East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is hosting one of its Murder Mystery Nights this month, and it’s taking a topsy-turvy twist on a classic fairytale.
If you’re a big fan of Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes, or you just enjoy a brilliant night of entertainment and fine dining, then the heritage railway’s popular Murder Mystery Nights are back for the first time in 2022 since the pandemic put them on hold, and you’re invited to bring your best detective people skills and hop aboard a stunning steam train travelling through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.
Hosted by award-winning events company After Dark Entertainment, you will be guided through some “serious sleuthing” to find out whodunit, ELR says.
Each murder mystery night features a different theme, a different cast, and a different riddle to solve – and this Saturday 30 April is the turn of ‘Malice in Wonderland’, which is of course inspired by the classic Lewis Carroll 1865 children’s novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
A description for the upcoming event on the ELR website reads: “It may have killed the Cheshire Cat but things just keep getting curioser and curiouser on this surreal trip down the rabbit hole.
“Can you keep your head whilst everyone else is losing theirs?”
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East Lancashire Railway’s popular Murder Mystery Nights are back for the first time in 2022 / Credit: East Lancashire Railway
If all of the drama wasn’t enough of a draw as it is, you’ll also get a complementary glass of sparkling wine on arrival, then enjoy a mouthwatering four-course meal, followed by tea or coffee and after dinner chocolates, all onboard the vintage train carriages as the murder happens, mystery unfolds, and the culprit is eventually found.
Some of the other upcoming murder mystery events ELR is hosting throughout the year include Great British Bump Off, Treacherous Terror Train, Allo Allo, Hollywood Homicide, and Gatsby Manor Mystery.
“An evening of intrigue, investigation and indulgence awaits,” ELR says.
Malice in Wonderland is taking place on Saturday 30 April, and the evening starts at Bury Bolton Street Station at 6:45pm, before finishing at approximately 10:15pm.
Boyzone to reunite for exclusive New Year’s Eve special on the BBC
Danny Jones
2025 has very much been the year of the comeback – be it Oasis, Britpop fashion in general, or short bobs and pixie cuts – so it’s only fitting that we round off the calendar with one last reunion, as throwback boyband Boyzone are set to feature on a TV special on the BBC this New Year’s Eve.
Turns out ‘All That I Need’ to make a year memorable is a load of 1990s nostalgia.
Now, obviously, despite plenty of other music names enjoying a second renaissance over the past 12 months or so, nothing is ever going to be quite as big as the Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour.
However, if you asked us to guess which group from the era were also going to reunite this year back in January, there’s not a chance we would’ve said Boyzone.
Boyzone are telling us about coming back together for one final run in their most unforgettable concerts yet 🎤
After news first began circulating earlier this week, it has now been confirmed that musician turned presenter Ronan Keating will be getting back together with two of his former bandmates.
Joining the 48-year-old for ‘Ronan & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party’, ex-Boyzone members Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch are part of an exciting live music lineup.
Other names include actor and singer, Shona McGarty, who recently starred on season 25 of I’m A Celeb, as well as fellow 90s pop artist Louise Redknapp and singer-songwriter Calum Scott.
The exclusive reunion comes after the success of the recently aired Boyzone: No Matter What documentary show.
Spread across three parts on Sky, the docuseries (named after their hit song from 1998) looks back on the career and journey up the charts back in their heyday, all the way up to the present. After seemingly striking a chord with fans and the lads themselves, it looks like they’re not done after all…
Yes, not only is the festive TV special going to see three of the original members performing alongside each other again, but
Here’s hoping that turns into a springboard for something even bigger, and we get a Manchester arena show sometime soon.
As for the programme itself, ‘Ronan & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party’ will be broadcast on BBC One and made available on BBC iPlayer from Wednesday, 31 December 2025.
Chester Zoo is offering £1 tickets to families who ‘struggle to afford’ a festive day out
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo is offering £1 tickets this Christmas to families who may otherwise struggle to afford a festive day out.
Christmas is a time when many of us feel strapped for cash more than ever before, especially for those families on Universal Credit, which is why Chester Zoo is embracing the season of giving by offering thousands of locals the chance to visit the UK’s largest charity zoo for a fraction of the price of normal entry tickets.
The discounted tickets will be available for anyone claiming Universal Credit on visits from today (18 December) right up until New Year’s Eve (31 December), and they’ll need to be booked online in advance.
This brilliant initiative is a new addition to the zoo’s long-running Community Connections Scheme, which aims to reduce financial barriers to visiting for households and community groups.
Chester Zoo is offering £1 tickets to families on Universal Credit this festive season / Credit: Chester Zoo
Tickets priced at £1 will be available to people receiving Universal Credit, including claimants of Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Housing Benefit.
Chester Zoo said the scheme is designed to help families on lower incomes enjoy the zoo during the festive period and connect with nature.
“We know that spending time outdoors and around wildlife can have a really positive impact on people, and we hope this helps more families enjoy a special day out together over the festive period, especially when this time of year can be difficult for many,” commented Charlotte Smith, who is Chester Zoo’s Director of Conservation Education.
“We hope this brightens the season for many more households.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th April 2022 
