A new £250,000 track for the BMX community has officially been unveiled for junior riders in Salford this week.
After young people in the area named it top of their wish list, and fresh from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics successes of Manchester’s very-own Charlotte Worthington – who became the first woman in history to land a 360-degree backflip in competition – and teammates Beth Shriever and Kye Whyte, Peel Park in Little Hulton now has a swanky new BMX track for stars of the future to train on.
The 200-metre long track can be used by bikes, roller skates, and skateboards – and is suitable for beginners through to experienced riders.
Created by Salford City Council in partnership with sports charity Access to Sport, and supported by the Little Hulton Big Local campaign, the track has been incredibly popular with local people since it was completed in June.
An average of 60 people have been said to be using the track each day since it opened.
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The Little Hulton Community Pump Track has been built by specialists for a mixture of both casual and recreational use, ensuring that everyone in the community can make the most of it.
The new track opens fresh after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics success of Manchester’s very-own Charlotte Worthington / Credit: Olympics / Twitter (@TeamGB)
Access to Sport also used Salford City Council’s Crowdfunder initiative to raise over £15,000, which will be spent on running specialist ‘learn to ride’ programmes for disabled young people to give them the confidence to get out and ride a bike.
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“More and more people are enjoying cycling and BMX biking was given a huge boost by the recent Olympics,” said Paul Dennett, City Mayor of Salford on the opening of the new track.
“This is a top class facility for everyone to enjoy and who knows, it may create cycling champions of the future.”
Chris Boardman MBE – Chair of Sport England, and Greater Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner- added: “This new facility will support our city region-wide ambition to enable more people to make everyday trips without cars, helping people to build confidence using bikes and trikes, and acting as a hub for a range of community groups.
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“I wish all those involved great success.”
Featured Image – Salford Council
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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.