We all know how important community is, whether it’s sharing a BBQ with your neighbours or calling on each other for help.
But how many of us are so proud of our communities that we’d dedicate our lives – and all of our free time – to protecting it?
One man in Droylsden does exactly that, spending 365 nights a week patrolling the streets, keeping an eye out for disturbances and burglaries.
This is Andy (and his dog Shadow) from Crimewatchers, a project he set up in 2020 to help tackle crime across Droylsden and Audenshaw.
Andy and Shadow from Crimewatchers. Credit: The Manc Group
The work of Crimewatchers has evolved since then, and is now a valuable scheme supporting people from all walks of life.
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Andy will never turn away a vulnerable person in need, or from his neighbourhood, from helping out with litter picking to arranging Easter egg hunts for local children.
They can arrange to have free locks fitted for vulnerable people, help elderly neighbours who have had a fall, and hand out selection boxes at Christmas.
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From 11pm every night of the year, Andy and his beloved German Shepherd Shadow are out helping others, no questions asked.
Andy and Shadow from Crimewatchers. Credit: The Manc Group
Andy said: “Every single night. Bank holidays. We’ve just worked all Jubilee Weekend. We’ll work Christmas, we’ll work New Year, we’ll work it all.
“We help anybody who needs it. Sometimes we find people who need help when we’re out patrolling, other times people get in touch with us – and if we can help them, we will.
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“We’ve not got enough people to patrol outside Droylsden and Audenshaw but that doesn’t mean we’d turn down a request for help from outside that area.
“The community have got us to where we’ve got to, their response has been amazing.
“As you can imagine at first, the police were quite concerned about who we were and what we were up to at night, but the community 100% had our backs. Everything we’ve done, the community have supported us.
“It’s going from strength to strength and that’s because of the residents.”
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As much as Andy helps others, he receives plenty of love in return, which was never more apparent than when his old dog Sabre died.
He said: “Everybody loved Sabre. He was the boss, the leader of the group. Without Sabre, I wouldn’t have got Crimewatchers off the ground. People really took to him and his nature. We came as a duo. When he passed away, it was really sudden and instant.
Andy and Shadow from Crimewatchers. Credit: The Manc Group
“But the community really rallied around me, in an instant they set up a GoFundMe and raised over £2000 for me, so I could get a new companion.
“Shadow is a community dog. He lives with me but I see him as part of the community. Everybody loves him, just as they did with Sabre.
“Somebody attempted to stab me a few nights ago and when I posted that on Facebook it got a lot of engagement – but then a video of Shadow will get two million views. People love him.
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“He’s not a working dog. He patrols with us but as a pet.
Andy and Shadow from Crimewatchers. Credit: The Manc Group
“When I get called to a job, especially if someone’s being aggressive or there’s a situation, I’d never get him out of the car. He’s not a deterrent, he’ll never bite anybody, he’s not an attack dog.
“Shadow will just sit there, not barking, just watching – he would never do anything, he’s a pet and a mascot and a friend. I’d never put him in danger.”
One of Andy’s fondest memories from his work with Crimewatchers is when he was called out to help an elderly man who had had a fall and couldn’t get up, but was unharmed.
He said: “His Mrs rang us and said it’s not an emergency but she really needed help and didn’t want to call for an ambulance.
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Andy and Shadow from Crimewatchers. Credit: The Manc Group
“He was at his most vulnerable but they trusted us to come into their home and help, and that is massive for us.
“It was no effort really, we were already out and about, but for him, on the floor and not knowing when he’d be able to get up, it was huge.
“That kind of support – the fact that people can call someone when they can’t get hold of family in the middle of the night and they don’t want to call 999, they know they can ring us. That’s amazing.”
You can find out more about Andy and Crimewatchers with our latest instalment of Local Heroes.
You can also donate to them through their Facebook page.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Tameside
The most expensive homes sold in every Greater Manchester borough in 2022
Daisy Jackson
The housing market has been absolutely bananas this year (cheers, Liz Truss) with house prices continuing to go through the roof.
In 2022, there were some seriously stunning homes sold around Greater Manchester, easily fetching nine figures each.
Over the last 12 months, the most expensive boroughs in the region, in terms of the average house price, are relatively predictable – it’s all south Manchester.
Trafford was once again the most expensive borough to buy in, with an average house price of £344,215 – that’s probably thanks to the affluent suburbs like Bowdon, Hale and Altrincham.
Next up came Stockport, then Manchester.
The cheapest boroughs in the last year were Wigan (average house price £169,153) and Rochdale (£188,088), followed very closely by Oldham (£189,265).
But what about when we look right to the top end, to the mansions and stately-esque homes most of us could only dream of?
Below are the 10 most expensive homes sold in Greater Manchester in 2022, according to Land Registry data (some very recent sales may not be reflected).
Manchester
Palatine Road, Didsbury – £1.4m
Credit: Philip James KennedyCredit: Philip James Kennedy
It should surprise no one to know that Didsbury again has topped the list of the most expensive home sold in the borough of Manchester, which includes areas like Chorlton, Harpurhey, Ancoats and the city centre itself.
This particular house, ‘The Dene’, is a five double bedroom detached house sprawled across three floors, with bi-fold doors opening up to the small but attractive garden.
It managed to reach £1,405,000 when it sold in April, having sold for just under a million in 2017.
Trafford
Devisdale Road, Altrincham – £3.8m
As usual, Altrincham is home to the most expensive house sold in Trafford in 2022 – in fact, the vast majority of the homes sold for more than £1m this year in Greater Manchester were in or around Altrincham.
‘Horseshoe House’ fetched £3.8m when it sold back in January – previously, it had sold for £1.1m in 2019. Quite the jump.
At the time it was listed, it had five bedrooms, a quarter of an acre of land, and mature gardens.
Salford
Walkden Road, Worsley – £2.2m
One of the biggest houses sold in the last year was in the popular suburb of Worsley, with no less than eight bedrooms.
The Salford pad also has its own indoor pool, a gym, a cinema room, and a snooker room.
Though it sold in May for £2.2m, Land Registry data says it was listed back in 2012 for £3.3m.
Wigan
Croasdale Drive, Parbold – £1.18m
This wealthy corner of Wigan (another house on the same road fetched almost as much just a week earlier) is home to some gorgeous, character-filled homes.
One such house is the proper family home pictured above, which sold for £1.18m back in the summer.
It has four bedrooms with a Juliet balcony off the master, an annexe, amazing views, and a lovely little garden house used as an extra entertaining space.
Bolton
Chorley New Road, Bolton – £1.85m
There was ‘no expense spared’ on the renovation of this massive house in Bolton, which spans more than 6,600 sq ft.
It has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, four walk-in wardrobes, space for 20 cars on the driveway plus eight more off-road, and tonnes of high-spec, high-tech fixtures.
It was listed initially at £2.1m and sold for £1.85m.
Bury
Ringley Drive, Whitefield – £2.5m
There are big houses, and then there are really big houses, and this is definitely the latter – and it comes complete with incredible views.
This house has six bedrooms (three with dressing rooms), four reception rooms, a staff suite, TWO kitchens, a cinema room, a steam room and sauna, a games room, a gym, and a hot tub area in the landscaped gardens.
Last time it sold, according to Land Registry data, was in 2011 when it fetched £800,000.
Rochdale
Norden Road, Rochdale – £860,000
Rochdale does tend to be one of the more affordable boroughs in Greater Manchester, though this incredible home that sold this year wouldn’t make you think it.
The fully-refurbished, four-bedroom house has three huge reception rooms, a kitchen with an orangery, a gated driveway and landscaped gardens.
It’s all about the open-plan living, down to the huge bi-fold doors looking out onto the garden.
Oldham
Huddersfield Road, Diggle – £1.8m
This beautiful period property in the popular Saddleworth village of Diggle dates all the way to back to 1895 and retains all of its Victorian character.
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It has five or six bedrooms, three cellar rooms, a triple garage and loads of historic features.
The Land Registry says the home sold for £1.8m all the way back in January 2022.
Perched right on the border between Tameside and Stockport, this cottage is the cheapest on this list (but still isn’t exactly cheap at £970,000).
It’s all about the location here, situated as it is in the heart of one of the region’s best-loved beauty spots, with views to die for.
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The building dates all the way back to 1725 and now has five bedrooms, two acres of land, and loads of historical character.
Stockport
Broadway, Bramhall – £1.63m
This six-bedroom house in Bramhall has one of the biggest living spaces we’ve ever seen.
It’s got a massive open-plan space facing onto the rear garden with a modern kitchen and dining room on one side, and a living room and a small seating area on the other.
It fetched £1.625m in April this year, having previously sold for £360,000 back in 1999.
Featured image: Rightmove
Tameside
Police inundated with inappropriate comments after sharing mugshot of wanted man
Daisy Jackson
Police hunting for a wanted man with links to Manchester have found themselves inundated with not-very-serious and not-very-helpful comments.
An appeal has been issued to track down 36-year-old Robert Rimmer, originally from Ashton-under-Lyne.
Officers in Humberside want to speak to him in connection with an ongoing investigation into drugs related offences.
He has known links to Hull, Cheshire, Liverpool and Blackpool.
Members of the public have been urged not to approach him but instead to immediately contact the non-emergency police line on 101.
Since sharing the appeal, users on social media have been flooding comment sections offering to help find Robert.
Have you seen wanted man 36-year-old Robert Rimmer?
On Twitter, someone said: “I wouldn’t mind knowing where he is either he’s [flame emoji].”
In all serious though, Humberside Police said of Robert Rimmer: “If you see him, or know where he is, please do not approach him but instead call us immediately on our non-emergency 101 line quoting investigation reference 20900368291.
“If you would prefer to report information anonymously you can do so via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Daisy Jackson -
8th July 2022 
