A woman from Manchester has been crowned the winner of a nationwide competition in search of the messiest car in the UK.
And she’s beaten out over 200 submissions to the top spot too.
For some of us, our car truly is our pride and joy, but for others, it’s nothing more than a dumping ground on wheels, which is why leading car parts supplier, Euro Car Parts, decided to launch a competition seeking out the messiest motor in the country and asked drivers to submit a photo of their untidy car for a chance to win what would be, for them, a much-needed £200 car cleaning product bundle.
Whether it’s a title to carry with pride or not, that didn’t stop hundreds of people from sending in their entries in the hopes of taking the crown.
But it was 32-year-old Louise Duffy from right here in Manchester who’s been named the winner.
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“I am delighted beyond belief.” Louise said.
“Whilst some people might not be happy to claim this title, I certainly am.
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“The car gets so messy because of my happy kids, who apparently know where everything is, which makes for lots of chaos [so] I am absolutely thrilled to win the prize, and my boys will love to clean out the car with our new goodies.”
Louise Duffy / Euro Car Parts
Speaking on the winner of this year’s competition, Helen Robinson – Corporate Communications Director at Euro Car Parts – said: “We hope that the cleaning bundle helps Louise keep her car in sparkling condition from now on”.
Louise may have taken the crown, but she’s also in good company too after being joined by another fellow Greater Mancunian and local Cheshire resident in the top 10 too.
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Elizabeth Barton from Wigan, and Marianne Sparkes from Macclesfield, have been named as runners up.
When it came to Elizabeth’s entry though, she wasn’t actually the culprit with the messy vehicle and instead took it upon herself to enter her husband’s car into the competition, which she apparently flat out refuses to sit inside of as it hasn’t been cleaned in four years.
Marianne, on the other hand, is the owner of her messy car entry and claims to empty it regularly, but her kids soon see to making a mess again.
Elizabeth Barton
Marianne Sparkes
“Cleaning out your car can often fall to the bottom of your list of jobs, and we’re sure that for many, these images may be a familiar sight.” Helen Robinson continued.
“[But] giving your car a clean from time to time means you and your passengers will have a safer and more pleasant driving experience [and] we recommend cleaning the inside of your car fairly regularly, especially now that many vehicles aren’t being used as often, as unpleasant smells may build up”.
You can find some top tips for cleaning and valeting your car from the comfort of your own home via the Euro Car Parts website here.
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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
You can now have a private sleepover amongst all the history inside Manchester Museum
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum is now offering one lucky family the chance to have a sleepover with Stan the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
The Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery is one of the most iconic spaces within Manchester Museum.
Having opened to the public all the way back in 1888, it’s part of the museum’s original building designed by celebrated Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
You can now have a private sleepover inside Manchester Museum / Credit: The Manc Group
“We can’t be completely sure what happens when the sun goes down in our Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery, because nobody has ever spent the night in there before, but we can only imagine the kind of fun that can be had with Stan the T. rex and his friends,” said Dean Whiteside, Head of Commercial and Operations at Manchester Museum.
“This is a chance to be a part of museum history and enjoy the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t usually buy.
“At the same time, Manchester Museum is a charity so, by getting behind this initiative, you’ll be helping to support vital work that impacts the lives of people across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Fancy it then? You can enter the prize draw by buying a ticket for £5 from the Manchester Museum Shop, with each ticket counting as one entry and the winner set to be chosen at random from all valid entries.
The prize draw is now open and closes on Monday 28 September 2026.
Emily Sergeant -
18th February 2021 
