A local woman has accused police and track and trace of being “heavy-handed” and resorting to “overkill” after a riot van turned up to check whether her 12-year-old daughter was isolating.
The Manchester Evening News has reported that Greater Manchester Police visited the Middleton home of Kathryn Crook on two separate occasions over two days (11 and 12 July) – leaving her daughter “petrified”.
On the first visit, officers apparently refused to speak to Ms Crook and instead asked to see her daughter Charlotte. On the second occasion, an officer arrived in a riot van.
Ms Crook told the MEN: “They [police officers] would not tell me and my husband why they wanted to speak to my daughter. I suggested again that she was only 12 and as her mother, I should be the one they should speak to.
“My daughter by this time was stood behind me crouching thinking she had done something wrong and was petrified.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Police visited the home on Warwick Road in Middleton on two occasions / Image: Google
Ms Crook – whose daughter Charlotte has been isolating since a positive PCR test on July 4 – has contacted her MP Chris Clarkson over the incident.
She added: “The behaviour of NHS Test and Trace, Rochdale public health officers and GMP has been completely inappropriate and heavy-handed over the whole thing.
ADVERTISEMENT
“My daughter has been in complete meltdown, thinking she was going to get arrested at any moment.”
A spokesperson for Rochdale Council explained to the MEN that when the national track and trace team is not able to contact someone to confirm isolation, details are passed to councils to be dealt with locally.
The council said it had spoken directly with the family to offer them support.
ADVERTISEMENT
A GMP spokesperson added: “By working in partnership with the local authority, police officers will then be asked to attend as there has been unanswered calls and a suspected breach to carry out the checks and issue a fixed penalty notice if required.
“Any engagement will be done directly with the person who has been asked to self-isolate.
“In this instance when an officer attended on Monday night we established that the isolation request had been adhered to and the officer was satisfied that the original NHS request had been met.
“These checks are also conducted on welfare grounds as having to self-isolate could impede someone’s ability to get food or essential items so it’s important they are continued in-line with national guidance.”
You can ride a wizard-themed steam train through Greater Manchester countryside next week
Emily Sergeant
The hugely popular wizard-themed steam train will be travelling through Greater Manchester once again next week.
February half term is right around the corner, and that means East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is back with a whole host of immersive events that give curious Mancs the chance to step back in time by hopping on one of the historic Pullman-style steam train carriages through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.
Thomas the Tank Engine, dinosaur, Peppa Pig, and seasonal themed train rides are just a few of the events that have been entertaining families in the region over the last few years.
By far one of the most popular experiences on the lineup, however, has to be the chance to go on a ‘wizarding adventure’, where little Mancs can come together for a magical day of sharing spells and getting stuck into lots of magic-themed fun.
You can ride a wizard-themed steam train through Greater Manchester next week / Credit: ELR
Aspiring witches and wizards of all ages are invited to enrol in the spellbinding school of sorcery this February half term, as they take a ‘wacky and wonderful’ whistle stop tour through the ‘Irwell Valley of wonders’.
Little Mancs will get to learn powerful incantations and perfect their wand-waving skills, all while using their imagination and learning how to soar through the skies on a broomstick.
They’ll also get to discover the proper way to greet mystical creatures, and take care of a ‘real’ dragon egg too.
The Wizarding Adventure is an “enchanting experience for all the family” / Credit: ELR
Aside from wizard-themed tasks, there’ll also be plenty of photo opportunities along the way.
Aside from wizard-themed tasks, there’ll also be plenty of photo opportunities along the way, and food and drink will be available to tuck into from the café on Platform 3/4 at Bury Bolton Street Station, and from the Rawtenstall Buffet too, making it a truly ‘enchanting’ experience for the whole family.
The Wizarding Adventure is back this half term, with several special journeys lined-up next month on Thursday 19 February, and tickets still available to get your hands on from £18 each for children and £20.50 for adults.
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
The Manc -
15th July 2021 
