In fact, despite being native to the county, there hadn’t actually been any residing in Cheshire for over 400 years before last year, as the species became extinct in the 16th century as a result of continuous hunting for their fur and meat.
This is why the release of the pair of these endangered animals into Hatchmere Nature Reserve was such a big deal for the county.
The Eurasian beavers – one male and one female – have been released in Cheshire to help benefit the local surroundings as part of a five-year land management project that hopes to create natural flood defences and improve biodiversity at the site.
And now that they’ve both settled in, the Cheshire Wildlife Trust has launched an exciting competition.
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The Trust is challenging local schools and members of the public to “get your thinking caps on” and suggest some “interesting and creative” names for the pair of beavers.
Kev Feeney – Hatchmere Living Landscape Officer and leader of the beaver project – said: “We’ve had such a great response to our beaver project so far.
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“It’s great to see people really taking an interest in them and excited to see how they’re settling in.
“Our cameras are catching some amazing footage and we’re really able to see their individual personalities shining through. The female is very nosey and spends most of the night dragging material to add to their lodge [and] the male is always on patrol of their home, walking with purpose and regularly stopping to sniff the air.
“We can’t wait to hear what creative names people come up with [and] we’re so glad people can continue being part of bringing beavers back to Cheshire”.
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The Cheshire Wildlife Trust has said that as the beavers adapt to their surroundings, they will create a new and improved landscape by removing some trees to allow sunlight to reinvigorate the woodland floor, building dams to hold back water on the site, and filter polluted sediments from flowing into a nearby lake, making new space for insects, invertebrates and fish.
But all of this costs money.
It’s been revealed that Wildlife Trust supporters from across the region have raised just over half of the £85,000 required to support the project, but £42,000 is still needed to look after the beavers and monitor the effect they are having on Hatchmere’s wetlands.
So while entry to the naming competition is free, people are encouraged to be part of bringing beavers back to Cheshire by making a donation alongside their entry where possible.
How can I enter the competition?
The Cheshire Wildlife Trust is looking for names for both beavers, one male and one female.
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The closing date for entries is Wednesday 31st March, and the winning names will be announced on Wednesday 7th April – which also happens to be International Beaver Day.
As previously mentioned, entry to the competitions is free but all donations made will fund regular health checks for the animals, surveying for new wildlife the beavers are bringing back, more cameras to capture all the exciting beaver behaviour and training for volunteers to help look after the pair.
You can submit your name suggestions and make any donations via the Cheshire Wildlife Trust website here.
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Posters around Manchester city centre spark serious rumours Charli XCX is set to headline Parklife 2025
Danny Jones
Some pretty big, green posters are popping up around town and, not to get ahead of ourselves, but it looks like they’re hinting at Charli XCX headlining Parklife 2025…
Feel free to lose your bratting minds.
A number of tall, let’s call it ‘apple’ green posters have been sighted in various places across Manchester city centre this Friday, 22 November and the last time we saw this slightly low-resolution, plain black Arial font and colour combo we got a reworked version of Charli XCX’s brat album.
Listen, all we can tell you is that this is almost exactly the same marketing and the letters on the poster simply read, “PL25”. Come on… you do the math(s).
Spotting at least two of the posters for ourselves around both Newton and Thomas Street in and around the Northern Quarter, plenty of people have been double-taking at the simple but bold and undeniably eye-catching portrait posters.
Trust us, we weren’t the only ones stopping to take a picture and frantically send them to half of our phonebook either.
Charli herself hasn’t given us any other clues on social media thus far – to be fair, this one feels fairly obvious to us – but it’s well worth keeping your eyes peeled on her stories as she did plenty of teasing before dropping Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat.
Still can’t get over that actually being the title, by the way.
It’s also worth noting that Parklife themselves recently confirmed that festival fans can expect the 2025 lineup very soon. Check out that colour…
Oh, who are we kidding? That’s not apple green it’s straight-up BRAT green, b*tch. We’re fully getting carried away and you’ll just have to deal with it.
Even if it somehow turns out she’s not headlining it’s certainly looking like she’s going to be there and it wouldn’t be the first time.
Better yet, fans of the pop sensation won’t have to wait too long to see her right here in Greater Manchester because Charli is bringing her already smash-hit tour to Co-op Live next Wednesday, 27 November and in case you couldn’t tell by all the shouting in capitals, we’re very excited.
Roll on ‘PL25’. Other than Charli XCX, who else would you like to see Parklife next summer?
Carl Froch slams ‘pathetic’ John Fury after bust-up at Darren Till press conference
Danny Jones
Former fighter Carl Froch has branded boxing patriarch John Fury “pathetic” following the chaotic scenes at the recent Darren Till press conference.
‘Big’ John was at the centre of some pre-bout bedlam earlier this week after tempers flared during the presser between his son Tommy Fury and his next opponent, Darren Till.
For anyone who didn’t see it, a reaction from the Fury father following a lengthy foul-mouthed exchange sparked a massive on-stage brawl, requiring both parties to be separated and the face-off cut short.
Offering his thoughts on the incident, the ex-middleweight and multi-time champion called out the 59-year-old for what he now says is just the “usual pathetic childish behaviour from a grown man.”
Speaking to sports media and betting company, Action Network, Froch said: “Darren Till did have a lot to say and he was very vocal but at the end of the day it’s not about him, it’s about Darren Till and Tommy Fury so why is Big John Fury, the fighting man, getting involved?…
“Has he been sacked by Tyson Fury? Did Tyson tell him to f*****g do one and now he’s with Tommy Fury trying to get some of the limelight? I don’t know but same old s***. Darren Till totally wrote him off.
Froch went on to say of Fury junior – who has flirted with the idea of an exhibition match with the retired British, Super Middleweight, Commonwealth and WBC champ in the past – “For me, I don’t give it any credibility but when he mentions my name and puts my name in the mix, I’m obligated to respond.
“It’s like Jake Paul. He doesn’t like the way I give Jake Paul stick because I’m honest. He’s not a fighter or a pro boxer, he’s a YouTuber, TikTok dancer and content creator […] All of these guys like Jake Paul and ‘Big’ John Fury – when they start talking bull***t, I just tell it how it is, give my honest opinion and sit back to watch the parade go by because they all get upset.”
The 47-year-old also speculated that there is a serious possibility that older brother Tyson has dismissed his dad from his current entourage, at least during media events, noting that he isn’t helping promote fights by “headbutting children at press conferences” as we saw before the Fury vs Usyk fight.
“That kid he headbutted didn’t even look like he could have a shave”, added Froch. “He might’ve been a young man, but he picked on the smallest person there and dropped the headbutt on him. It’s not the kind of behaviour you want to see, it’s bad for boxing.
Offering his final thoughts on the ever-controversial John Fury, Froch signed off by saying: “At the end of the day, he is a guy who wants some attention. He’s a man who has never achieved anything. His son Tyson Fury is obviously very good, he’s a top fighter and we know what he’s all about.”
As for 25-year-old Tommy, he takes on fellow North West fighter Darren Till at the Co-op Live arena early next year. You can find out more HERE.