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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Tesco officially unveils Christmas Meal Deal menu for 2026 and confirms launch date
Emily Sergeant
Tesco has officially unveiled its Christmas Meal Deal menu for 2026, and has revealed when it’ll be arriving in stores.
Spooky season may not have even arrived yet, but it won’t be long before the most wonderful time of the year is here and most of the UK’s major supermarkets have already started stocking their shelves with Christmas food, drink, and gifts galore.
Tesco has now unveiled all the sandwiches and snacks forming part of its iconic lunchtime meal deal selection.
10 new seasonal mains and sides have been launched this year, as well as some classics and returning fan favourites too.
The retailer says its food on-the-go experts have worked hard to bring a variety of festive flavours and great-quality ingredients together this year, with something on offer to cater to all tastes and preferences.
Tesco officially unveils Christmas Meal Deal menu for 2026 / Credit: Tesco
Available in stores and online from next week, with Tesco Clubcard members paying just £3.80 or £5.50 to upgrade to a Premium Meal Deal, some of the all-new main options you can choose from in 2026’s festive lineup include the Fully Loaded Chicken, Stuffing, Braised Red Cabbage & Cranberry Sauce Sandwich, the Christmas Triple Sandwich, and the Pork Meatball Wrap with smoky sage and onion mayonnaise.
Other returning favourites include the Brie and Cranberry Sandwich, the Currywurst Sausage Sub, and the absolute classic Turkey & Trimmings Sandwich.
For veggies and vegans, there’s a new Tesco Plant Chef Christmas Veg Fest Wrap, and for those who follow a gluten free diet, you can grab the Gluten Free Festive Chicken & Trimmings sandwich.
When it comes to snacks to accompany those mains, the festive Mini Pork Pies and Pig in Blanket Sausage Rolls are returning to the lineup this year, alongside some new additions like the Pretzels with Salted Caramel Soft Cheese Dip, and Mini Cheese Twists.
The 2026 Tesco Christmas Meal Deal range will be in stores across the UK from Monday 12 October, and there’s thousands of combinations to try.
Featured Image – Tesco
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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.”
Emily Sergeant -
4th January 2021 
