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.”
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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.
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“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.
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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.”
Greater Manchester’s spooky steam trains are returning this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
Spooky season is right around the corner, and one of Greater Manchester’s most-popular Halloween events is returning.
What’s Halloween without East Lancashire Railway‘s (ELR) eerie ghost trains at this point? Generally selling out each year, the heritage railway’s Halloween Trains always prove to be top of the Halloween bucket list for people looking for some ‘spooktacular fun’ once the scariest time of year rolls around.
And 2026 is expected to be no different… in fact, it’ll be even creepier than normal, because the scream train has had a spooky makeover.
You can expect flickering lights, eerie sounds, creepy surprises, and perhaps a very unwelcome visitor climbing aboard.
Those brave enough at lending the Monster Squad a helping hand at banishing ghosts and ghouls will be whisked away on a haunted steam engine through the atmospheric Greater Manchester countryside.
Before you join them though, you’ll need to prove you have what it takes by making it through the Halloween Walkthrough on the footbridge with a fair few jump scares.
Once you reach the platform, you’ll be greeted by Halloween favourites, Vampire Brian and Veronica the Witch, who’ll prepare you for your terrifying train trip with a song, a dance, and probably a scream or two.
Spooky steam train rides through Greater Manchester are returning this Halloween / Credit: ELR
As you take in the autumn sights and delights of the local countryside out the historic steam train’s windows on your journey, there’ll be lots of spooky entertainment and music along the way, and as always, screaming and singalongs are to be expected – and encouraged – as this is all part of the experience.
Families are also encouraged to ‘show off your spookiest fancy dress’ on the day too, and if you make it to the end, then a goody bag for every child ‘full of tricks and treats’ awaits.
The Halloween Ghost Trains are happening over an extended weekend in late October, running from Thursday 29 to Saturday 31 October.
Tickets are now on sale, starting from just £15 per person, and you can book here.
Featured Image – ELR
Rochdale
Police seize convoy of supercars after reports of dangerous driving on M62 near Rochdale
Emily Sergeant
A convoy of supercars has been seized by police following reports of dangerous driving on the M66 and M62 near Rochdale.
On Wednesday, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says its dedicated Roads Policing Unit (RPU) were made aware that a group of individuals driving high-powered vehicles – such as Lamborghinis and Mercedes G-Wagons – were ‘driving dangerously’ at speed, weaving across lanes, wheel spinning, and slowing down to speeds of around 17mph on the motorway.
After finding the convoy of vehicles on the M62, police were able to stop two of Lamborghinis as they were coming off the motorway.
Officers then used specialist tactics to bring the remaining vehicles to a stop in Rochdale.
As a result of police intervention, GMP was able to seize five Lamborghinis and a Mercedes G-Wagon under Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002, and on top of this, the drivers of the offending vehicles were prosecuted for a number of driving offences.
Police have seized a convoy of supercars after reports of dangerous driving on the M62 near Rochdale / Credit: GMP | Wikimedia Commons
Chief Inspector Danny Kabal, from GMP’s Transport Policing and Crime command, said the force takes road safety ‘very seriously’.
“We will not tolerate careless, inconsiderate, anti-social or dangerous driving on our roads,” he began.
“Recent changes to Section 59 of the Police Reform Act now enables us to seize vehicles without having to issue a warning first. As we intensify our road safety operations and enforcement campaigns, we will use this legislative change as part of our daily business.
“People who think it is acceptable to use our roads as a racetrack need to pay attention to this result and take it as a warning – they will have their vehicles seized and they will be prosecuted, and where proportionate to do so, they will also be arrested.”
The Manc -
15th July 2021 
