A woman has called the anonymous return of her cochlear implant a “miracle” after she misplaced it on a shopping trip last month.
Urmston resident Jessica Mortimer was devastated to have lost her electronic hearing assistance device – which she said was “literally [her] lifeline” and is unable to hear without it – whilst out shopping in Barton Square at the Trafford Centre only a couple of days before Christmas.
The cochlear implant was sadly nowhere to be found, and had not been handed in to staff at the shopping centre or left inside the Uber vehicle she rode home in either.
Hoping a member of the public may have come across the device, Jessica took to Facebook – and also to the over 32K members of the popular Urmston M41’ers group – to ask people to keep an eye out for it and contact her should they have any information as to its potential whereabouts.
Accompanied by a picture of the implant for reference, Jessica said: “Lost this implant on the 23rd of December. Was in Primark at the Trafford Centre, got an Uber there and back from the side of Barton Square. Unfortunately, nothing has been handed in to either Trafford Centre or Primark [and] I went to look outside Barton Square yesterday [and] couldn’t see it anywhere.
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Been in touch with Uber [and] nothing’s been reported [either].
“I cannot hear without this, it’s literally my lifeline. I’m devastated and just want to find it. It’s an awful feeling not being able to hear anything [and] I’m hoping I’ll get a miracle and it’s found.”
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The post was shared hundreds of times by people all across the country, but this was unfortunately not enough to help locate the device before Jessica had arranged for a replacement, which was due to be fitted this morning.
Luckily though, in what was some “good news to end a rubbish year”, she managed to arrange to only pay £80 for the replacement – when such devices can often set an individual back close to £6,000 – and admitted she would be looking into insuring the implant should it ever be misplaced again in the future.
But this was all up until yesterday evening when Jessica was re-united with the device after an anonymous source posted it through her letterbox.
Astonished at the gesture, Jessica took to the Urmston M41’ers group once again to share the news saying: “Just come home and found this in my letterbox. No note left [but] oh my god [I’m] totally in shock. Wish I knew who left it [but] whoever it was, thank you so much, I’m in tears with happiness [and] my faith has been totally restored in human kindness.”
How brilliant is this?
“[I] feel like it’s a late Christmas miracle,” Jessica told The Manc.
“[I] was so sure I wasn’t going to find it. Hundreds of people shared my post, but we heard nothing [so it] was a huge shock when myself and my mother came home yesterday from shopping and saw [my cochlear implant] in a money bag.
“Just wish I could thank the person who left it.”
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Although Jessica is yet to find out which kind stranger is to thank for reuniting her with her “lifeline”, in an equally as impressive gesture, she revealed that the £80 she would have spent on the replacement device today has instead been donated to “an amazing local charity”.
“I’ve donated to Jonny Spangles Community Charity, ” Jessica said.
You can find more information about DJ Jonny Spangles and the Jonny Spangles Community Charity via its website here.
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Castlefield is being transformed into Gotham amidst more Hollywood filming in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
Castlefield, with its iconic viaduct and cobbled streets, is once again being used for big-budget filming as the latest Batman/DC Universe title, Clayface, looks to be setting up in the eye-catching Manc corner.
Whether it’s football kit reveals and brand shoots, BBC dramas or the next upcoming Netflix series, production crews can’t get enough of Castlefield, it would seem.
For those who hadn’t heard, work on the new Clayface movie revolving around the cult favourite Batman villain is well underway, and the North West has been used as the backdrop on multiple ocassions this month already.
You can see early glimpses of the set being put together down below.
Come on, how cool is it that we get to stumble on stuff like this right on our doorstep so often?
Speaking to The Manc, a source detailed that the set is being assembled today (Tuesday, 16 September) ahead of a single day of principal photography on what we can only assume is more Clayface filming sometime tomorrow.
While she could not confirm with us directly, she said, “If you’re a comic book nerd and look at the posters, you’ll be able to figure it out.” We’ve certainly been studying all the easter eggs already.
It might not quite be as dark and gritty as Gotham City, but this particular part of Manchester has been used in TV and film – especially period dramas – many times for good reason.
The Victorian-era steel structure, dark red brick and overall industrial aesthetic work so well when it comes to creating a believable and cinematic world.
Besides perhaps the most famous instance of Peaky Blinders shooting in these parts, you can add multiple music videos, several Manchester United and Man City shirt launches, and so many more that we’re starting to lose track.
As for Clayface, this isn’t even the first time the upcoming DC ‘body-horror’ flick has popped up in Greater Manchester.
Last week saw the equally striking Art Deco facade of the old The Plaza Super Cinema in Stockport turned into a fictional movie premiere to stunning effect:
Speaking of, another childhood favourite is filming here in Manchester right now, too.
Besides perhaps the most famous instance of Peaky Blinders shooting in these parts, the new Narnia adaptation by Greta Gerwig may just be one of the biggest projects that has ever landed underneath the familiar ‘birdcage’.
ln fact, it just so happens that there are actually multiple noteworthy small and silver screen works fighting over the Castlefield shooting schedule at the moment…
Manchester City staff member sacked after wearing Man United shirt to shift
Danny Jones
Man City have divided a fair few supporters after they sacked a barman for wearing a United shirt to their shift during the Manchester derby.
Although it’s not exactly surprising, the decision has ruffled plenty of feathers on both sides, as well as among neutral fans.
The Blues emerged victorious in the 197th clash between the two local rivals, winning 3-0 on an evening that paid tribute to the late, great Ricky Hatton, but another backstory looming over the fixture that caught the attention of football fans online was the City staff member who lost his job.
Working on concessions inside the Etihad Stadium before the game, the barman was made known to the official MCFC Matchday Support channel on X, who quickly confirmed he had been let go before the game even began.
In the since-deleted post, the home fan who reported the worker wrote: “Absolute joke – letting one of the bar staff in block 315 wear a United shirt on Derby Day.”
Although many City fans applauded the fast action by the club on the day, it’s fair to say that sacking him so soon that he didn’t even last until kick-off has rubbed many others the wrong way.
One Liverpool fan commented: “I hate United way more than City, but to sack him from a job because of an item of clothing is crazy. So, so poor from Manchester City, this. It’s just football lads, he’s not wearing a political or derogatory symbol. It’s literally a football team…”
Another neutral added: “Getting a minimum wage worker sacked for having a bit of fun instead of just winding him up is the absolute sad state this country is in.”
Even the ‘Out Of Context Football Manager‘ parody account chipped in, writing: “The guy’s been sacked for this. All he needed was a formal warning. I get he’s taking the p*ss – but losing a salary he might really need over this?!
While many have been even more outspoken in their response, as you can see, many supporters – be they Red or otherwise – have come up with arguably the perfect solution:
Manchester City are yet to comment on the backlash, apart from the initial confirmation that the still-anonymous staff member has been released from his position, but as for Man United, simply sticking him on the kiosks in the Stretford End could prove to be a very easy bit of positive PR.
Besides the growing frustration around the fanbase, as Ruben Amorim has yet to turn things around at Old Trafford (pressure was growing even before the derby day defeat), the Red Devils could no doubt do with some positive press for a change.
In fact, it was only earlier this year that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada and the wider INEOS Sports administration sanctioned a second round of redundancies at United, with approximately 450 individuals losing their jobs.
That being said, although some have labelled the sacking of the now ex-City barman as “absolutely horrendous behaviour” for Man City, many jumped to quip back that “[United are] more likely to sack more bar staff, not hire them”, as well as simultaneously taking aim at their significant transfer spending.
Emily Sergeant -
4th January 2021 
