Police officers in Oldham were called out this week to reports of a tiger on the lose.
A concerned member of the public rang Oldham Police saying they’d seen a big cat ‘pawing in the grass’.
Officers scrambled to the scene to assess the situation – but the tiger they found wasn’t exactly what had been reported.
They found that the call was in fact all about a large stuffed toy, which they’ve now nicknamed Tony.
The amusing mishap took place on Monday evening.
The ‘tiger’ in Oldham. Credit: Facebook, GMP Oldham Central
A photo shared by GMP shows what does appear to be a tiger lounging at the foot of a tree, though the person who dialled it in might want to consider a trip to Specsavers.
GMP updated their followers on the ‘concern for welfare’ incident yesterday.
The post reads: “Yesterday evening Oldham Police earned their stripes when they were contacted by a concerned member of the public of a Tiger lose in nearby gardens that appeared to be pawing in the grass.
“Officers arrived quickly and after evaluating the situation agreed it was in fact not a real animal but a toy – Tony The Tiger!
“Tony the Tiger was asked for a comment about Oldham police he said ‘They’re grrrrrrrreat!’
“Tony is now safely booked into property at Oldham Police station.”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
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A deal has reportedly been agreed for Antony to leave Manchester United
Danny Jones
Currently exiled winger Antony looks like he’s finally set to leave Manchester United, as the Red Devils have reportedly agreed a deal with a Spanish team, Real Betis, to seal his return.
The 25-year-old winger, who joined Man United from Ajax in 2022 at the behest of former manager Erik ten Hag for nearly £90 million all told, has made 96 appearances for the club, but has only played a handful of games under Ruben Amorim.
Most notably, he also doesn’t look to be part of Amorim’s plans, and it looks like the Sevillan side may not have to turn to far-fetched measures after all.
Sharing the update on social media, Daily Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath wrote: “Agreement in principle for Antony to return to Real Betis, according to Spanish sources.
“Talks have been over a deal where the 25yo Brazil forward to eventually move permanently after [an] initial loan.”
As you can see, since these reports, the latest from other sources is that an official bid has now been received, though nothing has been signed just yet.
It goes without saying that Antony, who scored nine goals and five assists in 26 appearances for Los Béticos – many of which came in crucial games – would be keen on the switch.
Once again, it is only believed to be an agreement in principle at this point, but there is understandably a keenness on all sides.
You can see why he was an instant hit with their supporters down below.
Antony quickly looked much more at home in the Betis starting XI than he did in Manchester.
Although it is said that United have not yet accepted the bid, freelance transfer specialist Sam Alex claims that the Premier League club would prefer not to loan him out for a second time.
That being said, as McGrath states, it’s thought that the hope is that they can agree on another short-term spell in the immediate, with a look to sign him full-time at a later date.
Betis have reiterated that they still have a modest budget when it comes to recruitment, and it is unclear whether they’d be able to raise enough money via player sales by January to make it a permanent deal.
United have ended up spending more than £200m this window and are rumoured to be spending further as Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS Sports Group look to try and get the global sporting brand back to ‘the good days’, which the Portuguese coach insists are coming.
Nevertheless, the ex-Sporting boss has now played more Premier League games (29) than he has won points, of which he has amassed just 28 thus far. Those new signings have to start clicking soon.
Featured Images — Ardfern (via Wikimedia Commons)/La Liga (screenshot via YouTube)
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BBC needs outspoken Mancs to share their hottest TV takes in brand-new show
Emily Sergeant
Outspoken Mancs are being urged to apply to take part in a new BBC show where they share their hottest TV takes.
We all have opinions when it comes to television, right? Whether it be which show had the best and worst ending, which characters deserved better arcs, or which shows are the most underrated – you name it, someone will have an opinion on it.
Some people, however, like to broadcast or shout about their options a little louder than others do… and it’s these people the BBC is looking to speak to.
The broadcaster is currently in the process of casting for a new digital pilot called People Watching that will give people from across the UK a chance to share their hottest TV takes, straight from the comfort of their own sofa, and is looking for outspoken people from across Greater Manchester to talk the talk and take part.
The BBC needs outspoken Mancs to share their hottest TV takes in a brand-new show / Credit: CoWomen (via Pexels)
A casting call for the new show on the BBC website reads: “Subtitles on or off? What would your winning strategy be on The Traitors? And what is the most overrated show ever made?
“If you have a big personality, an interesting living room, or are part of a household group who love a binge watch – we want to hear from you.”
People Watching is being produced for the BBC by BBC Socials, which likely means it’ll be a show primarily made for online audiences.
To apply to feature on the show, you’ll need to be 18 years old or over, and you must be willing to allow the BBC to film in your home.
Applicants will need to send casting directors a short ‘expression of interest’ in the form of a paragraph or video link, telling them a bit about yourself, your favourite BBC show, and most importantly, your most controversial TV opinion.
The closing date for applications is 1 October 2025, and you can apply by sending an email to [email protected]
Daisy Jackson -
23rd March 2022 
