A rapidly rising band from Wigan have postponed their upcoming UK tour after a shock cancer diagnosis.
The Lilacs, who were set to begin a tour right across the country today, shared the sad news that their lead guitarist Sam Birchall has been diagnosed with cancer.
Sam himself said the testicular cancer bombshell was ‘ironic’, as he’s named the band after The Lilac Centre cancer treatment centre where his mum sadly passed away.
The Lilacs, who are signed to Manchester label Scruff of the Neck, have just released their debut EP The 395 (To Forever) and are now encouraging fans to help them get into the charts during ‘a testing week of negativity’.
In a note addressed to their ‘extended family’, aka their fans, lead guitarist Sam Birchall wrote that he’d experienced a ‘recent downturn in health’ leading to various tests.
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He then said that he’ll be starting treatment for testicular cancer immediately, but stressed ‘I will beat this’.
The Lilacs’ statement from Sam reads: “It is with sadness that I have to announce some news to you all… after a recent downturn in health and undergoing various tests I have been diagnosed with Testicular Cancer.
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“After starting this band with Ollie all those years ago, and in fact naming the band after “The Lilac Centre” after my mum sadly passed away with cancer before we formed, this all seems ironic and as you can all imagine a huge shock to myself and us all!
The Lilacs just released their debut EP The 395 (To Forever)
“With this in mind, my personal health and wellbeing must come first and I will be starting my ongoing treatment immediately.
“Unfortunately, it is absolutely gutting to say we will have to reschedule the tour to a later date and more information on this will follow
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“Everyone who knows me knows if I could be up on that stage with my 3 best mates doing what we all love these next few weeks I definitely would, but it just won’t be possible x
“In a testing week of negativity, it would be great to see “The 395 (To Forever)” into those charts so grab an extra copy and believe me when I say.
“I will beat this and be back where I belong on that stage very soon x.”
The band added: “We’re absolutely gutted to announce that our UK tour that starts tomorrow will have to be postponed. Sam’s health is far more important and we are behind him every step of the way.”
You can support The Lilacs by buying their EP HERE.
Three Manchester motorways named in UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’
Emily Sergeant
Three motorways in and around Manchester have been named the ‘most challenging’ in the UK.
As part of MoneySuperMarket’s new Great British Motorway Report, new research has found that one in three UK motorists find motorway driving ‘stressful’ – despite more than 70 billion miles being travelled on Britain’s motorways each year.
From delays and congestion to high traffic levels, there are a number of factors that can contribute to driver stress levels.
But are some motorways more challenging for drivers than others? According to the data, yes. And three of the top 10 worst motorways in the UK are in and around Greater Manchester.
To find out which are the most challenging, MoneySuperMarket analysed everything from collision rates and roadworks, to lane closures and driver feedback in order to reveal the top 10.
Manchester is home to three of the UK’s top 10 most challenging motorways – the M602, M62, and M60, the latter of which took the top spot on the list.
Three Manchester motorways have been named in the UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’ / Credit: pxfuel
Encircling Greater Manchester and linking many of the region’s motorways, the M60 recorded the lowest overall score in the index.
Despite handling significant volumes of traffic, the M60 experienced some of the highest average delays, at 15.58 seconds per vehicle per mile, and alongside this, it saw 34 collisions in the past year alone. But despite these challenges, the M60 remains an essential route for regional connectivity, and often cannot be bypassed.
“If you’re feeling anxious, allow extra time for your journey so you don’t feel pressured to rush or make last-minute decisions,” commented Alicia Hempsted at MoneySuperMarket.
“Plan your route in advance, including where you’ll stop for breaks, as regular rest stops can help you stay alert and reduce stress on longer trips, and if you’re travelling alone, consider sharing your route with someone you trust if it helps you feel more comfortable.”
Featured Image – Mike Birdy (via Pexels)
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Chinatown restaurant pleads for help after dine-and-dash customer leaves staff member in A&E
Daisy Jackson
A brilliant restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown has shared CCTV and a heartfelt appeal after one of its staff members was left in A&E.
Noodle Alley shared that one of its young staff members chased after a group of dine-and-dash customers who’d left without paying for their meal.
The restaurant then said that she was ‘assaulted’ at some point in the chase and ended up in A&E.
In their statement, Noodle Alley said that the staff member ‘had treated them kindly and never expected that kindness to come back to her like this’.
They wrote: “What has this world come to? A violent man sent our staff to A&E over an unpaid meal.”
The CCTV shows a group of three young men, all carrying Selfridges shopping bags, entering the restaurant.
They sit and enjoy a meal, before two of them slip out of the restaurant. The third man then exits but is chased by a Noodle Alley staff member.
It’s at this point – out of the range of the restaurant’s CCTV – that they said she was assaulted ‘after going beyond her duty to try and recover what had been taken’.
The family business said that she has been ’emotionally affected’ by the incident.
The police are involved and the restaurant has appealed for anyone who can help with their investigation to get in touch.
It’s also the second time they’ve appealed about a dine-and-dash customer in the last few months, but this incident went ‘far beyond’ previous incidents.
In their full statement, Noodle Alley said: “We’re a small family business, and lately it feels like small businesses are being targeted again and again.
“But this time, it went far beyond anything we have experienced before.
“One of our young staff members — a girl simply doing her job — was assaulted after going beyond her duty to try to recover what had been taken from our restaurant. She ended up in A&E.
“What hurts us most is seeing how emotionally affected she has been by what happened. She told us she had treated them kindly and never expected that kindness to come back to her like this.
“We work hard to look after our staff and our customers, and nobody should have to go through this simply for doing their job.
“We have reported the incident to the police.
“If anyone recognises these individuals or has any information that could help the police with their investigation, please contact us or the police directly.
“We’re sharing this because we believe our staff deserve to feel safe at work.”
Daisy Jackson -
27th March 2025 
