Two men seen swimming in the water at Salford Quays – despite below-freezing temperatures – have been labelled ‘utterly reckless’ by Salford Council.
Video taken by a member of the public has emerged, showing two men towel-drying themselves in swimming shorts.
The video was taken at around 7pm on Sunday evening in pitch darkness, a night when temperatures dropped as low as -5 degrees in the region.
They were seen on a pontoon near the Water Sports Centre.
A Salford City Councillor has now slammed the two men for ‘reckless’ behaviour and said they are ‘lucky to be alive’.
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A reminder for safety around cold water has also been issued, after a tragic incident in Solihull which saw three childrenManchester police and fire service issue warning after tragic deaths of three children in icy lake in Solihull die after falling through the ice of a frozen lake.
Speaking of the two swimming in Salford Quays, councillor Barbara Bentham said: “If these two young men are experienced cold water swimmers then going into the Quays in the dark by themselves on a freezing December night is utterly reckless.
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“If they are not trained to swim in cold water then they are lucky to be alive.
“We’re constantly warning people of the dangers of cold-water shock and reminding them that open water is cold even on the hottest days of the year. I cannot begin to imagine how cold the water must have been last night and I hope this was just a one-off moment of madness.
“Cold water shock can affect even the strongest swimmers which is why people should only ever swim in the Quays as part of an organised and supervised session for their safety.
“Given the current freezing conditions people should take even more care near any open water.”
Salford City Council says it’s now stepped up CCTV camera ‘patrols’ covering the Quays and says it will report any dangerous activity picked up to the police.
The official advice from Salford Quays is: “Unsupervised swimming in the Quays and jumping from bridges is prohibited and not allowed for your safety. No matter how hot the weather, open water in Salford Quays is cold. The risk of drowning through cold water shock is real.
“Everyone gasps as they land in cold water – it’s an automatic reaction. That could mean you take water into your lungs and get into difficulties. If you go deep below the surface you could get caught on some hidden hazard and struggle to come back up.
“Please don’t risk your life. We have an order in place and you could be penalised.”
Featured image: Salford City Council
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Manchester’s newest hotel launches massive recruitment drive with 100+ jobs available
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s newest hotels has launched a massive recruitment drive with more than 100 jobs available to locals.
The Medlock, Manchester’s bold new 401-bedroom hotel – which is born from a partnership between Manchester City Football Club and Radisson Hotel Group, and is set to open later this year in the autumn – is looking for new team members across a wide range of areas, including front of house, housekeeping, engineering, and reservations.
To welcome these new team members onboard, the hotel has now launched a massive recruitment drive with dozens of roles available to local people.
Individuals who bring ‘authenticity, pride, and personality’ to everything they do are encouraged to apply for the roles – which go live early next week (Monday 27 April).
Aimed at boosting employment within the local community, vacancies span front-of-house, housekeeping, engineering and reservations.
The recruitment drive – delivered in partnership with Total People – is being lead by Valor Hospitality, the hotel’s operator chosen for its global expertise and people-first approach to hospitality, and will be offering tailored training programmes that are designed to make careers in hospitality accessible to Manchester residents.
Vocational qualifications across a range of skills will help individuals build confidence and step into rewarding roles in the industry, and it also means prior experience is not entirely necessary.
More than 100 roles will be available to local people / Credit: Supplied
General Manager Richard Pearson says the recruitment drive is a ‘unique opportunity to be part of an exciting partnership’.
“This is a milestone we’ve been eagerly anticipating, building the team that will bring The Medlock to life,” he added. “We’re looking for people who carry the spirit of Manchester with them, people who are proud of where they’re from and passionate about creating something special together.”
As mentioned, all job adverts will go live next Monday (27 April) so hopefuls can get their applications submitted here.
This’ll then be followed by invite-only open days for shortlisted candidates in mid May.
Featured Image – Supplied
News
UK passes bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking in ‘historic’ moment
Emily Sergeant
In what is described as being a ‘historic moment’, the UK has now passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco products.
It’s been a long time coming, but the final draft of the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill completed its journey through the Houses of Commons and Lords yesterday (21 April 2026), and is now on its way to receiving royal assent to officially become the law.
For those unfamiliar, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop people who were born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever taking up smoking.
It will also give Government ministers new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products – including their flavours and packaging, which make them more appealing to younger generations.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has hailed the bill’s passing as a ‘historic moment for the nation’s health’ on the road to creating a smoke-free generation.
The UK has passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking / Credit: Lil Artsy (via Pexels)
“Children in the UK will be part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm,” Mr Streeting said after the bill was passed this week.
“Prevention is better than cure. This reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier Britain.”
The ban on purchasing tobacco products for those born after 2008 was first mooted by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Government a number of years back, but was eventually shelved ahead of the 2024 General Election, and then revived again by Labour when they took power.
The bill’s passing parliament has been welcomed by charities and campaign groups – most notably Cancer Research UK.
“This is a historic achievement that will shield our children from the devastating grip of tobacco addiction and help to put an end to cancers caused by smoking,” concluded Michelle Mitchell, who is the Chief Executive Officer at Cancer Research.
Daisy Jackson -
13th December 2022 
