Manchester’s AO Arena is being filled with thousands of tonnes of dirt ahead of a truly epic, high-octane night of dirtbike racing, freestyle motocrossand stunts you’ll only be able to watch through your fingers.
Over 3000 tonnes, to be precise — all courtesy of the much-anticipated Arenacross Tour 2024.
That’s right: whether you can picture it or not, one of Manchester’s most iconic and beloved venues, where many of you will have watched countless gigs and live performances over the years, is set to be turned into one big dirt track, complete with giant makeshift ramps, jumps and more.
With the AO set to host one of the Arena‘s most action-packed and biggest nights of extreme sports in the UK for just the third time in the event’s history, fans can expect everything from seven-year-old racing starlets to top pros competing for coveted titles.
Can’t lie, was pretty wild just seeing this place slowly filled with heaps of dirt.
Taking two days to build from start to finish including moving the dirt, the multi-discipline motocross event’s visit to Manchester on Saturday, 6 January has seen a total of 5,000 tonnes shipped from Bolesworth Castle in Tattenhall, Cheshire — the home of the Arenacross Festival — to assemble the full track and all its various aspects.
Requiring huge 25 dump trucks working around the clock (we’re talking loading the dirt until gone midnight and hauling it to the city centre by 5am that same day), a core team of 60 people and plenty more Arena staff chip to bring this gloriously muddy and petrol-fumed wonder to life.
Now into just the second round of Arenacross British Championship, Mancs will get to see the likes of reigning Champion Tommy Searle and last year’s runner-up Conrad Mewse battling it out for the 2024 title, as well all lots of tricks and bikes flying over 60 feet high in the air.
More than 500,000 people have come along to watch these events over the past decade and, considering what’s on show, it’s no surprise.
The youngest motocross rider competing at the AO Arena this Saturday is a seven-year-old kid, if you can believe that.
As you can see, it isn’t just about what people are doing on two wheels either: there’s plenty of pyrotechnics, light shows and general fanfare to be enjoyed.
It’s the only indoor event of its kind anywhere in the UK and with this being their 78th show and their 10-year anniversary year, the organisers are determined to make this Manchester date bigger and better than ever.
It’s been five long years since Arenacross last came to Manchester and they’ve shifted over a quarter of a million tonnes of dirt to bring this thing to life since it started. Even witnessing the mountains of dirt being dumped into the middle of a floor we’re used to dancing on was pretty surreal.
This is definitely one of those things where you need to see it to believe it, so if you’re interested in experiencing the only indoor motocross event in the country this Saturday, you can grab your tickets for the event HERE.
It’s the closest thing you’ll get to the X Games on this side of the Atlantic.
Streamer AngryGinge ‘arrested and banned’ from Silvestone at the British GP
Danny Jones
Popular Manc influencer, ‘AngryGinge’, was arrested, fined and ultimately banned from Silverstone at this year’s British GP.
The Salford-born Twitch streamer, YouTuber and social media personality (real name Morgan Burtwhistle) was detained at the circuit after being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
Ginge recently starred in Soccer Aid 2025 and is a well-known face both on the internet and in the sporting world, regularly working in and around football, and is an avid Manchester United – even featuring in the club’s third kit launch video last year.
The 23-year-old and two other fellow streamers, ‘Chazza’ and ‘Samham’, were accused of criminal damage after sitting in an F1 car whilst recording around the Silverstone complex.
AngryGinge returned to streaming after being detained by police for 15 hours
The streamer and several friends were arrested for climbing into a display F1 car at the British Grand Prix pic.twitter.com/WDSYb6MVtj
“On Friday, July 4, NP received a report that a classic Formula 1 car on display at Silverstone Circuit during the British Grand Prix event had sustained several thousands of pounds worth of damage, which was alleged to have been caused by someone accessing the display stand and climbing into the vehicle.
“Officers carried out initial inquiries, and suspects were identified. Three men, aged 23, 25 and 27, were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a vehicle and taken into police custody.
“Following a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the incident, all three men were released with no further action.”
Burtwhistle went into more detail on the incident on socials, explaining that the trio were taken away in handcuffs and “locked up” for several hours – 15 hours, according to SamHam (Samuel Imie).
All three individuals deny causing any damage to the racecar, even despite users sharing clips from the livestream footage captured for the Red Bull online Content on the day that many argue incriminates them, or at least sounds like it – we’ll let you watch and decide for yourselves.
Ginge himself went on to detail that ridculousness of the situation, explaining how he was effectively detained for watching someone else climb into the vehicle.
He’ll be dining out in this one for some time, you can be sure of that.
He’s literally a brands dream isn’t he 😂 so quick and smart with it
Featured Images — Soccer Aid/angryginge13 (screenshot via Twitch)/Samham (via X)
Sport
Boxing legend Ricky Hatton is coming out of retirement after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Mancunian and British boxing legend Ricky Hatton MBE is coming out of retirement after more than a decade for his first competitive fight in 13 long years.
This is sure to be one to watch.
The Stockport-born and Hattersley-raised fighter first retired back in 2011, but did flirt with a comeback a year later in what turned out to be a one-off fight and defeat to 35-year-old Ukrainian welterweight, Vyacheslav Senchenko.
‘Hitman’ Hatton also got back in the ring for an exhibition match against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, enduring eight two-minute rounds after a decade away from fighting, but now he’ll be undertaking an official fight over in the United Arab Emirates.
Lacing up his gloves at 46 years old, Hatton will be facing fellow veteran Eisa Al Dah (same age), who was the first professional boxer in the UAE.
The ‘Pride of Hyde’ may have been out of the competitive sporting sphere for a while, but he’s still remained an active figure in the boxing world.
In addition to training his son, Campbell, who has followed in his father’s fighting footsteps, Hatton has continued to coach other young boxing talents from his gym in Tameside, including John Hedges and Chloe Watson.
Campbell, 24, has won 14 of his 16 fights, losing just twice since he began in 2021.
Meanwhile, his dad – who still boasts a record of 45 victories from 48 matches, 32 of which were by knockout – will be once again focusing on getting himself back in fighting shape for the Dubai bout.
The local athlete has done plenty to dispel the old jabs of ‘Ricky Fatton’ in recent times, mind you, having taken his talents as a once-promising young footballer to play in the Manchester Remembers charity match, as well as the aforementioned Barrera exhibition.
Set for this winter, Ricky Hatton will face fellow veteran Eisa Al Dah in a middleweight contest on Friday, 2 December, telling national media via video call in the recent press conference that confirmed he would be coming out of retirement: “What you’re trying to do there for boxing in Dubai is fantastic.”
Meanwhile, Al Dah added: “It will be a true fight, true action. And I will do my best, because everybody in the UAE and the Gulf, they will watch this fight. The place will be sold out, and it will be watched around the world.”
Will those Haymakers still hit like they used to? Well shall see before the end of the year.
Danny Jones -
4th January 2024 
