A heartwarming video of a Sainsbury’s staff member surprising his autistic colleague with £400 in gifts to lift his spirits after he was mugged earlier in the week has gone viral on social media.
After an attack left Tommy struggling to eat and with injuries to his face, Liam Mason was determined to cheer up his friend and colleague by organising a whip-round via a Crowdfund on Twitter, which saw him manage to raise over £400 in total.
The funds raised meant that Liam and his fellow colleagues at a Manchester-based Sainsbury’s branch could treat Tommy to a £350 gift card and a Manchester United shirt.
Sharing the video to Twitter yesterday, Liam said: “As some of you on here already know, a lad I work with who has autism was mugged on Monday. We managed to get a whip-round on the go and raised over £400 [so] thank you to everybody who donated and passed on their best on here.
“He doesn’t show his emotions very well, but he’s buzzing.”
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As some of you on here already know a lad I work with who has autism was mugged on Monday. We managed to get a whip round on the go and raised over £400! Thank you to everybody who donated and passed on their best on here. He doesn’t show his emotions very well but he’s buzzing pic.twitter.com/WEx2qQx049
The video has since been viewed more than 1.2 million times, and has amassed over 70K interactions and comments from both famous faces and members of the public praising Liam and the wider team for their generosity and kind-hearted actions.
Following the overwhelmingly positive response to the video, Liam has since said in a follow-up tweet that Tommy “started tearing up”.
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He said: “It’s genuinely made his day/month/year [and] I can’t thank everybody who got involved enough. Social media gets a lot of negativity thrown about and a bad name so it’s good to use the platform for something nice and genuine for once – fair play guys.”
He continued: “I’m absolutely buzzing with how much positivity this has spread.
“[Twitter] is mad at times [but] if this has made you smile today, then I’m over the moon for you too. The future is uncertain but that doesn’t mean we can’t be nice to each other.
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“Absolutely belting.”
While most of the public response received has remained positive, Liam did choose to clear a few things up regarding COVID-safety protocols, as well address a couple of negative comments about why they chose to film the surprise.
Can’t believe I’m having to further justify this. Yes we were in a shop without masks on but it was before we were open to the public. As soon as we opened, masks were worn as usual when working in an open for business environment. We wear masks for 8 hours a day give us a break
“I just wanted to say thanks a lot for all the support and kind words directed at me.” he said.
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“It’s hard to get through all the messages, but just wanted to say I couldn’t do this by myself and everybody who donated deserves a portion of credit too.
“I’m just happy we put a smile on his face”.
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Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK – this is why
Emily Sergeant
A list of the top 10 most affordable cities in the UK has been revealed, and Manchester has made the cut for one very specific reason.
On a bit of a budget? Aren’t we all.
The cost of living crisis has been raging on for quite a few years now, and unfortunately, despite how much we all wish for it to, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down – with prices for everyday items, especially typical fridge and cupboard stables, shooting up by the day, even though supermarkets are showing efforts to prevent it.
And it’s the noticeable price increases in groceries that led delivery insurance provider, Street Cover, to uncover which UK cities don’t strain your food shopping budgets too much just yet.
As it was found that food and non-alcoholic drinks inflation reached 1.3% this past summer, a new study has revealed that Sheffield is officially the most affordable city in the UK, with several other northern locations on the list.
Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK / Credit: MCC | Aldi
The study compared the 2026 Grocery Index for the largest UK cities with the UK average, as well as available 2025 Grocery Indices, to track the changes in food affordability.
The cities are ranked by the index difference from the national average – which is 67.3 – but the report also uses direct monetary values for a grocery basket to provide some additional context too.
Manchester took sixth place on the list, with an average grocery basket price of £23.08, while some of the other northern cities in the top 10, besides Sheffield at number one, include Liverpool, Leeds, and Newcastle.
Top 10 Most Affordable UK Cities For Groceries
Sheffield
Milton Keynes
Liverpool
Reading
Newcastle
Manchester
Leeds
Bristol
Cardiff
Southampton
As the only other North West city in the top 10, Liverpool may have come in third place overall, but the study found that the grocery bill here is the smallest in terms of actual monetary numbers – with it setting shoppers back £22.08 for a regular supermarket basket, which is a whole £1 cheaper than in Manchester.
“Data shows households in the North East of England have the lowest average food spend in the country, around 11% below the UK average, while Yorkshire sits 6.6% below,” Al Taylor, who is the Head of Street Cover, commented on the study’s findings.
“Sheffield’s position at the top reflects lower property costs for retailers, less competition from premium chains, and a supermarket landscape dominated by value-led options.
“The practical implication for household budgets is significant – the difference between budget and premium shopping can easily be £1,000 or more per year for a family, which can be spent on other things or saved for future plans.”
Featured Image – Aldi
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Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’
Emily Sergeant
Call yourself a clever clogs? The BBC is currently looking for contestants to take part in what is widely considered the hardest quiz show on TV.
That’s right – Only Connect is back for another series on BBC Two.
Presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and first broadcast all the way back in 2008, Only Connect takes TV quizzing to the next level, as it sees two teams compete against each other by finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues.
In this quiz show – which viewers have dubbed one of the most challenging there is – knowledge only takes you so far, as the ability to think laterally is also deemed ‘vitally important’.
A casting call for the upcoming 2027 series has been shared on the BBC website, with people from Greater Manchester encouraged to apply.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’ / Credit: BBC
The casting call reads: “The popular BBC Two quiz show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell returns for a new series in 2027.
“Only Connect is seeking teams of three players OR single applicants or teams of two looking for like-minded teammates to pool their combined wits to solve fiendish conundrums and vexing puzzles.
“This is the quiz series where, as in life itself, knowledge will only take you so far: patience and lateral thinking are also vital. It’s all about making connections between things which may appear, at first glance, not to be connected at all.”
Reckon you’ve got what it takes then? Applications are now open, and all applicants must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK or Channel Islands.
Emily Sergeant -
15th February 2021 
