In what is a piece of, quite frankly, unbearlievable news, police in Rochdale found a wanted car thief attempting to hide from officers inside a giant teddy bear.
No, you’ve not read that wrong.
As bizarre and implausible as it may sound, GMP Rochdale actually took to social media yesterday to share with the people of Greater Manchester and beyond, in what is understandably a now-viral post, the story of one of their latest arrests – and it genuinely did involve a criminal cutting up a teddy bear and trying to hide inside it.
GMP explained that 18-year-old Joshua Dobson, from the Spotland area of Rochdale, was wanted police after stealing a car back in May and for not paying for fuel that same day, but up until last month, his whereabouts was unknown.
That was until neighbourhood cops were tipped off to his location and went out searching for him.
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Retelling the hilarious discovery on social media, GMP Rochdale explained: “When we went to arrest him, our officers noticed a large bear breathing in the address, before finding Dobson hidden inside.
“He’s now stuffed behind bars after being sentenced last week for theft of a motor vehicle, driving while disqualified, and making off from a petrol station without payment.”
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They comically added that they hope he has “a bearable time inside”.
And the police weren’t the only ones to be cracking jokes, as not only has the post amassed thousands of likes and interactions across all social media platforms it was shared on yesterday, but the comments section was also full of witty members of the public sharing their best bear-themed puns.
Police in Rochdale found a wanted car thief attempting to hide from officers inside a giant teddy bear / Credit: GMP Rochdale
“He will only get the bear essentials in jail,” one person wrote.
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Another commented: “The bear faced cheek of him”, with a third chiming in with: “Apprehended by officers on paw patrol”, and a fourth questioning: “Did you Bungle him in the van?”
As well as all the countless bear-related jokes, one person also made sure to ask the question that a lot of us were probably all thinking too: “Can we see the officers bodycam footage? It’s not often I ask for anything but I need to see this. Please and thank you.”
While the bodycam footage is yet to be released, if you bear with them, they might get round to it.
Featured Image – GMP Rochdale
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Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
11th August 2022 
