An animal rescue organisation in Wigan has successfully passed the milestone of saving 30,000 hens from the slaughter and they’ve done it with help from a celebrity adopter.
Lucky Hens Rescue in Amberswood, Wigan held it’s first a rescue day since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began at the weekend and it provided a chance for people to adopt birds that were due to have been slaughtered and provide a new home for them.
Members of the public from all across Greater Manchester went down to the rescue day and one particular famous Mancunian face was among them.
It was none other than Shaun Ryder.
You may remember @officialswr 😊 on @C4Gogglebox recently, telling the nation that he was getting ready to adopt some “battery operated chickens.” 😂Well yesterday, Shaun and his fabulous family visited us to collect four very lucky hens to go live with the Ryders! 🍉🍉🍉 pic.twitter.com/UYEH1qRIEl
Attending the Lucky Hens rescue day with his family, the Happy Mondays star – who had previously spoken about rescuing former caged hens during his appearance on Celebrity Gogglebox back in June – played a critical role in helping the sanctuary surpassing its 30,000 rescue milestone by rescuing four ex-battery hens.
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According to posts and accompanying pictures on his official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, the four hens are now “settled in their new coop in their forever home” and are “all cosy in their hand knitted jumpers”.
They have been named Edna, Mabel, Dusty and Flo.
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He also said that there was “lots of hen love in the Ryder household” and that the hens are “settling into their forever home, exploring their new garden and getting lots of cuddles”.
How brilliant is this?
Lucky Hens was founded in 2010 by Alison Thorpe to rescue caged hens that have been involved in commercial egg production and re-home them in Wigan and further afield to enjoy a new lease of life as much-loved pets. It’s not just hens that the rescue helps either, sheep, pigs, horses and ducks among the other creatures they have cared for over the years.
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Lucky Hens re-homed a total of 564 hens on the particular rescue day that the Ryders attended, and they were all hens which would have been killed had they have not been saved and given new homes and that included the 30,000th hen to be rescued since the organisation was launched.
She was named Melonie – inspired by Shaun Ryder’s visit.
Lucky Hens will hold its next rescue day on Saturday 10th October – with dates in November and December yet to be confirmed – and you can find out more via their website here.
Iconic Manc movie 24 Hour Party People is set to return to cinemas for its anniversary
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s most iconic movies is set to return to the big screen next month.
Remastered in 4K and returning to UK cinemas to mark 24 years since its original release, Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 biographical comedy drama film, 24 Hour Party People, tells the story of Manchester‘s popular music community from 1976 to 1992 – specifically about Factory Records‘ founder Tony Wilson.
The film begins with the punk rock era of the late 1970s, before moving through the 1980s into the rave and DJ culture, and of course, the ‘Madchester‘ scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The narrative largely follows the career of Tony Wilson, played by Middleton-born actor Steve Coogan, while also covering the careers of the major Factory Records artists – especially Joy Division and New Order, as well as A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays.
If you haven’t seen 24 Hour Party People before, it’s a dramatisation based on a combination of real events, rumours, and urban legends, as the film is sure to make clear.
Coogan is joined by a cast by a mixture of big names and, at the time, rising stars like Paddy Considine, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, John Simm, Ralf Little, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, John Thomson, and even Peter Kay, alongside cameos from other figures connected to the Manchester music scene.
Before it returns to cinemas, the film will first open music and media festival/conference, Beyond The Music, at MediaCity in Salford on 6 October.
The screening at the festival will also be followed by a Q&A with Coogan, Winterbottom, and producer Andrew Eaton.
24 Hour Party People will then be re-released in UK cinemas from 9 October, and you can check your local cinema for screening times and book tickets online now.
Featured Image – Altitude
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Bury actress Kate O’Flynn wins big at 2026 Emmys with record-breaking comedy show
Emily Sergeant
Did you know that one of the big winners at the 2026 Emmy Awards last night was actually an actress from Bury?
In case it wasn’t on your radar, American television‘s biggest night, the Emmys, took place yesterday evening over in Los Angeles, and several records were broken in the process – including Apple TV’s comedy horror Widow’s Bay taking home the most Emmys ever for a single series of a comedy show, with 14 of them.
Widow’s Bay tells the story of mayor Tom Loftis, played by Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, who is trying to boost tourism on his rugged New England island, but must navigate several strange events that suggest it might be cursed.
Created by Katie Dippold, and executive produced and directed by Hiro Murai, Widow’s Bay was released in late April to widespread critical acclaim.
At the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards last night, the show scooped a record 14 awards, including for Outstanding Comedy Series, several acting wins, and wins for directing and writing too.
One of those acting wins was Kate O’Flynn for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – an actress who hails from the Greater Manchester town of Bury.
Kate stars as Patricia Moyer, mayor Tom’s eccentric assistant in the show.
She grew up in Holcombe Brook near Ramsbottom, and was educated at Bury Grammar School, before she went on to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Acting in 2006.
Taking to the stage to accept her award last night, Kate said in her speech: “I want to thank our mayor [Matthew Rhys] and all the residents of Widow’s Bay, in front and behind the camera – you’re amazing. This is the role of a lifetime, thank you Katie and Hiro for trusting a Lancashire lass to play a sassy broad like Patricia. And thank you Apple [TV] for saying yes.
“Thank you Nicky and Tony for looking after me, my family back home, my mum and dad, and the loves of my life, my husband and our darling daughter – another sassy broad in the making.
Emily Sergeant -
4th September 2020 
