The longest resident dog at an animal sanctuary in Bury has been successfully rehomed after nearly a decade.
Humbug has finally found his forever home… and we honestly couldn’t be happier for him.
The Akita-cross – who was described as being a “popular pooch” among the staff at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Edenfield, near Ramsbottom in Bury – was actually born at the rescue site all the way back in 2014.
He was initially rehomed along with his siblings, however ended up being returned to Bleakholt as a youngster due to being wary of strangers, and then sadly struggled to find another home as he was considered to be, in Sanctuary Manager Karen Weed’s words, “a complex little soul”.
Due to his extended kennel life, Humbug unfortunately had insecurities and phobias, so he needed ltos of training and a patient owner.
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The longest resident dog at a Bury animal sanctuary has finally been rehomed after nine years / Credit: Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary
The lovable pup waited and waited, and in that time, went on to become a firm-favourite of staff and volunteer dog walkers, who he would often “shower with cuddles and smooches” once he got to know them well, and was known for being everyone’s “very best friend”.
Although Humbug was taken home at weekends by who Bleakholt called a “fantastic and devoted” foster carer to get him used to going on long walks and being within a domestic environment – which was said to have helped to “greatly improve” his confidence and behaviour – staff at the sanctuary wanted nothing more for him to “leave his heated kennel and find a heated house” for good.
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And finally, that day eventually came earlier this month.
Humbug was successfully rehomed by Ken Marsh and his partner Sandra Rothwell after nine long years at Bleakholt, and he’s said to already be “settling in well”.
Explaining why they knew Humbug was the one for them, and giving a little update on how he’s settling into his new surroundings after being welcomed into their loving home, Ken said: “Humbug is my seventh dog from Bleakholt. I went to get Herbie five-and-a-half years ago, and asked for the dog that had been there longest.
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“When Herbie died, I went to Bleakholt, and asked again for the one who had been there the longest, and also looked at a few others. We went home and talked about it, and then decided on Humbug.
“It’s the longest I have ever been without a dog since I was 21-years-old, so it was good to pick him up. It’s so far so good. He has two beds, one downstairs and one upstairs, he loves his squeaky toys, and he is a slow walker – I have a 25 minute walk to the canal, but it takes me 45 minutes with Humbug.
“He has settled in well, and it’s a pleasure to have him.”
Featured Image – Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary (via Facebook)
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Manchester’s skyline crowned one of the most ‘beautiful’ in the world
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s skyline is constantly changing.
Every day, it seems as though a new crane pops up, or plans get submitted to build another new building that’ll alter the landscape of our city, and although some residents aren’t the biggest fan of this, others can still see Manchester‘s beauty regardless.
There are some stunning – and truly iconic – skylines across the world, from New York City to Dubai, and everything in between.
And according to a new study, Manchester is one of them.
Although our city probably wouldn’t be the first to spring to mind when asked to name picturesque skylines, its growth and evolution means it’s been crowned the world’s 46th most beautiful, according to gaming platform Slingo.
Manchester’s skyline has been crowned one of the most ‘beautiful’ in the world / Credit: Chris Curry | Josh Taylor (via Unsplash)
Famous for iconic buildings like Beetham Tower and Deansgate Square that attract a huge number of visitors each year, Manchester’s skyline is said to be ‘one that every traveller needs to visit and admire in their lifetime’.
Manchester ranks among capital cities, business hubs, and popular tourist destinations on the list of iconic skylines from around the world, with New York City taking the coveted top spot and other legendary places such as Chicago, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Melbourne all featuring in the top 10.
To calculate the most aesthetically pleasing skylines, each city’s skyline was processed to determine its aspect ratio, with the renowned golden ratio (1.618) used as a benchmark for aesthetic balance, and then the final rankings were created by combining this score with the number of Instagram posts and hashtags for each city’s skyline.
It ranks among other iconic cities like New York City, Dubai, and Mumbai / Credit: Fran Serra (via Unsplash)
Manchester’s skyline may already be ‘beautiful’ enough as it is, but of course, it’s set evolve in the future with skyscraper developments planned.
Trinity Islands, a proposed residential development comprising five towers, mixed-use developments St Michael’s and Viadux, and residential skyscraper One Heritage Tower, are just a few of the projects planned.
Manchester has changed a lot over the past decade, but how will it look in the next 10 years? That, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Featured Image – Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
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‘Open-minded’ single Mancs wanted for new series of hit reality show Love Is Blind UK
Emily Sergeant
The next series of hit reality dating show Love Is Blind UK is currently in the works, and Mancs are being encouraged to apply.
‘Open-minded’ and single Mancs that is, of course.
There’s no denying that Love Is Blind has become a smash-hit since the US version first aired on Netflix in the early days of lockdown in 2020, with four additional seasons airing afterwards, and the UK remake hosted by Matt and Emma Willis first hitting our screens last August.
If you’ve never had the chance to watch it before, the show promotes itself as a social experiment where single men and women look for love and get engaged, all before meeting in person.
The cast members are initially paired up in a speed-dating format, but later can choose to have longer dates, and the daters may extend a marriage proposal whenever they feel ready, but a couple only meets face-to-face for the first time after a marriage proposal is accepted.
The series has gained a cult following over the years, receiving mostly positive reviews by critics too.
Following the success of the first UK series, producers have now put a casting call live and are on the look out for people brave enough to fall in love without seeing their partner in person to apply – including Greater Manchester residents.
A casting call on the Love Is Blind UK website reads: “Love is Blind UK is currently on the lookout for single, open-minded individuals from across the UK and Ireland, who are ready to take the plunge into finding true love.
‘Open-minded’ single Mancs are wanted for the next series of hit reality show Love Is Blind UK / Credit: Netflix
The show is all about discovering whether love really is blind, with participants growing deep connections with potential partners without the initial distractions of physical appearance.
“It’s an exciting and unique approach to finding love, and one that has proven successful in the past… so, if you’re ready for an adventure and want to explore the possibility of finding love in a new and exciting way, then why not consider applying for Love is Blind UK?
“It could be the start of an incredible journey towards finding the one.”
Fancy it then? Applications for the second series of Love Is Blind UK are now live, and you must be 18 years of age or over to apply, and have the right to reside in the UK or Ireland.
Emily Sergeant -
26th January 2024 
