A boy from Manchester has been reunited with his three lost teddies after they went missing while on a family holiday.
Little Oliver Simpson, from Heywood in Rochdale, had just arrived at the hotel for a holiday in Costa de Almeria with his parents, Jill and Stewart, when the family realised that a bag with the six-year-old’s much-loved teddies inside was missing, and so they contacted Jet2’s Customer Services team to see if they could find out more.
After Jet2 heard that the family had lost one of their bags, the team said they “immediately launched a search” to find the missing teddies.
Customers Helpers at Almeria Airport worked together with the holiday resort’s Customer Helpers to track down the bears, and luckily, they were found safe and sound on the coach the family had hopped on from the airport to their hotel.
With the teddies safely found, the team then got to work to make sure Oliver was reunited with his three fuzzy friends.
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Jet2 helps reunite little Manchester boy with the teddies he lost while on holiday / Credit: Jet2
Keen to make the reunion one Oliver would remember forever, staff took the bears on an adventure at the airport and pictured them having a drink in a cafe, helping to check in customers’ luggage, and directing holidaymakers to their transfer coaches, all before meeting back up with the youngster.
Resort Customer Helper, Justina Tarvydaite, also stepped in and wrote a letter to Oliver from his teddies, telling the little Manc all about the adventures they had been on at the airport, and when he was finally reunited with his bears on his flight back to the UK, he was, as you can imagine, “over the moon”.
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Oliver’s mum, Jill, said the airline “literally went above and beyond” to find and reunite Oliver with his teddies.
Praising the “caring staff”, she went on to explain: “Not only did they locate his belongings, but they also showed Oliver the adventures his teddies went on whilst we were on holiday, which was magical and so thoughtful.
“He was over the moon, and I even shed some tears.”
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Oliver Simpson had been on holiday with his family in Costa de Almeria in Spain / Credit: Jet2
Claire Hernandez, who is a Destination Manager at Jet2holidays, said it was “all hands-on deck” when they heard Oliver had been separated from his teddies and how upset he was by it, adding: “I am immensely proud of how the team worked together to ensure Oliver and his family left feeling elated at the return of the teddies.
“Their reaction was priceless.
“It’s very important to all of us that each and every one of our customers feels like a VIP, and the team work extremely hard to ensure our customers have a memorable holiday.
“It never ceases to amaze me just how far they will go to make our customers happy.”
Featured Image – Jet2
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Ole Gunnar Solskjær says just three players have spoken to him since leaving Manchester United
Danny Jones
Club legend and ex-Manchester United player turned manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, has revealed that just three of his former players have been in touch since leaving Old Trafford.
Solskjær was sacked from the role as Man United head coach back in November 2021 after having been given the job permanently following an impressive winning run as interim manager.
The practically perfect start back at the helm of the club – where he starred as the ‘super sub’ during his playing days – was followed by a big slump, and the final decision was ultimately made in the wake of a 4-1 loss to Watford.
However, the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’s’ popularity among the players and the fans alike was never in question, so it’s come as somewhat of a surprise to many fans that Solskjær has said only a specific trio of United players have got in touch with him since his dream job came to an end.
At least two of the names read out might not surprise fans, as not only was then-club captain Harry Maguire one of his first statement signings, but so was Bruno Fernandes, who now has the armband, and both have remained key players and leadership figures pretty much ever since.
Speaking to BBC Sport on the senior duo, Ole said, “For me, Harry has always been a leader and a fighter”, and never had any doubts about him deputising for him on the pitch, before going on to label both the centre-back and Bruno as “top human beings.”
As for the third, although Victor Lindelöf looks set to leave the club this summer, he’s actually been a long-serving squad member, having joined back in 2017 and been a seemingly popular figure around the dressing room, even if injury problems have sometimes hampered his minutes.
He also went on to discuss other matters regarding the club, including confessing that it’s “hard to watch” United amidst their present struggles, both under previous manager Erik ten Hag and now Ruben Amorim – even with a potential Europa League trophy consolation on the cards.
The retired striker also stated that he found the decision to let midfielder Scott McTominay go more than surprising, especially given the incredible performances he’s put on display since moving to Serie A.
Co-op Live has been named the number one arena in Europe following its debut year
Danny Jones
Despite a rocky opening month or so, Manchester’s Co-op Live made the ultimate instant recovery and has now been named the number one arena not just in the UK but all of Europe.
Manc music venues being best in class? Sounds about right.
Yes, even despite some obstacles, delays and early hiccups, Co-op Live‘s debut year as a live music and indoor entertainment venue has seen it beat out the likes of the long-established and iconic O2 in London to take the top spot.
The inaugural 12 months of the arena have not only seen it welcome all manner of music legends, as well as live sporting events such as the UFC and WWE, but the arena welcomed more visitors than any other venue across the continent during that time.
Names to have graced the industry-leading stage so far include Liam Gallagher, Stevie Nicks and Take That; Peter Kay, Elbow, Sabrina Carpenter, Paul McCartney, and so many more.
Commenting on the successful start, Tim Leiweke (CEO and chairman of the Oak View Groupbehind the venue) said: “Our ambition was to bring the world’s best music arena to one of the world’s greatest music cities and we are thrilled with the reaction from fans and artists alike over this past year.
“Co-op Live’s revolutionary acoustics investment has already attracted some of the world’s biggest artists and events to Manchester, with many more to come. And our sustainability commitment will ensure we remain responsible contributors to Manchester and the planet for years to come.
“We believe that amazing venues can transform cities for the better, and Co-op Live has done just that.”
It’s fair to say we’ve had some truly unforgettable nights in there already – and that’s just in the last month alone. Case and point:
With a continued commitment to achieving ‘Net Zero’ status too, the venue’s carbon reduction technologies, solar panels, heat pumps and rainwater harvesting, not to mention the recently refreshed CityLink walking in partnership with the Climate Pledge, are all things we can be proud of.
Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, went on to add: “We are delighted with the success of Co-op Live’s first year, and to see it taking the top spot off London.
“It shows Manchester is the home of live music in the UK, with Co-op Live bringing so many exclusives from artists like Bruce Springsteen to the city and Oasis playing massive hometown shows this summer – 2025 is going to be one of the biggest ever for our city’s music scene.”
Meanwhile, things are feeling less fortunate at the grassroots end of the spectrum, as the Music Venue Trust is imploring people to get behind a vulnerable Manc music institution.
Emily Sergeant -
5th September 2023 
