Dog owners across Greater Manchester are being reminded of the dangers of conkers and acorns now autumn is here.
Now that temperatures are dropping and the leaves are falling, the UK’s leading animal welfare charity Blue Cross has issued a fresh warning for dog owners to keep in mind when they’re out and about with their four-legged friends over the next couple of months.
Owners are urged to be vigilant as conkers and acorns can not only be poisonous to dogs, but can also become lodged in their throat or intestines.
Alison Thomas – Head of Veterinary Services at Blue Cross – explained: “Many dog owners do not realise that these iconic symbols of autumn can make dogs very sick, in some cases even deadly.
“Encouraging your dog to play with conkers is dangerous and can lead to tragic circumstances.
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“Be vigilant on walks to make sure they aren’t picking them up or playing with them.
“Keep them on a lead around conkers and acorns if you aren’t 100% sure they would come back to you when called.”
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Owners are urged to be vigilant as conkers and acorns can be poisonous to dogs / Credit: PublicDomainPictures
To best keep things on the safe side, owners are urged not to throw conkers and acorns for their dogs to catch, as any lockages caused by these hidden hazards may require pups to undergo surgery to get them removed, and if they manage to chew and eat conkers and acorns, it will likely cause vomiting and diarrhoea too.
So, what are the warning signs? What should dog owners be looking out for?
Signs of poisoning from conkers and acorns include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, restlessness with discomfort, and pain or loss of appetite, and it’s important to keep an eye on your pet as signs of illness usually show between one and six hours after ingestion.
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“Contact your vet if they appear unwell after a walk where there may have been conkers or acorns,” the Blue Cross advises.
Home Bargains has announced a special two-day closure of all UK stores
Emily Sergeant
Home Bargains has, once again, announced it’ll be closing all its UK stores on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day this year.
And it’s to make sure staff get a ‘well deserved break’.
After what has been yet another busy year for the retail industry, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off, which is why Home Bargains is following on with what has become a now-annual tradition by shutting up shop on two bank holidays.
All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day & New Years Day.
Announcing the move in a post on social media, the discount retailer confirmed: “All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day and New Years Day. We would like to thank all our colleagues for how hard you have worked this past year, and want you to relax and enjoy the Christmas break with your loved ones.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the retailer has kept its doors shut on bank holidays.
Many shoppers will recall it has made the same decision to give hardworking staff a break every year since 2019.
Explaining a little more about the decision taken to close all its stores, Home Bargains said: “As a family-run business, we know the importance of being together at Christmas with those we care about most, now more than ever.
“This is our way of saying thank you to our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication.”
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Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week
Emily Sergeant
Who says breakfast has to end at 11am?
In news that’s set to be music to the ears of breakfast lovers in Manchester, Greggs is giving them exactly what they want.
We all know that brunch is a ‘thing’ by now, so now it’s time for brinner to make a name for itself instead, as Greggs has teamed up with Heinz to bring its much-loved breakfast menu back for tea time, kicking off from 4pm onwards.
The move comes as a new survey has found that the majority of Mancs (69%) admit to enjoying eating breakfast food in the evening, saying it’s ‘convenient and comforting’ – even ranking breakfast as a ‘more important’ meal than tea, as well (38% vs 36%).
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week / Credit: Greggs (Supplied)
Greggs says it has ‘lost count’ of the amount of customers that have tried to order breakfast items after the usual cut-off time, especially in Greater Manchester.
But luckily for those breakfast-loving Mancs, they can finally get their favourite breakfast and sauce pairing long after the morning rush is over next… but only at two Greggs branches, and only for a very limited time.
On Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, the Heinz x Greggs Brinner collab will be available at Greggs St Mary’s Gate and Greggs Oxford Road, from 4-7pm only.
“We’ve lost count of the number of customers who have tried their luck ordering breakfast after 11am, so when Heinz came to us with the idea of making Brinner a reality, it felt like the perfect excuse to give the people what they want,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Customer Director at Greggs.
“And let’s be honest, a Greggs Bacon Roll just wouldn’t be the same without a squeeze of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.”
Emily Sergeant -
13th October 2021 
