A police officer in Manchester attacked with a knife was miraculously saved by a tin of lip balm in her pocket.
The incident happened after Greater Manchester Police officers were called to Harpurhey upon receiving reports that a man was armed with a knife and damaging cars in the area.
The officer suffered cuts whilst attempting to stop 25-year-old Mahar Mansour, only narrowly avoiding more serious injury thanks to the tin of Vaseline lip balm she had in her pocket, which took the brunt of the attack.
Her colleague was slashed eight times in his leg.
Recorder Michael Maher commended the officers for “very courageously” stopping Mansour, who had been jumping up and down on a car and kicking out at other vehicles following a row with his brother at the time.
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“Fortunately for her, her injuries would have been much more serious had the Vaseline container not took the impact of the blade,” a judge said.
Mahar Mansour has been jailed for two years after pleading guilty / Credit: Greater Manchester Police
Mahar Mansour, from Salford, sought asylum in the UK after becoming a ‘political prisoner’ in Syria, Manchester Crown Court heard.
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He has also suffered from mental health problems exacerbated by the COVID-19 lockdown.
Mansour pleaded guilty to two counts of Section 20 wounding, one count of criminal damage, and one count of possessing a knife at a trial at Manchester Crown Court.
The court heard how residents at Kingsbridge Court in Harpurhey were woken at about 4am on Saturday 15 August 2020 after Mansour started shouting, and the police were subsequently called, with the female police constable being one of the first on the scene and joined by two male colleagues.
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She knew that Mansour had a knife and drew her Taser in preparation, but although Mansour was told to keep his hands in the air, he turned his back and moved towards some steps where he reached to his chest.
“Injuries would have been much more serious had the Vaseline container not took the impact of the blade” / Credit: Vaseline
Fearing he was arming himself, the female officer fired the Taser, but it was unsuccessful and Mansour then “lunged” forward, “swinging” his arms towards her, which caused them both to fall down the steps and the officer to fall into her two colleagues.
Mansour then struck out at the other officer with the knife during a “violent struggle”, after which he was subdued.
Both officers involved in the attack were taken to hospital, but were not seriously hurt.
Mahar Mansour has now been jailed for two years.
Featured Image – GMP
UK News
Andy Burnham introduces new rules to tackle ‘rip-off’ parking charges
Daisy Jackson
City centre parking is at a premium, especially in a city like Manchester – but we’ve surely all made honest mistakes when paying and been slapped with eye-watering fines as a result.
Well now, Andy Burnham has announced a new Private Parking Code of Practice, which will clamp down on ‘rip-off’ private parking charges.
It will also make it easier for drivers to challenge unfair charges, capping charges for ‘smaller slip-ups’ at £20, and scrapping charges altogether on appeal for ‘honest mistakes’.
The new Code will get drivers a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave once their session ends.
Under the new Private Parking Code of Practice laid in Parliament today, you’ll be able to appeal to have all charges scrapped for honest mistakes like stopping briefly to check directions, and for situations like a medical emergency, breakdown or broken ticket machine.
Then charges will be capped at £20 for other mistakes such as forgetting a parking permit, entering the wrong vehicle’s registration or forgetting to confirm it in the machine when parking.
The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100. Operators who don’t comply risk losing access to DVLA data, meaning that even if they issue a charge, it will be far more difficult to identify the registered owner to pursue payment.
Data shows just under 17 million private parking charges were issued in the UK last year alone.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.
“These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them.
Andy Burnham introduces new rules to tackle ‘rip-off’ parking charges. Credit: Unsplash, Samuel Isaacs
“We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said: “Parking should be straightforward, not another everyday hassle. These changes mean drivers get a fairer deal, protected time to park and leave without fear of being unfairly charged, and confidence that private parking providers are held to a higher standard.
“It’s yet another step forward in this government’s plan to take the stress out of everyday life and ease the pressure on people’s pockets.”
Minister for Consumer Action, Kate Dearden, said: “Nobody works hard for their money just to be deceived by a dodgy trader, and this is exactly the kind of everyday rip-off this government is going after.
“By making it easier to take action against car clocking, we are protecting consumers’ hard-earned money and supporting businesses that play by the rules.”
A Greater Manchester neighbourhood has been named one of the ‘coolest’ in the UK
Clementine Hall
A neighbourhood in Great Manchester has been crowned one of the coolest in the country – and this time, it’s not Ancoats.
Every year, we wait with bated breath to see which UK neighbourhoods have made the cut in Time Out’s annual ranking of the coolest places in the world.
But, as it turns out, Britain is just so damn cool that we’ve earned a list of our own.
In its latest guide, ’11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK’, Time Out has rounded up the places across the country that are really making a name for themselves.
Images: The Manc
And one neighbourhood here in Greater Manchester has made the cut, and although you’d immediately think of Ancoats that has made its way to similar lists before, this time there’s a newbie on the block.
Coming in at a very respectable fourth place, Stockport and the Underbanks received a glowing report in the coveted list.
Images: The Manc
Are we surprised? Not one bit.
We love Stockport for its flourishing food scene, cool community vibe and ever-growing roster of independent businesses – not to mention its brilliant mix of old-school charm and new-school cool.
It’s a place that feels like it’s constantly evolving, without losing the character that made people fall in love with it in the first place. And clearly, Time Out agrees.
Images: The Manc
Kyle MacNeill, contributing writer, said: “If you live anywhere near Manchester, you may have heard this one on the rumour mill: ‘Stockport is The New Berlin’. It’s a gag, alright: the humble market town hasn’t got a club, let alone the most hedonistic nightlife scene in the world. But it is true that SK is rapidly becoming the place-to-move-to for the Second City’s creatives, thanks to cheaper rent and some serious suburban tenacity.
“The Underbanks, a cobbled high street once home to hat-makers and hosiers, has been transformed into a bustling hub of forward-thinking vendors, while various local institutions have embraced Euro-style cafe culture, midcentury decor, sustainable fine-dining, small plates snacking and chic drinking dens. All of which, actually, come to think of it, is very Berlin… “
High praise indeed, you can read the full list of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods here.
The Manc -
18th June 2021 
