Oldham

Rochdale and Oldham trams suspended due to ‘land movement’ along track

Engineers are investigating.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th July 2024

A busy section of Manchester’s tram network will be suspended on Wednesday due to ‘land movement’.

Metrolink services will be unable to run any further than Oldham Mumps while engineers investigate.

The Bee Network announced on Tuesday evening that trams along the Rochdale and Oldham line had been operating with speed restrictions.

But due to ‘some land movement affecting the track’ between Derker and Shaw and Crompton, the line will be partially suspended on Wednesday 10 July.

The severity and nature of the land movement has not yet been announced.

Customers in Rochdale and Oldham will be able to use their tickets on local bus services instead while trams are suspended.

Pete Sommers, TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “The safety of our passengers, staff and the wider public is our absolute priority, which is why we have made these decisions.

“I understand this will be frustrating for passengers, and am sorry for the impact on people’s journeys.

“We will provide an update as soon as possible and I’d encourage people who usually travel in the area to check our app, website and social media channels for the latest information and advice.”

Ticket acceptance will be in place on the 17, 57, 59, 81, 83, 84, 114, 149, 181, 182, 402, 403, 409, 411, 434, 435, 436, 450, 451, 455 and 471 bus services and rail services between Rochdale and Manchester City Centre.

Simply show the driver/inspector your Metrolink ticket or pass when boarding.

The 434, 435, 436, 450, 451 and 455 services operate every hour.

If you require journey assistance, you can call Metrolink on 0161 205 2000 or use the customer call points at the stop.

You can also use the journey planner to help.

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Featured image: Unsplash

Oldham

More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson 104 counterfeit Labubus have been seized

More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.

The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.

The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.

The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).

Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.

Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.

What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds

They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.

Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.

“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.

“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”

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Featured image: Oldham Council

Police issue response and update after ‘shocking’ BBC documentary on The Moors Murders airs

Bolton | 18/07/25

Feature | 27/06/25

Oldham

Police issue response and update after ‘shocking’ BBC documentary on The Moors Murders airs

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A response and update has been issued by the police after a new documentary on The Moors Murders aired on the BBC this week.

The Moors Murders: A Search for Justice is a two-part documentary series that takes a look back at what is, undoubtedly, one of the most heinous crimes in British history more than 60 years after it happened in the hopes of discovering new evidence and finding answers to the questions that are still left open.

The show aims to document the six decades of suffering that the victims’ families endured in the case that shook the nation.

A synopsis for the two-part documentary series on the BBC website reads: “The Moors murderers, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, were sentenced to life in 1966 for killing three children. In fact, they had killed five children, and 12-year-old Keith Bennett has never been found. 

Moors Murders victim Keith Bennett / Credit: GMP

“But now a team, including author and film-maker Duncan Staff, former murder detective Martin Slevin and forensic archaeologist Professor John Hunter, has examined past investigations, rediscovered files and delved into Ian Brady’s archive.

“They reveal possible grave sites, uncover critical material and perhaps help to solve a case that’s remained open for nearly 60 years.”

The first episode of the documentary aired on BBC Two on Wednesday night (30 July), and the next episode is due to hit TV screens next Wednesday 6 August at 9pm – with more ‘revelations’ and ‘newly uncovered evidence’ expected to be presented.

Public interest in the case has hardly been lost over the past six decades, but given the recent attention the documentary has brought, this has led Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to issuing a statement and update on their ongoing investigations, and assuring that the case is still very much open and and being looked into.

Myra Hindley and Ian Brady – the serial killers behind the Moors Murders, including Keith Bennett / Credit: GMP

“Greater Manchester Police’s investigation into Keith’s disappearance has remained open since 1964,” the statement begins.

“While visible searches have paused over time, with the most recent taking place in 2022, an investigation team within our Major Crime Review Unit, continues our work to find the answers Keith family deserves.”

GMP confirmed that most of the case’s investigative activity continues ‘outside of public view’, revealing that this is done in the hopes that further evidence relating to this case can be uncovered.

The Moors Murders: A Search for Justice is currently airing on the BBC / Credit: BBC

The update continues: “We are in regular contact with Keith’s family, who are central to any action we take. They are kept updated on the ongoing lines of enquiry – some of which, could be jeopardised by public disclosure, and no further comment on these matters will be given.”

Police say they remain ‘very interested’ in any information that could lead to the discovery of Keith.

“We will be seeking to obtain, review, and establish the relevance of all the information held by the documentary team,” GMP’s statement concludes.

Read more:

The second part of The Moors Murders: A Search for Justice will air on BBC Two next Wednesday 6 August at 9pm.

Featured Image – GMP

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