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.
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 -
26th December 2022 
