The RSPCA has put out an appeal to find a forever home for dog who has been in kennels for over a year due to suffering from allergies that have left him almost entirely hairless.
West Highland Terrier Jay was taken in by RSPCA Macclesfield in January 2021 when his former owners suddenly fell ill and could no longer take care of him, but he has since been waiting for 411 days to find a new home, and the UK’s leading animal charity believe this may be because potential owners are put off by his lack of fur.
Due to his health problems, Jay has a specialist diet and is also losing his sight, so he will need ongoing veterinary care, medication, and support in his new home as he ages.
Speaking on what Jay will need from his new home, Carmen Cole, from RSPCA Macclesfield, said: “Jay is such a little character and while he may be small, he certainly makes up for that in personality.
“We worry that [his lack of hair] is what’s putting potential adopters off of offering him a new home but we really hope that there’ll be someone out there who can look past his lack of hair and see that he has a whole lot of love to give.”
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West Highland Terrier Jay was taken in by RSPCA Macclesfield in January 2021 / Credit: RSPCA
She continued: “Poor Jay does have a lot of health problems which are sadly common for his breed, and as he’s aged, some of these problems have flared up and we recently had to put his home search on hold due to recurring ear infections.
“He has been in a foster home and is doing well – but the team is desperate to find him a permanent home”
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Staff at RSPCA Macclesfield said they would like potential owners to visit Jay several times before taking him home, so that they can learn how to administer his medication and so he can learn to trust them, as while Jay can be left home alone for short periods of time, he would like someone who is around for most of the day as he needs regular visits to the garden.
“We know it is going to be a struggle to find a home that will tick all of Jay’s boxes and we understand that the cost of his ongoing care may be putting people off,” Carmen added.
“But we won’t give up on Jay.
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The animal charity believe this may be because potential owners are put off by his lack of fur / Credit: RSPCA
“He is a spicy character, who is a cheeky chappie with heaps of charm and who has expensive taste, but being this cute doesn’t come cheap. It takes a lot of work to look as good as he does and he deserves the very best [because] he’s a real softie with his own quirks, and that’s what makes him so charming and lovable.
“He is an absolute sweetheart and will make such a wonderful pet or companion for the right person.”
You can find out more about giving Jay a home here.
The Chestergate pub in Stockport is at it again with some of the most wonderfully Manc scenes you’ll ever see
Danny Jones
The legendary Chestergate pub in Stockport is back with another belter of a video, following on from their viral belly-flashing clip of 2022.
The Mersey Square boozer has painted yet another quintessentially Northern depiction of UK pub culture with the latest Manc scenes they’ve captured around the karaoke machine.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of stumbling into The Chestergate in Stockport town centre, the long-standing boozer currently operated by publican chain Blind Tiger Inns, you’re seriously missing out.
While it might not be the flashiest of pubs, when it comes to entertainment, it always delivers.
Whether it’s stunts like renaming themselves ‘The Southgate’ whenever the Euros or World Cup rolls around, or the locals just genuinely having a whale of a time no matter what day of the week it is, it really sums up the best of pub culture.
The Chestergate went viral for some of the most British footage ever caught on film back in 2022 and the videos saw a huge wave of love and support flooding in for the pub, as well as a healthy amount of chuckles. Safe to say we were chuffed to see them pop back up on our feed again recently.
Karaoke night at The Chestergate literally never disappoints.
Forget ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ or ‘Champagne Supernova’ for karaoke songs – we’ll take a cacophony of inaudible throwback pop music, whilst another bloke and his hype man try and MC over a totally ill-fitting beat any day of the week.
And that’s handy because you’ll find those kinds of shenanigans happening at this place all the time.
It’s simultaneously one of the most no-nonsense and somehow a non-stop shenanigan-filled paradise. They also look after their own and consider their regulars part of the family. Case and point: they threw their very own ‘Dancing Queen’ Molly a big bash for her 86th birthday and it’s such wholesome viewing.
At this point, it’s worth flagging that we have nothing but envy for these folks and anyone who’s just out there having the time of their lives on any random weeknight.
Yes, it produced plenty of laughs for those watching online in recent times but this lot won’t mind one bit – not only is the pub seeing more and more new faces through the door but that’s the whole point of a pub, isn’t it? Going for a pint with your nearest and dearest and having a laugh.
Not only is it very Manchester but it’s Britain at its very best.
We hope to see you at The Chestergate pub in Stockport for a pint or two sometime soon and we’re making a bit of a prat of ourselves, don’t worry, we’re sure they’ll have the cameras ready for you.
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.
Emily Sergeant -
18th March 2022 
