwise side of the motorway, between junctions 25 and 24.
When patrols responded and arrived on the scene, they found a man in his 50s – believed to be the motorcyclist – with life-threatening injuries, and was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment in an air ambulance, with his family being informed in the process.
An urgent appeal has been issued following a serious road traffic collision involving motorcyclist on the M60 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The M60 was closed in one direction, between Bredbury and Denton, following the crash from around 2:30pm onwards, and all traffic was diverted while investigations were ongoing.
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is in the process of conducting enquiries, and at this time, it isn’t believed that any other vehicle was involved in this incident.
This is why police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who has dash-cam footage, to get in on contact.
Police have also thanked the members of the public who stopped by the roadside to give the man initial first aid before emergency services arrived.
Police issue update on Oasis arrests and fence-jumpers
Daisy Jackson
Greater Manchester Police have shared an update on the arrests made at the opening two nights of Oasis Live ’25.
More than 100,000 people have flocked up to Heaton Park on Friday and Saturday evening for the first two of five Oasis reunion shows.
And largely, things have gone without a hitch, with only 15 arrests made so far.
The majority of these are arrests on suspicion of fraud, with five men and a woman in three separate incidents attempting to access the Oasis gig with fake accreditation.
Another man was arrests on suspicion of assaulting a member of security staff.
Two more men were arrested on suspicion of assault – a section 18 inside the Oasis gig at Heaton Park, and another for a section 47 outside.
Police have also said that ‘a number of people’ have attempted to access the gigs without tickets, with a perimeter gate breached on Saturday night, but ‘failed to do so’.
Five drones which breached airspace restrictions were seized on Friday.
A Section 34 Dispersal Order, which gives officers the power to direct individuals to leave a specified area and not return for 48 hours, has been in place for each night of the Oasis concerts so far.
This will be re-assessed before each concert this week, with the Gallagher brothers back at Heaton Park on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
GMP around Manchester ahead of the Oasis reunion shows. Credit: GMP
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle said: “We have been planning for these events for several months, working with partners and the organisers to make sure everyone can enjoy the concerts safely. To that end, I’m pleased to say that the first two Oasis homecoming events have been a success.
“What has been especially pleasing is how more than 100,000 people have enjoyed these iconic events safely and without trouble.
“We will have a highly visible presence in and around Heaton Park, and across the city, to ensure the next three events continue to pass safely.
“A number of people without tickets attempted to gain entry through a perimeter gate on Saturday night but failed to do so.
Credit: The Manc GroupCredit: Tiktok benwalkerofficialPolice say ‘just 15’ arrests made at Oasis so far
“We continue to support the event organisers and the local authority with their plans preventing any unauthorised access to the arena site.
“While arrests have thankfully been minimal, we have had to take some suspects to custody, including one after an alleged assault on a steward on Saturday night. We will not tolerate any abuse of anyone doing their job.
“On Friday night we also dealt with a number of breaches of airspace restrictions involving drones where our officers seized five drones and spoke to two other pilots.
“We continue to have airspace restrictions in place on the nights of the concerts and anyone found breaching the one-and-a-half-mile restriction zone could face prosecution.”
Danny Jones -
10th November 2022 
