Police have jailed a man they found hiding in a bin after a burglary in Oldham.
Lee Ullah was wearing the coat of the woman he’d stolen from when officers found him.
The 47-year-old, of no fixed abode, had previously smashed his way into another property through the roof.
Ullah has now been jailed for three years and nine months.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and criminal damage on 15 February at Manchester Minshull Street Court.
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Lee Ullah. Credit: GMP
Police were first called to reports of a burglary at Robinson Street in Chadderton by a victim who woke up at 6am to find Ullah inside her house.
The victim noticed her TV was missing during the incident on Thursday 25 November and, after confronting the burglar, he fled the scene wearing her coat.
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Officers in Oldham later found the burglar hiding in the bin, still wearing the coat.
He had also tried to burgle a house on Whitstable Close, smashing a large hole in the roof of a building and climbing through, causing £10,000 worth of damage.
Ullah has also been charged for a commercial burglary on Yorkshire Street on 7 July 2021.
In that incident, he caused £10,000 worth of damage and stole property worth £10,000.
He was found to have been trying to sell one of the items at a local shop.
The investigation and subsequent charges were carried out by GMP’s Oldham Divisional Crime Team.
Featured image: GMP / Unsplash
Oldham
Diggle Lock – the canal-side Saddleworth cafe serving a world-class brunch
Daisy Jackson
Diggle Lock is a hidden gem – hidden, that is, in the same way that a lot of things in Saddleworth are hidden.
It’s a bit of a faff to reach from public transport, concealed in an ancient stone building, and often visited by walkers following routes along the canal.
But much like Grandpa Greene’s ice cream parlour (its neighbours a bit further down the canal), this place has earned itself a reputation for serving some of the best food in the region.
Its selling points include its stunning setting within an old textile mill in the village of Diggle, where the bare form of its past (concrete floor, stone walls, huge ceilings) are softened with Persian rugs scattered everywhere, fairy lights, and plants hung from the ceiling.
When Jamie Collins opened Diggle Lock back in 2019, they actually had the extension space tacked on the back of the mill.
But when Wooly Knit decided to move of their huge industrial unit, Diggle Lock expanded, increasing their capacity into triple figures… right before Covid hit.
Thankfully, the business pivoted and turned its newer space into a shop, hooking locals up with all those things we were squabbling over in those days – eggs, pasta, flour – plus locally-made products like soaps, sauces, and even chocolate.
The DLFC club sandwich at Diggle Lock in SaddleworthFrench toast at Diggle Lock in SaddleworthHalloumi fries at Diggle Lock in Saddleworth
The retail space remains today, still selling fresh bread and zero-waste refills, but it’s joined by cosy corners of leather seating and plenty of space for diners to tuck in to brunches and lunches.
And the brunches here are world-class.
Their French Toast is almost cuboid, it’s so large. A doorstop of brioche is drenched in white chocolate sauce, vanilla mascarpone, macerated berries, caramelised chocolate crumble, slithered almonds, and pure joy.
There’s their best-selling ‘DLFC’ club sandwich, which sees fried chicken (their own homemade original recipe), bacon, garlic mayo, lettuce and tomato served in pillow-soft white bread.
Jamie Collins and Samedi KirkbrideDiggle Lock in SaddleworthHash browns at Diggle Lock in SaddleworthDiggle Lock in SaddleworthDiggle Lock in Saddleworth
Sides include homemade hash browns, crisp on the outside with a satisfying mosaic of potato on the inside, and crispy halloumi fries topped with pink pickled onions.
There’s a full vegan menu, there are eggs anyway you could want them, proper English breakfasts, and more of those massive sandwiches.
Its clientele is vastly varied – there’s a lot of local tourism from walkers (because what city-centre dweller doesn’t love an escape to the Saddleworth countryside?), a good handful of regulars, and even a bit of international tourism (including a New Yorker who told Diggle Lock that their pancakes are the closest they’ve had to those back home).
The knitting group who used to meet here when it was Wooly Knit still come by, to chat and create clothes over a glass of wine.
Diggle Lock’s even found fame thanks to competitive eater and YouTuber Beard Meets Food, who decided to take on an entire tray of their French toast (that’s 3.5kg of the stuff and a 30-minute time frame).
The video racked up almost three million views – so naturally, that French toast challenge is now on the menu.
This is a world-class brunch served in a world-class corner of northern countryside.
With rain absolutely lashing down outside and a sandwich in front of you so big you could wear it like a pair of wedges, it’s a cosy hideaway and a proper Oldham treasure.
The Failsworth and Oldham-based walking group that’s proving to be a lifeline for hundreds of Mancs
Danny Jones
We feel lucky to live in a world where people are being more proactive when it comes to taking care of their mental health as well as looking after others, so when we came across a Greater Manchesterwalking group doing just that, we couldn’t help but spotlight them.
The Failsworth and Oldham Walking and Unity Group has only been going for around three months or so but it has already become a regular and important pastime for hundreds of Mancs in the local area and beyond the borough.
Set up by Bradley Robinson in the hope of helping people suffering from mental health and addiction issues, as well as those who simply struggle to socialise, the group has taken off and has gone on to become a real community in a relatively short space of time.
Working with volunteers at the local church, Macedonia URC, and setting up walks all around Failsworth, Oldham, Greater Manchester and nearby ramblers routes, the group isn’t just giving its members an enjoyable outlet through which they can spend time with others, it’s proving to be a real lifeline.
Going from strength to strength with each venture out — ranging from strolls around local parks to walks and hikes around Saddleworth‘s Dovestone Reservoir, Todmorden’s Gaddings Dam, days out in Blackpool and more — the group has evolved into something much more than just Brad’s baby: it’s now everyone’s, just as it was intended to be.
In fact, even whilst their inspirational founder was out of action with a broken ankle in recent weeks, their dedicated volunteers took it upon themselves to arrange various walks for nearly 700 Failsworth and Oldham Walking and Unity Group members and made sure to bring Brad along in his wheelchair too.
Since part of the goal from that beginning has been to give back, the group has now become a proper brand with clothing and merchandise funded through donations, as well as further spreading the word through leaflets and their social media pages. Better still, all the money raised goes straight back into the community.
People from all ages and backgrounds come together for what is not only just a highlight in their week but a regular bit of exercise they can rely on for both their mental and physical health. We can’t think of many better causes to get behind.
It’s a real family-friendly affair.
Reflecting on the huge impact the group has had on their life, one member said that after going through “the toughest few months” of their life, the walking group helped show them who their ‘real friends’ were.
“Failsworth and Oldham Walking and Unity Group has helped me so much I’ve met so many new friends/family and I couldn’t imagine my life without any of you. This group needs to be recognised more because the unity it is bringing is beautiful.
“It’s kept me happy and clean and the feeling I get after checking on the group each day and connecting with people who understand — nothing comes close”.
Genuinely, even in reading just some of the stories people have shared in this active and crucially open forum, we’ve been full of emotion and welled up on more than one occasion — especially watching Brad reflect on how far it’s come. Be it a problem with alcohol, depression, grief or otherwise, this group is playing a key role in people’s recovery and rebuilding confidence.
It always fills our hearts and brings us joy to see people banding together and helping one another during their most difficult times, and to provide such a worthwhile service in a group setting like this doesn’t just happen like that, it takes graft.
Bradley and every single person involved in the Failsworth and Oldham Walking and Unity Group should be immensely proud of what they’ve already built and we have every faith it will continue to get bigger and better in the years to come.
The group has also set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for more club trips, activities and outreach which you can donate to HERE.
With the ongoing cost of living crisis compounding obstacles for people all across the country, highlighting the importance of mental health is more crucial than ever, with the UK government also outlining new steps to prevent what remains one of Britain’s biggest problems.
Daisy Jackson -
16th February 2022 
