Oldham

‘Think twice’ before travelling to Turkey for surgery, warn family whose loved one died alone

Leanne died after undergoing a gastric sleeve operation.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 17th July 2023

The family of a woman who died after travelling to Turkey for a gastric sleeve surgery have warned people to ‘think twice’ before doing the same.

Leanne Michelle Leary, 38, flew out to Istanbul to undergo the weight loss operation, which would reduce the size of her stomach.

But the mum-of-three from Oldham tragically died less than 24 hours after having the surgery on the 1 July.

A GoFundMe has now been set up to pay for Leanne’s funeral and to help her three children – 16-year-old Kyle, 14-year-old Caitlin, and nine-year-old Keavey.

Leanne’s husband Steven said that she believed the surgery was ‘absolutely safe’ after researching packages in Turkey, the Manchester Evening News reports.

ADVERTISEMENT

She chose to undergo the operation believing it would give ‘quality of life to herself and her children’.

On the family’s fundraising page, she’s described as ‘the most caring and compassionate person you would ever wish to meet’.

ADVERTISEMENT

It also stated: “In order to support someone you need to invest in that person, so let me tell you about Leanne Michelle. She was the first person everyone went to for support and she is well known in the community for supporting others going through a hard time and we would often see posts on Facebook asking for support for women and children who needed help to restart their life.

“Leanne had a open heart, open arms and ears and listened and supported anyone who needed to be heard. Leanne was loyal, hardworking and the most loving person you could ever wish to meet and her friends and family would echo that sentiment.

“Please can you help us to raise £10,000 to support her family to lay her to rest and for her children to start a new life without her. It’s not going to be easy for 3 children or her family and friends to move on as she has left a huge void, but we know that you will want to support a woman who supported everyone who asked for help. Thank you for reading this and we hope that we have touched your heart enough to help us.”

ADVERTISEMENT

You can donate to the GoFundMe page here.

Featured image: GoFundMe

Oldham

Oldham mansion that starred in an iconic pop music video is up for sale

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

A Greater Manchester mansion that’s featured in one of the most famous music videos of the past decade is now up for sale.

Situated in the picturesque village of Uppermill, Oldham, Ashcroft House is currently listed at £2,350,000 accepting offers in the region of this figure.

The property has six bedrooms, six baths and five reception rooms – this mansion is a party host’s dream.

Ashcroft House has four storeys with the lower ground floor currently set up as a gym space and the ground floor boasting an eye-catching grand entrance hall.

This isn’t everything the lower ground floor has to offer. There are a number of breakout rooms such as a wine store, cinema room and your own personal steam room.

When going up another flight of stairs, the first floor’s main selling point besides the very large balcony is the matched walk in wardrobes paired with each of the six sleeping quarters, yes please!

The girls styling themselves in one of the many walk in wardrobes at Ashcroft House.
The bold statement front door in the Oldham mansion.
Credit: Youtube (@littlemix)

Finally, if that wasn’t enough to draw you in, there is another flight of stairs leading to the second floor which is currently acting as the house’s ever-impressive storage area.

With the rolling hills of Saddleworth nearby and a local pub a ten minute walk away, how could life possibly get any better?

Oh wait it does! In 2016 one of the UK’s best selling girl groups of all time shot a music video for their worldwide hit right here in these very four walls.

X Factor prodigies and three time BRIT award winning girl group Little Mix perched up with their film crew to spend 21 hours recording the video for their groundbreaking single ‘Hair’.

The video itself has amassed nearly 500 million views on social media platform Youtube since being released eight years ago.

The grand staircase that greets you as you enter this Greater Manchester property.
The Little Mix girls having a bite to eat in Ashcroft House.
Credit: Youtube (@littlemix)

This isn’t the first time Manchester and its surrounding areas have been seen on the big screen as it seems lots of famous faces are keen to film the visual accompaniment to their songs here.

The previous owner of the house even revealed that once the music video shoot wrapped up, the girls stayed with the family to share a slice of pizza or two.

If you’re interested in owning a piece of pop culture history or just as nosey as we are you can take a virtual tour of this mansion in Oldham here.

Read more:

Featured Image: Ryder & Dutton via Rightmove

Oldham

The Egyptian Room – Greater Manchester’s grandest new food hall has just opened in Oldham

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group

One of Greater Manchester’s grandest spaces has been reborn as a food hall and bar, with six traders inside. 

This part of Oldham’s Old Town Hall, now with an ultra-modern new extension standing alongside its historic porticoed frontage, is now home to the 150-capacity space. 

The old Egyptian Room’s original features, like its beautiful ceramic tiled walls and pillars, and its arched windows, have been perfectly preserved. 

And now there are green leather booths and large tables sprawled around the space too. 

The new food hall, The Egyptian Room, has traders serving everything from pizza and pasta to noodles and gyros. 

Ply Pizza are here serving heaped bowls of pasta, including beef shin parpadelle and carbonara, plus their signature pizzas like the pistachio pesto topped with a gooey burrata. 

TukTuk has a menu full of Cambodian goodness like light bite street food items, sharing platters, spicy noodles and stir fries.

TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group

Seacoles is a new name, a Caribbean trader serving tacos and ‘splits’ (which are fried dumplings stuffed with fillings like Cajun spiced stripped beef steak and jerk chicken), and huge plates of curry and rice and peas. 

Then there’s The Last Stop, with smash burgers, gyros and loaded fries, and Wings of Power, where there are crispy-coated wings, tenders and burgers. 

Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “The old town hall, what The Egyptian Room is part of and this whole complex here, was a really derelict, unloved building.

Pizzas by Ply at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
Pizzas by Ply at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
Seacoles Caribbean food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
Seacoles Caribbean food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group

“Jim [McMahon MP] had a vision for this whole building and the one thing Jim and I do share is our passion for Oldham’s heritage buildings and he had a vision to make use of something that was unloved and derelict for a long time. 

“The importance of that was not just the history and the contribution of what happened in these buildings before us but actually as a nod to say that even in the most difficult of times, because it’s been hard the last 14 years, it’s a nod to say how much we value our residents. 

“How even in the most difficult times, this inspiration and the ambition of our partners is a nod to every single one of our residents and communities, no matter who you are or what your upbringing is.”

The Egyptian Room is open now in Oldham town centre. 

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

More Oldham

Art & Culture

10 of the best music videos you didn’t know were filmed in Greater Manchester

Affiliate

The big Manchester guide to Bonfire Night – everything you need to know

Cheshire

Family pays tribute to Simon Daniels after he died while paddleboarding at Dovestone Reservoir

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches