The Scottish government has confirmed the travel ban currently placed on Manchester, Salford and Bolton will be lifted at midnight tonight.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the ban on non-essential travel from the three Greater Manchester areas earlier this month due to concerns about rising COVID-19 case numbers.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham had publicly criticised the move, claiming he had not been consulted about the decision.
A war of words between the local leaders escalated – with Burnham saying people in Manchester hadn’t been “treated with the respect we deserve”.
🗣️ "Our 2.8 million residents deserve to be treated with due respect and proper consideration when restrictions are being implemented which will affect their lives."
The Mayor has written to Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland.
— Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham (@MayorofGM) June 21, 2021
“They’ve done to us exactly what they always complain that the UK government does to Scotland,” Burnham stated during an interview on 20 June.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Why should a couple from Salford who are double-jabbed who are about to go on a walking holiday in Scotland not be able to go? It’s completely disproportionate in my view [and] we could have come up with a different arrangement if the First Minister had been in touch with us.”
The Mayor added: “The Scottish government can’t just impose things on parts of the north of England with no discussion with us – that is simply wrong.
ADVERTISEMENT
“They need to live by the same standards they’ve always called for from others.”
"If he wants a grown-up conversation, he only has to pick up the phone"
But now, a parliamentary answer from Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has confirmed that restrictions will end from 30 June.
He said: “We will be removing the travel restrictions which are currently in place in relation to travel between Scotland and Manchester, Bolton and Salford [and] these restrictions are being removed due to changes in the epidemiological position for those areas.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Amendments to regulations will be made today and will take effect on 30 June 2021.”
Burnham welcomed the removal of restrictions saying he was “grateful” to the Scottish government for “listening”.
🗣️ "I am grateful to the First Minister and to the Scottish Government for listening and for the decision they have announced today."
Andy has welcomed the lifting of the ban on non-essential travel between Scotland and the boroughs of Bolton, Manchester and Salford. pic.twitter.com/kH34LZIuLx
— Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham (@MayorofGM) June 29, 2021
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
UK News
Police offer cash reward in hunt for couple and newborn who went missing from motorway in Bolton
Daisy Jackson
Police are now offering a cash reward to people with information in their hunt for a missing couple and their newborn baby.
Constance Marten, 35, and Mark Gordon, 48, vanished on Thursday 5 January 2023 from J4 of the M61 near Bolton.
Police were initially called to reports of a car on fire on the motorway, but when officers attended the scene they found the occupants, including a newborn baby, were missing.
It’s understood that Constance has had no medical care since she gave birth.
The team of officers working around the clock to trace the family are now offering a £10,000 reward for information that leads to them being located.
They say that finding the young child is their ‘top priority’.
Constance Marten captured on CCTV with her newborn babyA previous sighting of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who is leading the investigation, said: “We continue to be extremely concerned about the health and wellbeing of the newborn baby, which has had no medical care and has been on the move, and possibly exposed to sub-zero temperatures, for almost a month now.
“We’re also concerned for the welfare of Constance and Mark, because our enquiries suggest that they were constantly moving and awake for at least a few days – which must be especially draining on someone who had recently given birth with no medical attention.
“Finding the baby is our top priority and we are now offering a £10,000 reward to anyone who provides information which leads to them being found.
“Maybe you have been reluctant to come forward before, for whatever reason, with key information to help us find the family. It does not matter why you did not speak to us earlier, what matters is doing the right thing now for the good of a vulnerable newborn baby.
The couple seen on Whitechapel Road
“Maybe you saw them wandering the streets? Perhaps they asked you for directions? Maybe they got into your taxi, or they came into your establishment to buy food and drink?
“Please contact us with any information you have, because every single bit of information we get will assist us with finding them.
“I’d like to stress that if you have taken cash to provide a service to the family, whether that’s giving them a lift, accommodation or something else, that you are not in any sort of trouble, we just need to hear from you.”
Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were last tracked to Newhaven in East Sussex, where they were dropped off in a taxi at 4:56am on Sunday 8 January just outside the entrance to the port.
They then walked to where the A259 crosses over the B2109. They were seen sheltering from the rain, under the overpass, at about 6am, carrying bags containing a tent, sleeping bags and pillows purchased from an Argos the evening before.
Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford added: “We have no evidence to suggest that they boarded a ferry in Newhaven, and we still strongly believe that they remain here in the UK – although they could be anywhere. Our enquiries also establish that the baby was alive and with them when they got the taxi to Newhaven.
“We know they were still in possession of camping equipment on Sunday, 8 January and so I’d encourage people to remain vigilant and keep a look out for a blue tent. Please keep your eyes peeled, especially while you are out and about in waste ground or beauty spots, or while you’re walking the dog, and report any information to us.”
Anyone who has information on the family’s whereabouts should call the incident room on 020 7175 0785.
Alternatively, information can be reported 100 per cent anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. They never ask for personal details and they do not trace your device.
The timeline of the disappearance of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon
Officers called to a car on fire on the hard-shoulder of the M61, near junction four (Farnworth, Bolton) at 6.33pm on Thursday 5 January. However, the occupants were not at the scene. Most of their belongings were destroyed in the fire.
Enquiries revealed that Constance and Mark were the occupants of the car and that Constance had very recently given birth, possibly one or two days before, and had not been assessed by medical professionals.
A missing persons investigation was launched by Greater Manchester Police, who established that the family left the vehicle and the motorway safely – walking to the Anchor Lane bridge which links the Highfield and Little Hulton areas.
Officers believe they then travelled to Liverpool and then onwards to Harwich via a taxi at about 3.30am on Friday 6 January.
Mark, Constance and a baby were seen by a member of the public in Harwich at about 9am on Saturday 7 January. Officers also received a number of confirmed sightings of the family in Colchester on Friday 6 January and Saturday 7 January.
Subsequently, the investigation was handed over to Essex Police on Monday 9 January.
Essex Police carried out a number of enquiries and reviewed hours of CCTV and were able to place the couple near East Ham Station between 10.30am and 12.30pm on Saturday 7 January. As this was the last confirmed sighting of the family at the time, the investigation was handed over to the Metropolitan Police Service on Thursday 12 January.
Detectives then established that they took a taxi from East Ham, being dropped off in Whitechapel Road at 6.14pm on Saturday 7 January.
The couple are seen leaving the taxi with an orange carrier bag and a pram. They both have their heads and faces covered and Mark is wearing white plastic bags on his shoes, which he removes a short time later.
At 6.19pm Mark went into Argos on Whitechapel Road, E1, and bought two big bags full of items, paying in cash, including a blue two-man tent, two sleeping bags and two pillows – which sparked fears they have been camping, including at times when the temperature plummeted to sub-zero.
They spent the next few hours walking along the Whitechapel Road area, where they tried to flag down three taxis but were refused. They then walked to the Brick Lane area.
At about 11.46pm on Saturday January 7 they then went to Flower and Dean Walk near Brick Lane where they dumped a number of items, including the pushchair. They then got a taxi to Haringey.
At 1.24am on Sunday January 8 they then got in another taxi in Allison Road, Haringey, and travelled to Newhaven, where they were dropped off just outside the port at 4.56am
They then walked to where the A259 crosses over the B2109. They were seen sheltering from the rain, under the overpass, at about 6am.
This is the last official sighting of the family.
Featured image: Met Police
UK News
Tim Healy surprises fans with performance at The 1975’s Newcastle gig
Danny Jones
The 1975’s tour has seen some seriously memorable moments so far, including several special guest appearances, but seeing Tim Healy give a surprise performance has to be the jewel in the crown.
While the band might have formed in the Wilmslow and plied their trade in Manchester on their way to success, several members of the current lineup — including frontman Matty Healy himself — were born in Newcastle, so the gig at the Utilita Arena on Wednesday was very much a homecoming show.
With that in mind, when British TV royalty, Geordie icon and Matty’s old man, Tim Healy popped up on stage, the crowd understandably went wild.
There were no doubt plenty of confused faces when a trademark Matty monologue and sudden cut to black was followed by the bloke from Benidorm appearing up on stage, but there was also a scream bigger than any response Taylor Swift got.
Whipping out some significantly more dramatic thespian ability than the kind you’d associate with his Auf Wiedersehen, Pet days, albeit still fully aware of bizarre the entire spectacle was, he brought one of his son’s trademark digressions about method acting to a close.
But better than that, the 70-year-old ended up staying on stage to perform his own low-key ‘All I Need to Hear‘ cover as the band played in the background. Surreal.
To be honest, it might just be the wholesomeness of it all, but we think we might prefer the older Healy’s version.
Sing it, Tim!
Tim on stage for ‘All I Need To Hear’ tonight in Newcastle #The1975
Imagine bringing your dad onto the stage only for him to absolutely steal the show. Brilliant stuff.
Both he and Matty’s celebrity mum Denise Welch have been spotted at various shows as the band continue to perform their ‘At Their Very Best’ tour around the country, with various fans interacting with them in the crowd, but very few would have been expecting an impromptu song from one of them.
Both are obviously more closely associated with TV, with Welch known for appearing on the likes of Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Loose Women and many more, but if we don’t up end up getting both of them on stage before this tour is over we’ll be genuinely fuming.
It also looks like the reaction meant a lot to him:
Thanks for all your kind messages after my surprise performance at Matty’s gig in Newcastle proud proud dad xxx pic.twitter.com/7izemLl9Id
Elsewhere in the show, The 1975’s Newcastle fans were treated to an equally ridiculous surprise appearance from Harry Styles. Well, not really…
In case you haven’t seen it already, the band conspired to prank the crowd by putting the former One Direction star’s name up on the screen, only to bring out Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi instead.
He obviously got just as lovely a reaction and fully leaned into bantering with the crowd — joking, “I know what you’re thinking: ‘Harry Styles‘ looks a bit different.'” — before performing a cover of ‘Antichrist’.
The Manc -
29th June 2021 
