A “kind-hearted” Asda employee – who went viral for her actions after an elderly man collapsed in store – has revealed she also got engaged on the same day.
Gemma Parish – 26, who is originally from Devon but now lives in Hindley, Wigan and also works part-time for the North West Ambulance Service – leapt into action when a customer fell over at the Asda supermarket in Daubhill, Bolton, back in October.
She rushed to look after the elderly shopper and stayed with him for half an hour, reassuring him until he felt better, before paying for his shopping out of her own back pocket and arranging for a taxi to pick him up.
Gemma was given a ‘Silver Service Superstar Award’ by Asda following the incident.
The supermarket chain took to social media to share the story of Gemma’s heroic actions earlier this month on 2nd December in a now-viral post which saw over 29K interactions, hundreds of shares and thousands of comments from members of the public.
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The store reimbursed Gemma for her kindness and store manager Ava Joyce – who nominated Gemma for the Asda award – said: “The customer – who’s a regular here – had a small amount of shopping and was panicking that he needed it, so Gemma went and paid for it from her own pocket so that the gentlemen had his essentials [and] she then arranged for him to get a taxi home.
“This was a lovely gesture and we are all very proud of her here.”
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She added: “Gemma’s a lovely caring colleague who always goes above and beyond.”
Speaking on her viral fame, Gemma said: “People keep tagging me in it and every time I look there are loads more people liking and sharing it. I was one of the store’s first aiders but he didn’t want any help so I just stayed with him”.
She continued: “He normally had a mobility scooter but it had a puncture so he’d walked and I just think he was exhausted.”
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That’s not all though.
Wednesday 2nd December isn’t a date Gemma is going to forget any time soon as it also happens to be the day her now-fiancé Tom Sutton proposed.
Gemma and Tom met while travelling around Australia last year.
“We got together October last year but we actually met in June when we were backpacking,” said Tom.
“We came back to England in March because of COVID. She’s originally from Devon but she made the decision to come and move here with me. She’s worked for Asda for four years, first in Devon and then Hindley, and then moved to Bolton to be section leader in the summer.
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“When she was asked into the store for a photograph we didn’t really think anything of it, but it’s just taken off.
“She found it hilarious at first but she can’t believe how far it’s gone. You always hear these stories of people and you think ‘it’ll never be me’ but it is, so it’s quite funny really.”
From everyone here at The Manc – congratulations Gemma & Tom.
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Two North West cities named among the ‘noisiest’ in the UK – including Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A new analysis has revealed a list of the noisiest cities in the UK, and two Greater Manchester locations are in the top five.
From blaring sirens and car horns, to house parties, barking dogs, and loud neighbours, escaping the noise of a city can feel almost impossible – even in your own home.
No matter whether you live in the hustle and bustle, or you’re out in the sleepier suburbs, noise can keep you up at night, disturb your peace, and lead to frustration. But just how loud are Greater Manchester’s cities compared to the rest of the UK? In a bid to get to the bottom of it, Alpine Hearing Protection has done some research to compile a top 10 list.
And both Salford and Manchester have found themselves not just within the top 10, but within the top five… and to make matters worse, Salford has actually claimed the number one spot.
The reason Salford has found itself at the top of the list, according to the research, is because it sits at the intersection of several major transport and urban hubs, with major motorways running through or around the city including the M60, M61, and M62.
Major rail routes also run through the city – including via Salford Crescent – which sees 16 million passengers every year, and also leads to Manchester Airport.
Top 10 noisiest cities in the UK
Salford
Portsmouth
Manchester
Southampton
London
Leeds
Stoke-on-Trent
Wakefield
Newcastle upon Tyne
Bradford
Parts of Salford are also very built-up, making pockets of the city noisy – especially in the concentrated centre where traffic, construction, nightlife and commercial activity get loud.
And of course, like any growing city, construction noises have been noted as ‘particularly bothersome’ for residents where major developments are springing up.
Manchester is third on the list of noisiest cities, due to many of the same reasons as Salford.
But the difference being that Mancunians are noted as one of the many reasons why the city is so loud – with residents making 5,301 noise complaints across Manchester between January 2024 and January 2025, and Hulme identified the loudest area with 304 complaints.
As well all know, Manchester is also home to many universities, which brings an active nightlife scene to the region, especially in the city centre, and in recent FOI data, it was revealed that the University of Manchester saw 2,049 noise complaints in the last five years.
Motorists warned of common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines
Emily Sergeant
With the temperatures drastically dropping now as we head into winter, motorists are being warned against a common driving habit.
On a wintry morning when the windscreens are frozen and your hands are equally as frozen too, it’s pretty common for drivers to start the engine, turn the heater right up, and remain stationary for several minutes to warm the car up before setting off on their journey… but did you know that doing this could see you, inadvertently, fall foul of the law?
That’s right – as ridiculous as it sounds, leaving your car engine running ‘unnecessarily’ while parked on a public road is illegal.
And to make matters worse, the rules on ‘engine idling’, as it’s known, apply regardless of whether the driver is using the heating, waiting for someone, or simply sitting in the vehicle.
Known as a stationary idling offence, Rule 123 of the Highway Code states that drivers must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while it is stationary on a public road, and according to the rule, a fixed penalty of up to £80 can be issued, right there and then.
Motorists are being warned of a common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines / Credit: PickPik | Wikimedia Commons
Fines will only be handed out if a motorist is stopped by a police officer who asks them to switch the engine off, and they fail to comply.
“However tempting it might be to sit in a vehicle with the engine running and the heater on to warm up, we strongly advice against it,” commented RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis.
“As well as polluting the air and wasting fuel, drivers who leave their engines idling unnecessarily on a public road also risk an on-the-spot fine of £80. On cold mornings, the best approach is to clear any ice or snow properly and ensure windows are fully de-misted before setting off, then get on your way and let the car warm you up.”
There are some exceptions to the rule, however, as keeping the engine running is permitted in certain circumstances.
This includes when a vehicle is stationary because of traffic conditions, when the engine needs to run so a mechanical fault can be investigated, or if certain work is being carried out on the side of the road.
Emily Sergeant -
9th December 2020 
