Bolton Council has announced today that it intends to erect a two-metre steel fence around the town centre cenotaph as a protection from future acts of vandalism.
The fencing is reportedly due to be placed around the focal point memorial in Victoria Square later today.
The intentions of the council were confirmed in a statement by the Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr David Greenhalgh, via the official Bolton Conservatives Facebook page.
The statement reads: “My colleagues and I will simply not tolerate any vandalism or damage to our memorials to those who have given their lives for our country, as we have seen happen during other protests in other towns.”
“That is why we are taking this precaution of protecting our Cenotaph.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“We will not be governed by mob rule and a media with an agenda, and we call on the government and the police to stand firm against those who seek to infiltrate these protests with violent and decisive objectives.”
“Lockdown rules are clear, they need to be enforced.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We, as a Council, have made it clear we do not support these large gatherings at a time when a virus is claiming the lives of thousands of people.”
“It is irresponsible and reckless, and threatens a second wave.”
“We are an administration opposed to any form of racism or discrimination, but we will not be dictated to on whether we should eradicate history, and we will not support the removal of any memorials or statues. In my view, it is simply wrong to judge people who lived hundreds of years ago on 21st century values.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“Society, it’s stances and morals, evolve with time.”
“We learn from history, we educate and we should never be afraid to challenge and update, but eradicating it is not the answer.”
News
Fire service urges Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as heatwave continues
Emily Sergeant
People across Greater Manchester and beyond are being urged by the fire service to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues this week.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has issued an urgent plea residents and visitors to take extra care on moorland and in rural areas as part of the annual ‘Be Moor Aware’ campaign – which is aimed at preventing wildfires and reducing the impact they have.
GMFRS has issued the plea alongside its partners at United Utilities, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), neighbouring fire and rescue services, and local councils.
It comes as Amber Extreme Heat warnings and heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) through to Thursday this week – with temperatures widely exceeding 35°C nationwide, and in some areas – particularly on the south coast – potentially even reaching 38°C.
Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
The fire service urges the Greater Manchester public to ‘act responsibly’ as the heatwave continues / Credit: Mick Garrett (via Geograph)
It does seem, however, that northern parts of the country – especially the North West – are missing most of the extremely hot conditions, with current forecasts indicating peak temperatures of 33°C.
But this doesn’t stop the wildfire risk, and the fire service is warning that prolonged periods of dryness but the countryside in danger.
GMFRS data shows there have been 83 wildfires across Greater Manchester since 2021, including a significant rise in 2025, when 38 incidents were record, and there has already been six wildfires recorded in 2026.
“Wildfires can spread rapidly, especially during warm and dry weather, putting lives, wildlife and property at risk,” explained GMFRS Wildfire Lead, Adrian Taylor.
“Many of these fires are preventable, and we’re asking everyone to take responsibility when visiting our moorland areas. Small actions, such as not using disposable barbecues and taking litter home, can make a huge difference in preventing devastating fires.”
GMFRS added that ‘prevention remains our most effective tool’.
“We’re asking the public to help reduce the risk by acting responsibly when visiting moorland areas,” the statement concluded.
Featured Image – Emma Renly (via Unsplash)
News
Greater Manchester’s heritage railway issues statement as it’s forced to cancel services this week
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway has been forced to cancel its services this weekend due to the heatwave.
In case you hadn’t heard, Amber Extreme Heat warnings and heat-health alerts have been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) through to Thursday this week – with temperatures widely exceeding 35°C nationwide, and in some areas – particularly on the south coast – potentially even reaching 38°C.
Heatwave conditions in the UK are met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold for that location.
It does seem, however, that northern parts of the country – especially the North West – are missing most of the extremely hot conditions.
Current forecasts indicate that the peak temperatures for Greater Manchester this week will be tomorrow and Thursday, with highs of 33°C in the city centre.
Despite not reaching the heights of the south, East Lancashire Railway (ELR) has still had to act in advance and has taken the decision to cancel its scheduled services for the next two days as the forecast is ‘too severe’.
Taking to social media to share its decision today, ELR wrote: “Due to the current weather warning for the UK, the decision has been taken to cancel all services on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th June 2026, including the afternoon tea and mid-week luncheon dining experiences.
“The welfare of both staff and customers is paramount to the ELR, and we believe that the risk in the extreme heat that has been forecast is too severe to allow for the running of our ordinary services.”
As things stand, ELR says its current plan is to have services resume with the evening dining train on Friday 26 June, but this will still be ‘subject to review’, and further updates on this will be issued later in the week.
The Manc -
12th June 2020 
