Chester Zoo has sadly confirmed the devastating loss of a much-loved elephant who has been with them for nearly 30 years.
Conservationists at the UK’s leading charity zoo said it was with an “extremely heavy heart” that they share news of the death of the endangered Asian elephant – Thi Hi Way – this afternoon.
Thi – who was the long-time matriarch of the family herd of Asian elephants at Chester Zoo – had been living with arthritis which was linked to her early years spent in a logging camp in Myanmar. Elephant care experts at the zoo had been helping her with daily medication and innovative hydrotherapy sessions for some time, but sadly the treatment programme finally began to lose effect.
Following a period of intensive end-of-life care and an irreversible decline in her condition, the “hugely difficult decision” was made to put her to sleep.
Thi was a great grandmother and had given birth to several calves in her time, including Assam in 2000 and Anjan in 2018. Her exact date of birth is not known as she was born in Myanmar where she spent several years living in a logging camp before being rescued by conservationists working for London Zoo.
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After a short period living there, she moved to Chester Zoo in 1991.
Chester Zoo
Mike Jordan – Director of Animals and Plants at Chester Zoo – said: “This is a truly heartbreaking day. Generations of zoo visitors and the vast majority of our staff have never known a Chester Zoo without great grandmother elephant, Thi Hi Way.
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“She was deeply loved and will be enormously missed. Thi was a giant within the global conservation community.
“While today is terribly sad, we also look back and celebrate her life and remember the hugely positive impact she’s had – not just on the multi-generational family herd here at Chester but on Asian elephant research, understanding and conservation, globally.
“Thi had a big personality. She was a real ambassador for her species and, in many ways, a pioneer. A great deal of what conservationists know about Asian elephant biology and behaviour and the way that these remarkable animals live and reproduce has been learnt from Thi and her offspring. She has greatly enhanced our collective knowledge of this wonderful species and leaves an extraordinary legacy, one which has benefitted, and will continue to benefit, Asian elephants everywhere.
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“Chester Zoo is at the forefront of the fight for endangered Asian elephants and Thi will always be remembered as an integral part of that.”
Chester Zoo
Alan Littlehales – a Keeper who worked with Thi for more than two decades – added: “I’ve known Thi for over 20 years and she was dearly beloved – a wonderful mother, grandmother and great grandmother and central to the growing family herd at the zoo.
“Thi was a hugely influential elephant.
“She has helped us to completely revolutionise how to best care for elephants in progressive zoos and these world-class husbandry techniques are now influencing elephant care globally. We’ll always remember Thi Hi Way. She was a huge personality and her solid, steady presence will be greatly missed.”
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Manchester crowned UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Prague, Amsterdam, Benidorm, and now… Manchester?
Jetting off to some of Europe’s cheapest capital cities for a boozy night out with your mates before tying the knot is pretty common-place in the world of stag do culture nowadays.
But some new research has now revealed the UK cities that deliver a legendary last hurrah without the price tag, or the need to hop on a plane.
Chillisauce, the UK’s leading hen and stag organiser, has analysed 81,000+ recent group bookings alongside survey feedback from 4,738 stag groups, cross-referenced against live 2026 travel fares, accommodation, and pint prices.
To devise its top 10 list, real price data has been blended with verified group satisfaction to guarantee stags and their pals the best experience.
With the pull of a major city with music, sport, food, and nightlife without London prices, Manchester was crowned the best-value city for a stag do in 2026 overall.
Manchester has been crowned the UK’s best-value stag do destination for 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council | shawnanggg (via Unsplash)
The average pint runs a little higher in Manchester than the smaller cities on the list, but groups rated the sheer scale and quality of the night out well above the cost, calling it ‘much more affordable than the South of England’ and ‘cheaper than London’.
For a weekend in Manchester, research found that the average cost per person includes £86.36 for accommodation, £36.66 for an activity, £25.08 for a drinks package, £29.35 for a meal, and the average pint coming in at £6.
“We send thousands of groups to Prague, Amsterdam, and Benidorm every year,” said Robyn Davis, Head of Stag and Hen at Chillisauce,”but Manchester keeps delivering nights out that groups tell us beat their expectations.
“There are also those only-in-Manchester touches too, like catching a match at Old Trafford or the Etihad on the same trip.
“Groups describe the locals as up for a laugh and the whole city as ‘built for a stag weekend,’ with a huge number of them already planning to go back, which is the real test of a great destination.”
Other northern destinations on the top 10 list include Newcastle, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
16th September 2020 
