An “inspirational” young woman with terminal brain cancer has achieved another one of the dreams on her bucket list by getting to become a Manchester firefighter for the day.
22-year-old Laura Nuttall, from Barrowford in Lancashire, was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme – an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer – following a routine eye test back in 2018, and was told she only had around 12 months to live after she was found to have eight tumours.
Since her diagnosis, Laura has bravely endured a craniotomy to remove the largest tumour, been through a gruelling programme of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and has regularly travelled to Germany for innovative new immunotherapy treatment.
Laura’s shock diagnosis initially led to her leaving university in London to concentrate on treatment and ticking items off her bucket list.
After responding so well to the immunotherapy treatment, Laura was able to restart her studies, this time a little closer to home at the University of Manchester, and grabbed headlines when she graduated back in July and was able to celebrate with her mum Nicola, dad Mark, and sister Grace proudly watching on.
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Meeting former First Lady Michelle Obama, commanding a Royal Navy ship, presenting a live BBC weather forecast, and accompanying legendary Bolton comedian Peter Kay to a Michelin-starred pub lunch, are some of the things Laura has been able to tick off her bucket list over the last few years – but despite all these achievements, she wasn’t done just yet.
Her sights were set on the fire service.
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22-year-old terminal cancer patient Laura Nuttall got to become a Manchester firefighter for the day / Credit: GMFRS
After seeing and being inspired by her story in the news, firefighter Aaron Lee invited Laura and her parents to pay a visit to Oldham Fire Station – where he is based – for the day.
Laura says she has long had an interest in the fire service, and was thrilled to accept the invitation to head down one day a couple of weeks back.
It’s an experience Laura says she’ll never forget as she continues to “defy the odds”.
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The 22-year-old was given a tour of the fire station and shown around a working fire engine, with a demonstration on how all of the hundreds of components work, before she was then able to pull on her own firefighter’s uniform and try it out for herself.
Laura was not only taken out for a ride in a working fire engine, but she was also taken up in a cherry picker, and got to hold a hose too.
Inspirational Laura Nuttall (22) was given 12 months to live in 2018 but she's defying odds as she continues to tick off bucket list goals.
— Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) December 23, 2022
“It was an absolute privilege to be joined by Laura and her mum and dad for the day,” Aaron said.
“I, and everyone else at Oldham Fire Station, have been really touched by Laura’s fight and resilience, so to be able to invite her here for the day really is the least we can do. The courage and positivity she shows is so inspiring and I’m really pleased we were able to give her an experience I hope she won’t forget.
“She’s a real hero and I wish her the very best.”
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Laura said the unique day out was something she “never thought [she’d] be able to do.
“I’m really grateful to Aaron and everyone else at Oldham Fire Station for going out of their way to show me round for the day,” she added.
Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
26th December 2022 
