One of the most incredible settings for Netflix’s recent thriller series Stay Close was an enormous sculpture of a head.
It’s where a huge chunk of the action takes place, with the interior of the statue used as a secret meeting place.
Ever since the addictive series dropped on New Year’s Eve, visitors have been desperate to go and see the 20 metre-tall attraction in the flesh.
The good news for us is that the striking monument isn’t far from Greater Manchester.
Dream in St Helen’s. Credit: Visit Liverpool
In fact, depending on which part of the region you live in, you could be there in less than half an hour.
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The sculpture, called Dream, stands just off the M62 in St Helen’s, and you can actually see its massive head peeping out above the tree line.
Dream was commissioned by St Helen’s Council and a community of former miners, who wanted something that marked the area’s coal-mining history but looked forward to the area’s future.
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Dream in Stay Close on Netflix. Credit: Netflix UK
The end result was a 500-tonne figure of a young girl, whose eyes appear to be closed in a meditative state.
The sculpture is coated in brilliant white dolomite, chosen to contrast with the coal that was once mined from this very plot.
Dream stands on the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery, a huge coal pit that closed down in 1991.
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We're not sure what we thought was inside #Dream's head but it wasn't this 🤯🤣
Anyone else watching Stay Close on Netflix? #StHelens' world-renowned sculpture makes plenty of appearances.
If you're inspired to go up to visit her, please take your litter home with you 👍 pic.twitter.com/EYfv2nmNt2
The public art piece by Jaume Plensa cost around £1.8m to build.
It’s had a resurgence in popularity since Stay Close aired though – Bold Parish Councillor Chris Hughes told the Manchester Evening News: “We have had a massive increase in numbers since The Dream has been on Stay Close.
“We don’t normally see this amount of visitors at this time of year, since the start of January it’s been so busy.
“We knew there had been filming up there but I don’t think any of us expected it to have quite this impact.”
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You can visit by parking up at the Dream car park just off Jubits Lane – though it is a small parking area.
You can then walk a circular route around the park that’s around a mile long. Perfect for an easy mid-winter stroll.
Featured image: Netflix UK
Things To Do
Peter Kay adds MORE Manchester dates to record-breaking arena tour
Daisy Jackson
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Peter Kay has just announced brand new dates for his record-breaking arena tour, including even more shows here in Manchester.
The Bolton-born comic legend has already performed 100 stand-up shows at the AO Arena, breaking all attendance and performance records.
He’s also the first artist in the world to perform a monthly residency at The O2 in London.
Demand to see Peter Kay has been through the roof – several ticket sites crashed when the tour was first announced – and now he’s added some new shows to the unbelievable run of dates.
The tour first started in December 2022, with shows all the way into the middle of 2025.
Now with these new dates, Peter Kay will be delivering his side-splitting stand-up show all the way into 2026.
The new shows include two hometown nights in Manchester, plus his first gigs in Aberdeen, Brighton, Bournemouth and the Isle of Man.
And heartwarmingly, Peter Kay has promised to still keep ticket prices low, with tickets starting at just £35.
Peter Kay adds MORE Manchester dates to record-breaking arena tour
In the advert, which you can watch below, he’s seen carrying a golden toilet into his mum’s iconic bungalow.
Peter Kay said: “It’s been wonderful doing what I love most, stand-up comedy.
“Laughter is more important than ever in these challenging times and with the cost of living still at an all-time high, ticket prices for the new dates will start from £35.”
Tickets for the new dates will go on sale at 10am on Saturday 23 November HERE.
Peter Kay new tour dates in full
Friday 7 February 2025 – Manchester AO Arena
Saturday 8 March 2025 – Leeds First Direct Arena
Saturday 3 May 2025 – Sheffield Utilita Arena
Friday 16 May 2025 – London The O2
Friday 30 May 2025 – Aberdeen P&J Live
Saturday 31 May 2025 – Aberdeen P&J Live
Friday 6 June 2025 – Birmingham Utilita Arena
Friday 20 June 2025 – London The O2
Thursday 10 July 2025 – Dublin 3Arena
Thursday 7 August 2025 – Belfast Sse Arena
Saturday 23 August 2025 – Newcastle Utilita Arena
Friday 19 September 2025 – Manchester AO Arena
Thursday 23 October 2025 – Glasgow Ovo Hydro
Friday 21 November 2025 – Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
Saturday 20 December 2025 – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Friday 9 January 2026 – Brighton Centre
Saturday 10 January 2026 – Bournemouth International Centre
Friday 23 January 2026 – Cardiff Utilita Arena
Saturday 24 January 2026 – Cardiff Utilita Arena
Friday 20 February 2026 – Isle Of Man Villa Marina
Saturday 21 February 2026 – Isle Of Man Villa Marina
Peter Kay advert announcing new tour dates
Featured image: Publicity picture
Things To Do
Forget pub crawls – you can now go on a guided cheese crawl around Manchester
Thomas Melia
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Manchester is a foodie’s paradise and with so many options at hand why not break it down into individual food groups – starting with the dairy crowd pleaser, cheese.
Long gone are the draining pub crawls of the past, it’s time to make way for the new pioneer in the world of adventurous crawling, ‘The Manchester Cheese Crawl’.
There’s always lots of food and drink options flowing throughout our bubbly city spanning all cuisines and cultures so it comes as no surprise that the latest way to experience Manchester is via cheese, a staple of many citizens’ diets.
On the tour, there will be insider knowledge on-hand as you wander the streets and sample the creamy delights, assisting you with any dying queso queries and pecorino ponders that you need to get off your chest.
There’ll be plenty of familiar independents on the Manchester Cheese Crawl, including Northern Soul’s impressive grilled cheese sandwiches as well as more traditional cheese samples.
How could this experience get any better I hear you ask, how about a free glass of fizz to accompany those already impressive cheese selections? Yes please!
Guests can expect to sample some of Manchester’s dairy delights while being directed by some of Manchester’s top cheese connoisseurs that are the real big cheese.
Groups who take the tour aren’t just treated to food and drink, they also receive free entertainment from their food guides who are prepared to make you chuckle with their incredible humour.
The Manchester Cheese Crawl will feature plenty of bites for curd nerdsA selection of dairy heaven displayed on a wonderful variety cheese board.Credit: Unsplash
Previous visitors have commented on their experience while taking the tour sharing the names their groups received with highlights such as ‘Shaken not curd’ and ‘Three blind mice’.
They really are serious about their cheeses, another previous visitor who went on the tour revealed their guide even had a name that perfectly fit the occasion, ‘Mel the babybel’.
It’s sure to be a fantastic day with games and activities planned for all as you walk between the shops landmarked on the cheese-filled route.
Everyone on the tour also gets a small taste of the high life as they are treated to a Lancashire cheese handmade by a local star and celebrity.
Starting at the Richard Cobden Statue and finishing on the always vibrant Tib Street, a quick google search reveals this walk isn’t too strenuous taking only 12 minutes but with many cheeses to get your whiskers on it will probably take around an estimated two hours to tackle.
Running this Saturday 16 November and planned to continue until November 2025 and beyond, you’d be emmental to miss out on this cheesy adventure.
If all this cheese talk has left you dreaming about your next foodie fix, tickets for ‘The Manchester Cheese Crawl’ are on sale and available here.
Daisy Jackson -
14th January 2022 
