Trafford

Family pay tribute to teenager who was fatally stabbed in Trafford

Emergency services swiftly attended and provided vital medical treatment before he was taken to hospital where he sadly died a short time later.

The Manc The Manc - 13th September 2021

A murder investigation was launched on 9 September 2021 after officers were called to Norton Street in Trafford just before 6pm to a report of a stabbing.

Emergency services attended and found a 16-year-old teenager, Rhamero West from south Manchester, with a number of stab wounds.

Emergency services swiftly attended and provided vital medical treatment before he was taken to hospital where he sadly died a short time later.

A number of other incidents and scenes were identified on the evening of the murder which detectives are working to piece together.

Rhamero West.jpeg
Rhamero West, 16, died tragically after suffering several stab wounds // GMP

Enquiries have led to detectives believing that four people in a blue BMW car, which Rhamero was in, were being chased from Upper Chorlton Road into the residential streets of Trafford. Rhamero left the vehicle but was caught and suffered fatal injuries.

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Rhamero’s family, who are appealing for justice for their son, said: “Our son’s life was taken away from him on Thursday 9 September 2021, on the day he started his first day at college studying catering.

“We are in total shock and want justice for our beautiful son Mero. His life was taken too soon at the age of 16, turning 17 on the 20 September.

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“We are all devastated are now left with an empty hole in our hearts. Mero was a beautiful soul and got on with everyone who he met.

“He will be sadly missed, lots of love son, we will love you forever – mum, dad, Remi and not forgetting your nephew Caerus. We will make sure he will never forget you.

“Each and everyone in the family right now wishes you were still here. Sleep tight baby boy till we meet again. We love you forever.”

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Old Trafford murder investigation launched after 16-year-old male stabbed, The Manc
A Greater Manchester Police officer // GMP

Detective Chief Inspector Liz Hopkinson, from GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “Our thoughts are with Rhamero’s family and we have specialist officers supporting his mum, dad and brother through this extremely distressing time.

“A number of detectives have been working to piece together the sequence of events and find those responsible. At this stage, we understand that Rhamero was attacked by two males and we’re working hard to identify them but would appeal for anyone with information to come forward.

“Since the attack, we’ve already followed up a number of lines of enquiry and we’re carefully examining CCTV and forensics.

“There will be people who know who was involved in this attack on a young teenager and we would ask them to come forward – even the smallest bit of information may prove vital in our investigation.

“A family have lost their young son and they are deserving of answers. Do the right thing and speak with our officers by reporting any information online or by using our LiveChat service at www.gmp.police.uk.

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Anyone with information or dash-cam, mobile phone or CCTV footage can also submit it via GMP’s Major Incident Public Portal here.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”555 111.

Trafford

A very wholesome record was seemingly smashed by a group of runners at the Manchester Half

Danny Jones Danny Jones Runners break Guinness World Record for fastest caterpillar time Manchester Half Marathon 2025

It’s been a few days since the 2025 Manchester Half, and news of personal bests and records being matched/broken continues to flood in, but nothing quite beats the fastest caterpillar EVER getting themselves in the Guinness book.

Yes, we did say caterpillar.

In case you have no idea what we’re talking about (it’s pretty much what it says on the tin), a caterpillar refers to when multiple runners stick themselves in a daft bit of fancy dress and race in a line while joined together in a suit that looks like, well, you get the gist…

Fun and wholesome in itself, right? Indeed, better still, though, it appears as though this particular group of fundraisers not only completed this year’s Manchester Half-marathon with the added challenge of running behind one another in a caterpillar outfit, but have just smashed the Guinness World Record.

As you can see, the four top blokes – Matthew Athersmith, Eddie Evans, Andrew Cairns and Jimmy Craig – didn’t just get the 13.1-mile feat completed quickly; they were absolutely RAPID.

The 2025 MCR Half saw plenty of people breaching the 90-minute mark or going even faster, but we were not expecting to see the familiar caterpillar fancy dress sight finishing in 1:14:08.

Utterly ridiculous, boys.

Other notable bits of history made, besides the largest ever crowd of 28k racers and more than £1.6 million raised for different charities, included runner Sophie Godley smashing the women’s record for the fastest time while carrying (*checks notes*) 13 golf clubs. Silly and inspiring – like it.

Although they’re still waiting for full confirmation from the official Guinness World Records organisation, the Manchester Half media team seemingly verified that they beat the previous caterpillar half-marathon record by nearly 15 whole minutes.

Dubbing themselves ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, the group of mates from Skipton in North Yorkshire ran in memory of one of Matthew’s friends, Darren, who sadly died back in 2022.

Speaking to the BBC following the remarkable achievement, Matt said: “Darren was so loved by everyone; we just didn’t know what was going on beneath the surface.”

Applauding the “unbelievable” and incredibly uplifting atmosphere on the day, they were one of many participants who added on extra caveats to the already impressive fitness and fundraising challenge.

It was nevertheless an emotional day for all of them. For instance, one quarter of the caterpillar, Jimmy, also had a heavily pregnant wife waiting at home that he had to race back to.

Generating money for male mental health organisation and suicide prevention charity, Andy’s Man Club (AMC), which has continued to grow year on year, they went on to add: “It’s OK to talk, and people shouldn’t suffer in silence. We all would have tried to help.”

Andy’s Man Club outposts are popping up all over the place, including many here in Greater Manchester, so for anyone struggling, please know that you are NOT alone and can always speak to someone. If you’re interested in giving AMC a go, you can find your nearest support group HERE.

Last but not least, for those of you local to the region who are ready to reward yourselves now that the big runs are all said and done, look no further.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Manchester Half (supplied)/Andy’s Man Club

Trafford

George Ford has signed a new long-term contract with Sale Sharks

Danny Jones Danny Jones George Ford new three year deal Sale Sharks contract

Manc rugby union player and fan favourite George Ford has extended his stay at Sale, putting pen to paper on a new and improved contract in what is a key deal for the Sharks.

The England international and Sale Sharks fly-half is one of the Greater Manchester side’s key senior figures and has remained a popular pick among supporters ever since he arrived.

With that in mind, besides tying down the Curry twins to long-term deals back in April, securing a new contract for their crucial kicker is probably one of the most important bits of business the Eccles-based team have done in some time.

Confirming the fresh terms on Wednesday, 15 October, George Ford has now agreed a new three-year deal to stay at Sale as the Sharks boast three wins in their last four games.

Extending his stay at the club until at least 2029, the announcement has obviously gone down a treat with the fan base; reactions have ranged from simple responses of “Fantastic news!” and fire emojis to nothing more than “phew…”, with many worried that the talented 32-year-old might be moving on.

The Oldham-born athlete, who has already earned 102 England caps, became the Sharks’ 358th professional player just a few short years ago.

After shining at Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby, before going on to become a fully-fledged first-team Red Roses star, Ford returned to the North to sign for Sale ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, with the Sharks going on to finish as runners-up against Saracens.

Despite struggling with an Achilles injury, he recovered in good time and came back strong to help his teammates on their way to a Gallagher Premiership final in his first season with the Sharks.

Since then, he’s scored some crucial penalty kicks and drop goals, racking up a total of 341 points as he closes in on half a century of appearances.

Speaking on signing the new deal, the local lad said: “It’s brilliant to have the contract agreed. I’ve really enjoyed my time here, and I’ve loved representing the North. The importance of that isn’t lost on me.

george ford bath rugby
Credit: Charlie (via Flickr)
how long was george ford at leicester tigers
Kafuffle via WikiCommons
He’s come a long way since his days with the Tigers and Bath, but his kicks have only gotten better.

“I drive from Saddleworth to Carrington [Lane Training Ground] every day, and I can see the city in the distance, and it makes me incredibly proud”, says Ford. “I’m proud to represent the region and the people up here, and I want to inspire the next generation.

“You see so many kids up here who are passionate about playing rugby, and I want us to be a team that inspires those kids to want to do what we’re lucky enough to do.”

Ford committing his future to the club also comes not long after ‘Ernie’ van Rhyn not only signed a new contract but was given the armband for the year ahead – both of which have been received positively by the shiver.

You can also hear what Director of Rugby, Alex Sanderson, had to say on George Ford signing his new three-year deal down below.

As he continues in a full statement shared via the club website, “With the players and the coaches that we have here, I feel like I can still improve and be challenged as a player. I feel the best place for me to do that is right here.

“As a team, we want to take the next step, and I’m more determined than ever to help us do that. The ambition from the club is obvious, and I know we’re going to achieve great things in the future, but we’re at our best when we focus on the next game.

“I want to keep playing well for Sale Sharks, and I want to keep influencing the team as much as I can. That comes first. I love playing for my country, but I know that I only get that opportunity if I’m playing consistently well for Sale. So that’s my focus.”

He also reiterated that, besides enjoying his rugby, being back home has also helped support his family, with his wife running multiple restaurants alongside being a full-time mum, adding: “To be around to help and support her in any way I can is so important to me. That’s played a big part in us being so settled and happy here.”

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Rugby World Cup (screenshot via YouTube)/Sale Sharks (via X)

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