The wife of a Salford man who left home one December evening last year and never returned has issued a desperate plea to help find him.
Peter Baglin left home to go for a walk on the evening of Wednesday 28 December 2022, and was last seen on CCTV at a garage in Mosley Common near Worsley that same night, before his phone, hat, and headphones were found on a towpath beside the Bridgewater Canal the following day.
Now, a little over a month later, there have yet to be any positive sightings of Peter.
Since the 55-year-old was reported missing from what has been described as his “favourite walk”, extensive police searches have been carried out along the canal towpath, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), including by teams specialising in mountain rescue, underwater searches, and drones also used.
Mr Baglin’s wife, Michelle Baglin, also organised her own searches along the Bridgewater Canal – with more than 200 people attending to help to try and find him.
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But to date, there still hasn’t been any results from these searches.
“It’s a very surreal feeling. It’s like it’s happening, but it’s not happening to me,” Mrs Baglin said in a desperate plea issued via GMP to try and find her husband.
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“I never thought I would ever be in this position and I just want Pete home.
“I am convinced that there is someone out there who knows where he is. He is instantly recognisable by the tattoo of ‘Michelle’ on the left-side of his neck and I’m urging anyone who may have seen with him, or been with him, to get in touch. I just want to know he’s okay.
“Pete is the type of person who always buys homeless people a sandwich and a drink, and I really hope that someone is doing that for him, wherever he may be.
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“If you have seen Pete, my family and I would be extremely grateful if you could contact GMP.”
CCTV images taken of Peter on the night of 28 December 2022 / Credit: GMP
Anyone with any information on Peter Baglin’s whereabouts is urged to contact GMP on 101 or through the LiveChat Function on the website, www.gmp.police.uk.
But if you’re unsure about coming forwards, you can also pass information on anonymously through the independent charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – Family Handout (via GMP)
News
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd February 2023 
