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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Tailgaters and middle lane hoggers warned to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style
Emily Sergeant
A warning has been issued to tailgaters and motorway middle lane hoggers urging them to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style.
Do you find yourself guilty of two of the biggest driving sins from time to time?
Well, according to the latest figures released by National Highways, one in three motorists have admitted to middle lane hogging in their lives, while one in four have committed acts of tailgating on some of the UK’s fastest roads.
These shocking survey findings – which were released back in early March as the Government-owned road management company launched a new campaign – showed that lane hogging was among the behaviours that are most likely to cause motorists and passengers to feel ‘frustrated’, and tailgating was most likely to cause feelings of unease, stress, and anxiety.
Nearly a third (32%) of drivers admitted to lane hogging ‘at least occasionally’ while driving on England’s motorways and major A roads, according to the survey – which polled 2,500 adults between the ages of 16-75.
On top of this, almost seven in ten adults in England (67%) said close following or tailgating is a ‘serious problem’ on these types of roads, but nearly a quarter (23%) admitted to doing it from time to time.
Tut-tut.
Tailgaters and middle lane hoggers have been warned to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style (Credit: IPTC/Ronald Hudson)
It’s these very statistics which have led National Highways to issue an urgent warning that calls on these motorists to “carefully consider” their driving habits, as “little changes can change everything”.
Lane hogging and tailgating both fall under the offence of ‘careless driving’ in England, with the country’s police forces having the power to hand out on-the-spot fines of £100 and three penalty points to those who commit such offences.
“Middle lane hogging and tailgating are far more than mere annoyances for drivers,” warned RAC road safety spokesperson, Rod Dennis, adding that these actions “put everyone on the roads at risk.”
If you’re too close to the vehicle in front, you’re tailgating. This is very dangerous and could lead to a collision. Always leave at least a two-second gap and make sure you follow the advice from The Highway Code.
He continued in his reaction to the release of the latest National Highways figures: “Closely following another motorist could easily result in a serious collision should the driver ahead need to brake sharply for any reason, so the fact nearly one in four drivers admitted to doing so on some of England’s fastest and busiest roads is frightening”.
Mr Dennis said he understands that offenders “might find these habits hard to kick”, but that’s why the urgent calls for motorists to make changes are “so important”.
“By understanding that how we choose to drive affects others, we can each make a real difference to the safety of our roads,” he concluded.
Paddy McGuinness admits he thinks Bolton is ‘still in Lancashire’ not Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Paddy McGuinness has admitted that he believes “Bolton still falls under Lancashire” and not Greater Manchester.
The famous comedian and TV presenter – who was born and raised in Farnworth in 1973, back when it genuinely was still categorised as Lancashire – made the somewhat controversial declaration to his millions of followers on Instagram this week as he shared some pictures of himself that are currently featuring as part of a photography exhibition.
McGuinness is one of dozens of local famous faces forming part of the ‘Greater Mancunians’ project by The Manchester College.
150 students have participated in the landmark photography project – which is currently on display down at Manchester Central Library’s Main Exhibition Hall – and it features images of some of Manchester’s most famous and influential people shot at numerous locations across the city.
Noel Gallagher, Johnny Marr, Ricky Hatton, Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, Maxine Peake, Jonathan Warburton, and Professor Erinma Bell MBE are among the 100 contributors featured in the project, alongside McGuinness.
The 50-year-old, who is most well-known for his acting and presenting roles in Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy’s Road To Nowhere, Take Me Out, and Top Gear, says it was “a real honour” to be featured in the exhibition.
McGuinness wrote on Instagram: “It was a real honour to take part in the Greater Mancunians project with the students at The Manchester College. The exhibition is full of people from music, comedy, politics, poetry, television, medicine and beyond.”
He then said it’s “well worth popping in if you’re in town”, before dropping the final Bolton-related bombshell: “PS, I’m still saying Bolton falls under Lancashire.”
In case you’re unfamiliar with the borough’s history, Bolton was considered to be a part of Lancashire until Greater Manchester was formally established all the way back on 1 April 1974 – but still to this day, the town is located within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire.
Paddy McGuinness admits he thinks Bolton is ‘still in Lancashire’, not Greater Manchester (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
After making the bold claim about Bolton’s geographical location, McGuinness has been met with praise and has received hundreds of comments from other Bolton and wider Greater Manchester residents agreeing with him and sharing their similar opinions under the post.
“I think they should redefine Lancashire back to its old borders, it would bring unity to the area and create a northern powerhouse,” one person commented.
Another fan wrote: “Bolton will always be in Lancashire for me”, while a third commented: “ALWAYS Lancashire. Can’t move land boundaries, they’re not pieces of paper,” a fourth shared a similar sentiment: “They can tell us we’re Greater Manchester, but I know Im a Lancashire lass,” and a fifth added: “Lancashire all the way lad.”
“BOLTON WILL ALWAYS BE LANCASHIRE,” another clearly strong-viewed comment reads.
Emily Sergeant -
18th February 2021 
