Bury

Greater Manchester’s spooky steam trains are returning this Halloween

A journey into the unknown awaits.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 7th September 2026

Spooky season is right around the corner, and one of Greater Manchester’s most-popular Halloween events is returning.

What’s Halloween without East Lancashire Railway‘s (ELR) eerie ghost trains at this point? Generally selling out each year, the heritage railway’s Halloween Ghost Trains always prove to be top of the Halloween bucket list for people looking for some ‘spooktacular fun’ once the scariest time of year rolls around.

And 2026 is expected to be no different… in fact, it’ll be even creepier than normal, because the scream train has had a spooky makeover.

You can expect flickering lights, eerie sounds, creepy surprises, and perhaps a very unwelcome visitor climbing aboard.

Those brave enough at lending the Monster Squad a helping hand at banishing ghosts and ghouls will be whisked away on a haunted steam engine through the atmospheric Greater Manchester countryside.

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Before you join them though, you’ll need to prove you have what it takes by making it through the Halloween Walkthrough on the footbridge with a fair few jump scares.

Once you reach the platform, you’ll be greeted by Halloween favourites, Vampire Brian and Veronica the Witch, who’ll prepare you for your terrifying train trip with a song, a dance, and probably a scream or two.

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Spooky steam train rides through Greater Manchester are returning this Halloween / Credit: ELR

As you take in the autumn sights and delights of the local countryside out the historic steam train’s windows on your journey, there’ll be lots of spooky entertainment and music along the way, and as always, screaming and singalongs are to be expected – and encouraged – as this is all part of the experience.

Families are also encouraged to ‘show off your spookiest fancy dress’ on the day too, and if you make it to the end, then a goody bag for every child ‘full of tricks and treats’ awaits.

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The Halloween Ghost Trains are happening over an extended weekend in late October, running from Thursday 29 to Saturday 31 October.

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Tickets are now on sale, starting from just £15 per person, and you can book here.

Featured Image – ELR

Bury

Six GMP officers dismissed following racial discrimination allegations

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A number of police officers have been dismissed following an internal investigation, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed.

Following the internal investigation into alleged racial discrimination against an officer on the Bury district – which was launched by GMP‘s Professional Standards Directorate in July 2024 – six officers and two former officers were found to have committed gross misconduct, and a ninth officer was found to have committed misconduct.

The investigation came after a report was made that an officer had been subjected to ‘racist behaviour’ by colleagues in December 2023.

The panel heard how PC Y – who has African heritage and has been granted anonymity – made a complaint after her accent was mimicked by a group of officers. She was also compared to a suspect with similar skin colour, and one of the dismissed PCs made a derogatory comment about her hair.

PC Y was supported and kept updated throughout the investigation, GMP assured, as well as providing evidence at the hearing.

The misconduct hearing lasted just over two weeks, with the panel concluding that the officers breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour relating to Equality and Diversity, Authority, Respect, and Courtesy.

The six officers who have been dismissed are PC Demi Green, PC Heena Rani, PC Lucy Granby, PC Matthew Barlow, PC Matthew Hill, and PC Mohammed Abid, while the former officers who were found to have committed gross misconduct are PC Jake Holt, and former Officer A – who has been granted anonymity.

The panel also found that Sergeant Adrian Bick’s actions amounted to misconduct, as there was no  breach of the standard of equality and diversity.

As a result, the six serving officers have been sacked without notice, while the two former officers would have been dismissed had they not already left the force, and Sergeant Bick was issued a written warning.

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“No officer or member of staff should have to come to work and experience discriminatory behaviour from the people they serve alongside,” declared Deputy Chief Constable, Terry Woods.

“Everyone has the right to feel respected, valued and part of the same team with a shared commitment to serving our communities and keeping people safe.”

Featured Image – David Dixon (via Geograph)

Bury

Manchester pub chain providing lifeline for dementia sufferers with vital support sessions

Danny Jones Danny Jones Joseph Holt dementia support sessions

A regional pub chain is being rightly praised for providing regular and vital support sessions to those suffering from dementia at two beloved Manchester locations.

The brand in question is Joseph Holt Brewery, which was founded behind an old pub on Oak Street in the Northern Quarter back in 1849, and has gone on to become an instantly recognisable British name.

Serving patrons for the best part of two centuries, their watering holes have always served as important meeting places and community hubs, but one of their current local initiatives is one of the most heartwarming we’ve come across of late.

Dubbed the ‘Get Together Group’, these dementia support sessions, which are now being pioneered at two of their Greater Manchester pubs, are truly setting an example for the kind of grassroots work and outreach that publicans do.

Credit: Joseph Holt Brewery (supplied)

Put simply, the Get Together Group hold sessions for those diagnosed with dementia, and indeed, members of families affected by the disease to meet, discuss and support one another.

Currently being hosted at The Goat’s Gate in Whitefield and The Woodthorpe in Prestwich – both beloved Joseph Holt boozers – the idea was started by Sonia Schofield, 53, who now runs the sessions with a band of dedicated volunteers.

“People just seem to love the warm atmosphere and general sense of community,” says Sonia. “There’s free tea, coffee, and biscuits, along with bingo, a raffle, and some fabulous singers who come along to entertain the group.

“Word has spread that this is such a lively and welcoming space that even people without a direct connection to dementia regularly come along – which is so lovely. It also adds to a sense of community, helps break down stigma around dementia and makes the group feel warm, inclusive, and caring.”

Having worked as part of the brewery for more than three and a half decades since joining as an 18-year-old, this became a passion project of hers after her beloved grandmother, Pam, who had raised her from the age of six, developed dementia in her late sixties.

As is sadly the case for many, it soon became clear that support for those struggling with dementia is unfortunately rather limited, with Royal Voluntary Service figures stating that more than a third of people even just caring for loved ones with dementia receive little or no support following diagnosis.

Goat’s Gate
The Woodthorpe
Here’s hoping it comes to more pubs
With 125 other establishments, this could be the start of something special. (Credit: CAMRA/Joseph Holt/The Manc Group)

Believed to be the first sessions of their kind held in a pub, the reception to the regular work done by Get Together has meant that it isn’t just people living with the condition directly that now attend: people throughout the local areas are turning to the bi-weekly meet-ups for connection and social interaction.

Sonia goes on to note that because “the atmosphere in a pub is far less formal than, say, a healthcare or community centre setting, this helps reduce anxiety and makes interaction feel more natural.

“Holding a support group in an everyday community venue also shows that people living with dementia are valued members of the community, not defined only by their diagnosis. Just seeing this group of people together is so uplifting.”

Joseph Holt‘s director of pubs, Mark Norbury, said of the scheme: “We are a family business with very strong roots in the communities where our pubs are located. The Get Together Club perfectly reflects Joseph Holt’s values – our pubs are about much more than simply serving drinks. They are welcoming spaces where people can come together, socialise, build friendships, and support one another.

“We are incredibly proud of what Sonia and her fellow volunteers have achieved: creating a vital source of support for those who need it, while also providing a warm, uplifting environment where everyone feels welcome.” Hear, hear.

Joseph Holt continues to extend that homegrown, family-run and community-driven ethos across their pubs, and we sincerely hope we get to more stuff like this popping up at their various wonderful sites across the boroughs.

@the.manc Ryan and Megan are now behind both the taps and the fryers at The Ape and Apple in Manchester city centre, in a unique new partnership between them and Joseph Holt. 🍺🍔 Now you can get their California-inspired smash burgers, wings and loaded fries, plus pub classics like pies with your pints. 📍 28-30 John Dalton Street, M2 6HQ #themanc #themanceats #manchester #thatburgerplace #manchesterpubs ♬ Walking Around – Instrumental Version – Eldar Kedem

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Featured Images — Supplied (via Joseph Holt Brewery)/The Manc

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