University of Manchester ‘really sorry’ for earlier statement about student applicant’s death
'We will of course do everything we can to understand what has happened in this tragic case, including any lessons we can learn,' the university has said.
The University of Manchester has publicly apologised for a statement issued yesterday about the death of a student applicant.
The Russell Group university said it was ‘really sorry’ to have ’caused further upset’ when it addressed reports that a prospective Masters student had ‘died by suicide’.
A tweet posted earlier this week, which has been shared tens of thousands of times, claimed that the university ‘took an applicants £1k, rejected their application because they can’t make living costs, and didn’t give the money back’.
The tweet, from the account @HarbourSeal, then said: “This applicant, a friend, then dies by suicide because of his absolute hopelessness of his situation. It’s absolutely scandalous.”
It has now been confirmed that Rory Wood, 27, has died, with his family stating that ‘his battle with his brain sadly overcame him’.
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He had been missing since Sunday evening.
Rory Wood, 27, has died. Credit: Facebook
The University of Manchester yesterday issued a public statement addressing the reports of Rory’s death and the circumstances that led to it.
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They wrote: “We are very aware of the upsetting reports online about a student applicant and are looking into what has been said as a matter of urgency. Out of respect we are not commenting further as yet but, if confirmed, we extend our utmost sympathy.
“We can confirm that a place was successfully secured for a Master’s at the University. According to our records this application is still open and wasn’t withdrawn by the applicant and has not been rejected by the University.
“From our initial enquiries, we can find no record or email correspondence suggesting any request for a refund or further request for help.”
Today’s statement shared by the University of Manchester said: “The police have now confirmed that Rory has tragically passed away. This is deeply distressing and we are extending our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
“We are really sorry that our statement yesterday caused further upset, which was certainly not our intention. It was to try and help address intense interest while we were actively seeking further details.
“We will of course do everything we can to understand what has happened in this tragic case, including any lessons we can learn. We will continue to offer our support to Rory’s friends and family.”
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A message shared from Rory’s family stated: “Thank you for all of your love for our beautiful son, brother, nephew and cousin, Rory. We are completely humbled and overwhelmed by the messages of support on Twitter.
“We realise that there are people on here that truly loved him and the fact that he made your days just a little bit brighter brings a smile to our faces in these tragic times.
“Rory may not have mentioned it on here but he has always had loving and supportive friends and family that tried everything to help him but his battle with his brain sadly overcame him.
“We ask that Rory’s legacy is the increased awareness of mental illness -please all look after yourselves and always remember to speak out. Rory completing his bachelors degree in politics, philosophy and economics last week was one of the proudest moments of our lives. We will never stop loving you Rory x”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
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New endometriosis pill helping hundreds of women with ‘debilitating’ condition to be made available on NHS
Emily Sergeant
A groundbreaking new pill to help women with a ‘debilitating’ condition is set to be made available on the NHS.
The new daily pill for endometriosis – which has been approved for use on the NHS in England by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – is called linzagolix, and will be available for those who have had previous treatment for endometriosis, working to manage any symptoms they may be experiencing.
Around 1.5 million women in the UK are thought to be currently living with endometriosis.
Endometriosis can cause chronic pain, heavy periods, and extreme tiredness when tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere in the body.
A new daily pill for endometriosis has been approved for use on the NHS, and could help over a thousand women in England every year manage the symptoms of the debilitating condition.
As mentioned, linzagolix will be available specifically for patients whose previous medical or surgical treatments for endometriosis have been unsuccessful, and will be given alongside ‘add-back’ hormone therapy – which involves using low-dose hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to prevent menopause-like symptoms and bone loss.
This is the second take-at-home treatment to be approved to treat endometriosis on the NHS, and it’s thought that more than 1,000 women will benefit.
In clinical trials, linzagolix was shown to be successful in reducing painful periods and non-menstrual pelvic pain, compared with placebo, hence why it has been approved on the NHS by NICE.
“This is welcome news for women with endometriosis who haven’t found relief from previous therapies or surgery,” commented Dr Sue Mann, who is the National Clinical Director in Women’s Health for NHS England.
“It’s another treatment option which will help women take control of their health and better manage the symptoms of this often painful and debilitating condition.
“This is a testament to our ongoing commitment to improving treatment, care and quality of life for women.”
Featured Image – Heute
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Wigan woman jailed after hitting pedestrian in Fiat 500 while driving high on nitrous oxide ‘balloons’
Emily Sergeant
A young woman from Wigan has been handed jail time after hitting a pedestrian while driving high on nitrous oxide.
Louisa Tunstall was driving a white Fiat 500 towards the East Lancashire Road in Wigan at around 7pm on Friday 24 May 2024 – a time when traffic conditions were said to be ‘quiet’ – but Tunstall was under the influence of a now-banned drug, nitrous oxide, at the time of the incident, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed.
While driving under the influence, 19-year-old Tunstall veered to the left onto the pavement and collided with a 51-year-old woman pedestrian.
After striking the woman, the car then overturned and, in the process, caused serious life-changing injuries.
When questioned by police, Tunstall stated that she ‘took her eyes off the road’ to retrieve something in the footwell before knowing the car had flipped, but she also confirmed that she had just been out to purchase nitrous oxide to use that evening.
After obtaining witness accounts, investigating officers were able to track down nearby CCTV footable which showed Tunstall inhaling nitrous oxide through a balloon whilst driving, seconds before the collision occurred.
#JAILED | It's not a laughing matter when you get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs.
Now Louisa Tunstall has to spend over a year behind bars after inhaling nitrous oxide and causing serious injury in #Wigan last year.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) May 14, 2025
Further investigation by GMP’s Forensic Vehicle Examination Unit examined the Fiat 500 and confirmed that no defects were found on the car to contribute towards the collision.
Still to this day, the victim says she is trying to recover from the injuries sustained to her leg that will prevent her from continuing life as she did before.
“The incident is still very raw when I think about it,” the victim explained in her impact statement released by GMP. “I become upset when I think at everything which has been taken away from me and the ongoing affect it has had and continues to have on my daily life.”
GMP says it’s seeing the use of nitrous oxide being a factor in incidents they attend increasing year on year.
Nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’, is reported to produce euphoria, relaxation, dizziness, giggling or laughing fits, impaired judgement, and occasionally dissociation and hallucinations – which GMP says affects reaction time and and is ‘likely lead to impairment’ in driving performance, particularly when faced with an unexpected or hazardous situation.
Tunstall appeared at Bolton Crown Court this week, and has been sentenced to one year and eight months imprisonment for having possession of a Class C drug, driving under the influence of drugs, and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Alongside being jailed, she was also disqualified from driving for two years and eight months, and has been ordered to take an extended test when she is released.
Daisy Jackson -
28th July 2022 
