A generous award of £746,000 is heading to Islington Mill's Art Club after the National Lottery Herritage Fund granted them the huge amount of cash to help further their vision for the historic mill.

The much needed money will go towards a new roof, weather proofing of the existing structure, a new entrance way, an outdoor lift to all floors and much more as the group seek to usher new life into the 197-year-old former Cotton Mill.

It also means that the buildings 5th and 6th floors can finally be renovated and put to use for creative spaces and work areas.

Most importantly the the tenancy of the building is now secure and in being so it secures its use as a premiere artistic space for many more years to come.

The Heritage Funding came after the group managed to secure half a million pounds themselves through various campaigns and fundraising efforts. Salford Council also made a contribution along with another from Arts Council England.

Maurice Carlin, Co-Director of Islington Mill said:

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“Islington Mill is sustained by, and thrives off, the collective energy, ideas and opportunities brought by artists. I am one of many artists who made artworks to raise funds for the Mill. Together we raised over £100,000 which is a phenomenal achievement by any standards. This latest funding success will secure a long future for the finest surviving heritage building of its kind in the region, in perpetuity for generations more artists to come, guarding against the developing gentrification that has occurred in other urban centres and ensuring that artists have affordable studio space and a creative atmosphere in Salford in which to grow.”

Bill Campbell, Co-Director and Founder of Islington Mill also says:

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“At Islington Mill we have always offered both space and time in which artists can flourish, by offering a range of support and encouragement, and holding a safe place for people and their ideas to grow, develop and happen in their own way, at their own pace, when there was sometimes no other place for these things to happen.”

Meanwhile, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennet said:

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“Salford has always been a working city, where things are made. We’re hugely excited about this project, encouraging independent artistic industry in our city, driven by the community and those who live on-site. This is an exciting experiment in how to protect areas of rising rents from gentrification, how to keep these places affordable both for residents and also artists and creatives (who often live off a shoe-string!) We’re building a self-governing, affordable and accessible artistic space for industry, jobs and the arts. I couldn’t be more enthusiastic!”

In a press release on the Mills website a spokesperson thanked those who had shown support for the project over the years, adding - There will be more news and updates to follow, but in the meantime let’s take a moment to celebrate the good news. You did it. We did it. Islington Mill forever….!

Photos: http://www.islingtonmill.com/

The Lowry’s 2019 Christmas Appeal has raised £57,000 for the art centre’s life-changing projects with vulnerable young people in Salford, the largest annual total since the launch of the appeal in 2011. 

The Christmas Appeal launched in 2011 and has since raised nearly £300,000 to support The Lowry’s Learning and Engagement work with young people in Salford.

In recent years The Lowry’s charitable work has focused on using 'Arts for Social Change' to benefit the most vulnerable children and young people in Salford. This Award winning programme uses creativity as a way for children to express themselves, to enhance their mental health and wellbeing and to improve life chances with qualifications and new skills. 

The children who benefit from these programmes include Young Carers, Looked After Children, Young Parents and Young People Experiencing Homelessness in Salford. All monies raised as part of the 2019 Christmas Appeal will fund projects that will allow the charity to work with a greater number of young people for increased lengths of time. 

The Lowry’s Director of Learning, Lynsey O’Sullivan, said about this year’s appeal:

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"We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our audiences this Christmas which will mean that we can work with more young people; offering specialist services with professional artists as well as transport, food and pastoral support to remove all barriers for young people in Salford. 

"Sadly, we know that mental health and wellbeing is a real challenge for young people in today’s society- however we also know that creativity is unique in the ways in which it can allow children to share and explore their thoughts and feelings in a safe and supportive way. 

"We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the appeal-this money is going to be transformative in the way in which we can increase our long term commitment to children and young people in really difficult situations across Salford."

The year’s Christmas Appeal ran from 19 November 2019 to 11 January 2020 with a large proportion of the monies raised collected via bucket collections following in excess of 170 performances at the venue. In addition to activities within the organisation The Alchemist Media City kindly supported the appeal with a discretional £1 donation on bills throughout December. 

This year local artist Ian McKay brings a contemporary new exhibition based on the architecture of Collier Street Baths, to Salford Museum and Art Gallery.

Collier Street Baths, which is just off Trinity Way in Salford in the Greengate area of the city, is a Grade II listed building designed by Salfordian Thomas Worthington, who is considered one of Manchester’s greatest 19th century architects. He designed many of Manchester’s public buildings including The Albert Memorial and Memorial Hall in Albert Square, and the City Police Courts.

The ‘Greengate Baths’ is the oldest surviving public baths in Great Britain and has immense historical and architectural importance. The Baths opened in August 1856 and closed in 1880 and have remained derelict since. The building is currently surrounded by scaffolding and is likely to be saved as part of a recent sale of land.

When the baths opened in 1856 by the Manchester and Salford Baths and Laundries Company it was used by 3,476 people in the first two weeks and was considered one of the finest pools in the country.

It was at the beginning of a golden age for public swimming and was used by 50,000 a year at its peak. Oarsman Mark Addy, one of Salford’s most famous sons who rescued more than 50 people from drowning in the then highly polluted River Irwell during his lifetime, learned to swim at Collier Street Baths.

Having worked in the Greengate area of Salford for many years as a display artist, Ian knew of the derelict former baths having walked past it many times, fascinated by its Italianate architectural splendour.

In 2003, whilst continuing his visual arts practice at Cow Lane Studios, Salford, Ian’s interest in the abandoned gem of a building started to gain momentum. He visited the site several times, undertaking extensive local research and he began to create pieces of art based on its architecture.

Ian completed a collection of drawings and colour studies on location at Collier Street focusing on the exterior of the building, which provided him with the resource material to complete a series of abstract paintings in 2004.

The laundry, boiler house, and chimney have been demolished, the pool’s tiles have gone, and the building has no roof yet McKay has found this abandoned gem a constant source of interest due to its rare laminated roof trusses, crests and typography.

The works in the exhibition include his earlier painting series alongside preparatory studies, photographs and some new pieces. They focus on elements of the building’s exterior architecture reflecting its palette, beauty and splendour, including snippets of typography, exterior highlights and images of both the women’s and men’s pools.

Artist Ian McKay, said:

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“Collier Street Baths to me is a crucial part of Salford and Manchester’s social history and I felt the building deserved to have its story told visually. Apart from the fact that Thomas Worthington designed the public building following a visit to Italy, the baths played a huge part in the health and wellbeing of people in both cities and gave people a lot of pleasure so I wanted to create this same feeling with an exhibition that is a tribute to this fine building.”

No stranger to reaching out to his local communities, Ian runs Gorton Visual Arts at the Aviary Community Rooms for elderly residents, vulnerable adults and residents with learning difficulties, in a safe studio environment where new skills are learned and shared with all aspects of the community.

Claire Corrin, Exhibitions Manager at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, said:

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“We are delighted to be able to present this exhibition at Salford Museum and Art Gallery. It is a wonderful opportunity to reference the social history of the city and bring it to life for audiences in an alternative way.”

The Collier Street Baths exhibition runs until April 26^th 2020. There will be a programme of activity to support the exhibition – please visit the museum website for details.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery operated by Salford Community Leisure, is free to visit and open six days a week (excluding Bank Holidays check the website for full details). Salford Museum and Art Gallery, The Crescent, Salford M5 4WU.

At around 8:47pm police were called to an firearms incident on Furrow Drive which is just a stones throw from the Westwood Park Community Primary School off Parrin Lane in Winton.

Police say that two people walked into a residence on the street and shot a man in his 20's with a handgun.

The man was taken to hospital for treatment via ambulance and fortunately his injuries are thought to be non life threatening.

A witness described hearing a loud bang whereupon not long after police swarmed the area, the street was quickly taped off as forensics officers investigated the scene, the cordon remains in place this morning.

A spokesperson for GMP said:

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"It was reported yesterday at 8.47pm as a firearms discharge.

"Two unknown persons entered an address and shot a man with a handgun.

"The man was taken to hospital where he remains.

"His injuries not life-threatening. A scene has been secured."

 

Anyone with further information can contact GMP on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Photos: SM

Police are appealing for the public’s help to trace the next of kin of Bernard Cain, 69, who sadly passed away at his home in Malus Court, Salford on Friday 10 January 2020.

There are believed to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Anyone with information about Bernard’s next of kin should contact the Police Coroner’s Office in Salford on 0161 856 4687.

Greater Manchester Police are appealing for information after an assault upon four men in Salford which happened at around 11.20pm on Thursday 12 December 2019.

Police officers were called to reports that the four men had been assaulted in the car park of popular Quays pub The Matchstick Man located off Capital Quay.

Officers attended and found the victims, who are in their late 20s to mid 40s, had been punched, kicked and stamped on by three men believed to be between the ages of 30 and 60.

The victims were taken to hospital and one of them has potentially life-changing injuries.

An investigation is underway.

No arrests have been made.

Detective Constable Adam Agrebi, of GMP’s Salford division, said:

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“This was a vicious attack that could have easily had more severe consequences if it wasn’t for the intervention of customers at the pub and the quick response of paramedics who provided treatment to the victims.

“We believe there were a large number of people in the area at the time who may be able to help us with our investigation by sharing crucial information or videos filmed on their phones.”

 

Anyone with information should contact police on 5187 quoting 3327 12/12/2019.

Alternatively, the independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Salford teenagers on the verge of going into children’s homes will get a totally new experience thanks to those who have been in care themselves.

Two care leavers and one who was on the edge of care have helped to design a new service so youngsters in the city will get the vital support they need.

Route29 officially launches on Wednesday 8 January when a new hub is opened in Eccles by the City Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett.

Now known as the Route29 hub, the building will house a team of specialists, including a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, educational psychologist and a police officer to help young people in foster care where the placement is about to break down, or those on the edge of care where parents can no longer cope.

Instead of going to a children’s home, sometimes in a different part of the country, the young person can now get instant access to the professional support they need. Where necessary, they can stay overnight on a short term basis, but usually they would stay at home and get help from the hub during the day, for as long as they need it.

Young people have chosen to have the service branded under a name, Route29, and had the interior of the hub designed to their specification with furniture they chose.

They helped to set the job roles and asked questions on the interview panels to recruit new workers for the council.

One of the young people who shaped the new service and wanted to stay anonymous said: 

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"We have gone through the system and wanted to use our experience to make it better for young people. Rather than let somebody else choose for us, we have made the decisions. It’s completely different, we had to get it right and we were listened to.

"As a child in care you don’t always feel safe. You need the right staff, with the right skills, attitude and support from other professionals to work with each child and get the best experience for them.

"Everybody had an opinion on the new name, so in the end we did an online poll where young people got to vote from about ten options. We wanted to use the word ‘route’, because as a young person in care are you are on a journey from A to B. We added 29 as it is the number of the building which we designed. So it’s now Route 29. It makes me proud to say it."

 

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: 

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"This new way of working follows a system that was developed in North Yorkshire and has been very successful. 

"We handed proposals over to young people who have been in care and they have shaped it using their own experiences. They were brutally honest, they told us the type of staff they wanted employed – and they were very vocal after the interviews about who would fit in with the service and who wouldn’t. 

"The young people have done a fantastic job and we’d like to thank them for all their hard work and invaluable knowledge. I am also delighted that two of our care leavers applied for jobs at Route29 and start in post very soon."

 

Councillor John Merry, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services added

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"We’d like to give a special thankyou to our contractors Sheila Bird and Quay Interiors. They have done an amazing job renovating the building to the young people’s specification. This has saved vital taxpayers’ money and we can’t thank them enough. They truly have the Spirit of Salford."

Around 580 children and young people are in care in Salford.

Emergency services were called out to the scene of a Road Traffic Collision between two vehicles at the junction of Langworthy Road and Seedley Road at around 12pm this afternoon (Friday 10th Jan).

The occupants of both a dark grey Nissan and a silver Ford vehicle were treated at the scene before being taken away in ambulances to nearby Salford Royal Hospital for further treatment. We are told that their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

Two appliances from GMFRS attended the scene to aid and assist freeing the occupants from their vehicles.

The road was closed for a short period but it was quickly reopened and the vehicles recovered to the side of the road. Bus services in the area were temporarily diverted but they are now said to be operating to schedule again.

In response to a dedicated operation – codenamed Operation Heamus - police in Cheetham Hill have taken the decision to implement Section 60 powers under the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act.

This disruption tactic comes after what officers believe to be an ongoing dispute between two local crime groups and a most recent incident, whereby an 18-year-old was shot on Spender Avenue on Monday 6 January 2020.

The implementation of the act means that officers in the Cheetham Hill area will have extended stop and search powers for a period of time.

Superintendent Rebecca Boyce, of GMP’s City of Manchester division, said:

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“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but I hope it demonstrates very clearly to the people of Cheetham Hill that we are willing to make important decisions in order to protect our communities and those people who are affected by this kind of mindless crime.

“Disputes of this kind are dangerous. They rip families apart and destroy people’s futures. More than anything we understand this and want to put a stop to this kind of offending so hope that measures like this one are preventative and make people who are tempted by this kind of lifestyle, stop and think before brandishing a weapon on our streets.

“Operation Heamus will remain very much ongoing and we will continue to work with a range of partners here in North Manchester to protect those people who are most vulnerable. I would also like to take this opportunity to plea with anyone who has information to please come forward and assist our enquiries as a matter of urgency.

“We hope that the community support us with this decision and continue to report any suspicious activity.”

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 1146 quoting incident number 2867 of 06/01/2020, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Forest Bank prisoner Geoffrey Hampshire aged 46-years-old was given an additional six months inside for unexpectedly headbutting a Forest Bank prison officer because he was 'Having a bad day'.

The officer who had worked at the prison for four years suffered a broken nose during an unprovoked attack which left him bruised , covered in blood and feeling embarrassed over the incident.

In a statement given after the assault, the injured officer said:

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"I couldn't believe I had let this happen to me.

"I became very emotional because I doubted whether I could do my job correctly."

 

Hampshire who is already serving a five year sentence since the 27th of July 2018 for burglaries - has since been transferred to HMP Birmingham.

During his trial his defence told the Judge that his client wished to apologise to the officer and that he regretted his actions brought upon by misunderstanding the officers intentions after having a difficult day which led him to make 'a poor response'.

Judge Alan Conrad QC told Hampshire that the officer had done nothing to warrant the attack as he handed him an additional six months to his sentence. 

Photo: GMP

A takeaway on Langworthy road which carried on trading even after fresh rat droppings were repeatedly found on the premises has been fined £6,000.

Yamin 121 Ltd, the company behind the Love Balti takeaway on Langworthy Road, was found guilty of five offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, namely failure to control pests, failure to prevent cross contamination, failure to keep the premises clean and maintained in a good state of repair, failure to implement a documented food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP and obstruction. 

The case was proved in the absence of any company representative appearing in court at Salford and Manchester magistrates’ court on Friday January 3. The firm was also ordered to pay £1700 in costs and a victim surcharge of £170.

Magistrates heard that environmental health officers from Salford City Council carried out a routine inspection at the business on January 30, 2018.

They found fresh rat droppings in the upstairs store room, underneath shelves used to store food and inside a meter cupboard near the front retail counter. Food storage containers and kitchen equipment was dirty, and the standard of cleanliness throughout the building was poor. There was no evidence the business had an effective cleaning procedure.

A pest control record from October 24, 2017 advised that holes in the building needed sealing to prevent rats getting in. This advice had clearly not been followed because holes were found on the first floor of the building. There had been no further visits from pest control.

There was no evidence that business understood the serious risk to customers from rats getting into the building.

The company was instructed to seal all the holes to prevent rats getting through, to implement pest control measures and thoroughly clean the building and was told the premises would be inspected again on February 1.

When officers returned they were told a pest control contractor had treated the problem but more, fresh rat dropping were found in the food storage room and the holes had not been sealed. A pest controller’s report from the day before said it was “vital” that all the holes upstairs were sealed but this had not been done.

The company agreed to close to take action but when officers phoned the business that evening they were able to order a chicken jalfrezi. When challenged by officers, company representatives denied they had continued trading but Just Eat later confirmed that Love Balti was still trading until 10.30pm on February 1 despite the agreement the day before.

Officers visited again on February 2. They were told pest proofing had been carried out but found fresh rat droppings in the meter cupboard in the public area. There were holes in the staffroom toilet floor and at the front of the building and evidence of a rat run in the back yard. The premises were still dirty, particularly the gas cooking range, deep fat fryer, refrigerators and poppadum cupboard

The business was closed for three days for pest proofing and thorough cleaning. When council officers returned on February 5 they found that, while the ground floor had been cleaned, the deep fat fryer and the poppadum cupboard needed more cleaning. Holes were found around a rear drain pipe which were immediately sealed up. No further fresh rat droppings were found but the company was advised to renew pest control measures.

The company was served with two hygiene improvement notices requiring the implementation of a documented food safety management system and a procedure to control pests at the business. The business was advised to remain closed until the requirements of the hygiene improvement notices were met which it did.

Speaking after the case Councillor David Lancaster, lead member for environment and community safety, said:

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“It should not have taken multiple visits and legal action before the company solved these problems. They should have responded immediately to protect the public.

"The vast majority of Salford take-aways – 94.5% -  have no problems in complying with the law and the council will always take firm action against those which do not.

"We have high standards when it comes to food hygiene.”

 

Shortly before 9pm yesterday evening (Monday 6 January 2020), police were called by medical staff at North Manchester General Hospital to reports that a man with a serious gunshot wound had been brought in for assistance.

The 18-year-old man was driven to hospital by men in a silver Toyota Yaris who left prior to police arrival. The man remains there with potentially life-changing injuries.

Officers believe that the man sustained his injuries on Spender Avenue in Cheetham Hill.

A cordon was in place whilst investigation work was carried out but has since been lifted. 

So far police have revealed that no arrests have been made.

Whilst the investigation is in its early stages, officers believe this incident was targeted and are linking it to an ongoing dispute between two local crime groups – an investigation which has been codenamed Operation Heamus.

The investigation was launched following a series of firearms discharges which have taken place since the beginning of September 2019 solely in Cheetham Hill.

Superintendent Rebecca Boyce, of GMP’s City of Manchester division, said:

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“This type of behaviour is reckless and there is no denying that it endangers innocent lives. Anyone who is willing to brandish and ultimately use a firearm has absolutely no regard for the safety of others, including bystanders who may be caught in the crossfire.

“Whilst we have made a number of arrests as part of this ongoing and dedicated operation, I understand that the incident last night is likely to cause concern within the local community. However I want to make it very clear that our top priority will always be keeping people safe and listening to our communities and what matters to them.

“An operation such as this one is multifaceted and brings its own challenges. However we have taken a number of measures to tackle this offending – such as working closely with partners such as Adult and Children’s services in Manchester, in order to disrupt this kind of criminal activity and intervene where possible.

“As part of our commitment we are also working closely with colleagues from the Programme Challenger team in order to disrupt the activity of these two organised crime groups. This focus means that we are continually supporting the people of Cheetham Hill and those individuals who are affected by these crimes.

“However, the stark reality is that we cannot tackle this form of crime in its entirety by acting on our own. We will continue to work closely with our partners but know that often intelligence and answers lie within the community and we need the people of Cheetham Hill to come forward if they have any information that can assist our enquiries. Whether you want to speak to us directly, or would prefer to talk with Crimestoppers anonymously, please do so if you think you can help.”

 

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 1146 quoting incident number 2867 of 06/01/2020, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

A large police presence descended on an area towards the bottom end of Littleton Road after reports of a motorcyclist reportedly involved in a collision with a police vehicle. 

Police have now confirmed that they have arrested two men after seemingly initiating a tactical manoeuvre to apprehend them after reports they were carrying a firearm along with two others on another motorcycle as they rode along Chapel Street.

Police have now issued the following statement:

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At around 3.10pm today (Tuesday 7 January 2020), police were called to reports that four men on two motorbikes were riding along Chapel Street in Salford armed with a gun.

Specialist officers attended and located a motorbike nearby on Littleton Road.

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of theft of a motorbike and going equipped. They have been taken to hospital for treatment.

The incident has been referred to GMP’s Professional Standards Branch in line with normal policy who have contacted the IOPC.

A scene remains in place and enquiries are ongoing.

 

A man was then ordered to get down from the bonnet of a police vehicle by armed officers who aimed their weapons at him.

The man was restrained and arrested by officers after being briefly treated at the scene with another man thought to have been a passenger on the motorcycle before being taken to hospital via ambulance.

Five police vehicles are also present whilst another is seen to be blocking the access to Littleton Road at the junction of Cromwell roundabout.

There are currently still closures in place from the Cromwell Bridge to Stamford Road.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the area for the time being.

Meanwhile bus services in the area have been diverted.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 1783 of 07/01/2020, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111

Photo: @OlyM07 via Twitter

Lee Anthony Brooks, (22/05/1969) of Pendlebury Newsagents, Bolton Road, Swinton was caught with illegal tobacco hidden in the shop’s fridge freezer and bread bin. 

Mr Brooks, pleaded guilty to one offence of possessing for sale or supply tobacco products that do not comply with the new standardised packaging regulations contrary to the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

He appeared at Salford and Manchester magistrates’ court on Friday January 3. 

He was ordered to carry out 60 hours unpaid work, pay costs of £1,200 and a victim surcharge of £85. The seized products were ordered to be destroyed. 

The court heard that trading standards officers from Salford City Council visited the shop in March 2018 after a complaint. 
Mr Brooks was asked if there were any illegal or illicit cigarettes in the shop. He replied no but said there was illicit tobacco in the office, which was not for sale.

He showed officers a plastic bag containing the products saying they had been dropped off earlier for a customer and that there were no other illicit tobacco products on the premises.

As he said that another officer found illicit tobacco concealed in the fridge freezer in the kitchen, which Mr Brooks claimed were just for his personal use. Pouches of non-duty paid hand rolling tobacco were then found hidden in the bread bin in the kitchen.

All illicit tobacco was seized from the premises.  In all 25 x 50g pouches of mixed hand rolling tobacco and 700 non duty paid cigarettes were found, worth £700, which did not comply with regulations.

The court was also told that in March 2017 trading standards officers from Salford City Council recovered 43 x 50g pouches of mixed hand rolling tobacco and 6,000 cigarettes, 2,000 of which were counterfeit, from the shop.

Once again they failed to comply with regulations and had a street value of £2,166.

Mr Brooks, who had instructed a shop worker to sell the illicit tobacco on his behalf, had built up a large customer base by word of mouth advertising that he was selling cheap, illegal tobacco. He was using the money to fund his business and mortgage.  

He pleaded guilty to the offence and was fined £105 and ordered to pay £3,314.60 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the court case Councillor David Lancaster, lead member for environment and community safety, warned Mr Brooks that officers would be keeping a very close eye on his shop to make sure the illegal trade does not continue. 

Councillor Lancaster said he was disappointed with the sentence and that there should be harsher penalties for repeat offenders, adding

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“ Mr Brooks has been cheating the country out of tax revenue which is used to fund vital public services including the NHS. It’s a despicable thing to do and my thanks go to the member of the public who reported this so we were able to take action.”

It was once a staple of childhood TV viewing, its 35 year absence has been fondly missed by a generation who have now grown up to have children of their own.

BUT this travesty is to be rectified as once more it is soon to be back with a new modern twist for a new generation and the best part is it will be filmed right here in the Holywood of the North, good old Sunny Salford.

Yes we are of course talking about beloved kids (and adults) TV show Crackerjack, previously presented by legendary icons such as Eamon Holmes, Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart and Stu 'Ooh, I could crush a grape!' Francis.

The much loved kids show goes back even further in telly history having been previously presented by Leslie Crowther a behemoth of a presenter who went on to host the 'Price is Right' and the now 86-year-old veteran presenter Michael Apsel currently hosting the Antiques Roadshow but far from Antique himself as he looks ever youthful for his years.

The shows new presenters Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes are too young to remember the original series but say they are relishing the challenge of taking on this new series of such an iconic show.

Sam says:

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“I was overwhelmed by the reaction when it was announced that it was coming back. As soon as I mention it to people older than me they all remember it, which is lovely.”

It is unknown if the likes of Bernie Clifton, Basil Brush and celebrity show biz swingers The Krankies will take part in the new iteration of the show for nostalgia purposes but on behalf of adult children up and down the land I say it is about time it was back on our screens for future generations to enjoy the mayhem.

The new series airs on Friday 17th January on CBBC.

Cheryl Taylor, head of content for BBC Children's, said the show would

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"usher in a new era of frenetic family fun and whizzbang audience antics".

Helen Bullough, head of BBC Children's In House Productions, added:

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"We can't wait to introduce a new set of Crackerjack 'crush-a-grape' catchphrases to a new generation of fans."

All we need now is the return of Tizwas and this guy, then life will be complete.

It's January and so that can only mean one thing in the Salford Calendar, yes that's right - BINS.

It has become a kind of tradition across the Salford based social media groups that as soon as the tree is down and the last of the Christmas spirit has left the building - the people of this fine city of ours turn their focus on the state of the streets.

Our popular 27,000+ member strong SalfordOnline group on Facebook becomes a mecca for those who appose the illegal dispose and this year 'Bin Season' started even earlier than usual.

With streets strewn with remnants of torn open boxes and wrapping paper with the fragrant smell of rotting Brussels sprouts in the air, just whose fault is it?

Well let me first start by giving the council a bit of a free pass on this as after four sad years of studying the Bin and Flytipping phenomenon across Salford I concluded in the end that on the whole the local council really does its upmost to keep the streets clean.

In general if you report it then it will be removed eventually, sometimes more quickly than others if I have to be critical.

There are areas within Salford in which the problem is relatively mild BUT in stark contrast, some areas seem to suffer the blight all year-round. One particular area that captured my personal attention was my beloved former home turf of Weaste & Seedley which have had to say the least - a bit of an atrocious problem with dumping and fly tipping.

I was however happy to see that under former councillor Paul Wilson - things had started to be somewhat turned around.

Within a period of a year or so I observed areas in which there had been consistent dumping clean up their act, the reason for the dramatic change I attributed directly to Paul's hard work in being a proactive councillor, often reporting things quickly to ensure that they did not become a bigger problem for people later down the line. His methods had really started to make an impact and they seemed to be working well.

Sadly Paul was not re-elected in May and I can't help but notice that things have now started to sharply decline again.

Paul is not the only proactive councillor on patrol across Salford Streets, Boothstown & Ellenbrook councillor Bob Clarke (a regular on SalfordOnline) is always happy to try and help by using his influence as a councillor to get areas across Salford kept clean and tidy to great affect. He does so without fanfare or taking any credit and I have lost count of the amount of people he has helped.

So just why do we have this seemingly never ending problem? 

Well the simple conclusion I came up with after my rather sad four year sojourn into the cities muck an filth is this.

The real problem is not the council, nor is it lazy bin men, it lies within a minority of scruffy people who think the rules don't apply to them and are either too busy or just plain lazy to sort rubbish into the correct bins for disposal like the rest of us.

It really is as simple as that. Yes I would love to see people being more proactive in reporting rubbish but more often than not people will complain over it and then expect someone else to go to the trouble of dealing with it.

It really is a case of a minority causing the issues for the majority.

In one area of Weaste I regularly checked bin numbers and found that the same few prolific offenders were behind up to 90% of the problem, with one home in particular failing to take its bin in at all for over six  months solid, they would simply walk down to the bottom of the gated alleyway and drop a bag at the side of it as the bin which was by this point perpetually full with other peoples rubbish. If the bin was full when they got there then they would dump it on top and then at the side and then finally you would end up with a bin sat surrounded by an ever increasing mountain of waste.

At one point I sat in my car and watched the bin owner scurry down the alleyway in her slippers to throw another bag on top of the already huge pile which had accumulated, enough was enough and so I got out of my car to confront her and ask why she was dumping rubbish on the streets, her reply was "Why not? I pay council tax, whats it got to do with you?"

It had a lot to do with me and a lot to do with you too as it costs money to continually remove this dumped waste and that comes out of all of our pockets via council tax at a time when every penny counts for local services.

The solution for most of us is to recycle all we can, it is obviously the way forward for our society and the planet and in doing so it saves the council money that could be far better spent on other services, for those who can not be bothered to pull their weight and comply with the rules then as far as I am concerned the only real way to deal with this is via prosecutions with real consequences and heavy fines. The council needs to see a little reality and understand that signs and environmental bags just don't work, it really is a complete waste of money.

Oh and whilst I am in a bit of a rant, something really needs to be done about gated alleyways as they have become a mecca for dumping.

If the council are guilty of anything here it is that they could be doing more to prosecute those causing the problem, however it should be mentioned that they do prosecute and take some cases to court but more needs to be done to send a message that this will no longer be tolerated. It is an issue that affects us all, no one truly wants to live surrounded by filth and so if we want to see change then we need to be demanding that change happens. 

So who do we ultimately blame?

The Bin Men?

It is often those on the front line who 'cop' for most of the stick, usually the order is foremost the binmen who unfairly get blamed for not removing rubbish bags, seriously though would many of us want to have to pick up some of this rubbish?

The Councillors?

Not far behind the binmen in the firing line are local councillors who for the most part really do try to get things removed, admittedly some far more effectively than others.

The Council?

Third inline are most usually the Council, yes they are not perfect but for as much as I hate to admit it, when recycling is done properly, the three week collections do work, however in summer months I personally think the frequency of collections should be stepped up to two weeks so as to cut down on the obvious increase of flies and rats which are constantly reported on our Facebook groups. And Yes more could be done to help those genuinely struggling with black bins and large families etc but the Council does take circumstances into consideration and larger bins can be made available for those with a genuine need.

The Real Problem?

The reality though is the people who should be first in the queue to be recipients of our frustrations and anger should be those minority of people who are blighting our once beautiful city with their inability to comply to simple rules, shear laziness and complete contempt for the rest of society. If you want to point the finger of blame then we should be pointing it where is deserves to be. We can blame the council, blame the binmen and councillors and even the government all we like but the real truth is that this issue is caused simply by idiots who give not a single 'crap' about the 'crap' they leave behind.

If these people were working within the rules then the system would work, it clearly does for the majority.

Photo: SM (Please note all rubbish in the photos was removed thanks to the efforts of both Paul Wilson and Councillor Bob Clarke over the past year. These are just the tip of the iceberg.)

Despite being told multiple times by Salford City Council, the Government and even the High Courts, it would seem the message of NO means NO has not been absorbed by a Peel Holdings which seems determined on a path of what many see as a blatant disregard of community opinion, council rulings and even court rulings.

At a staggering cost to the city of already over £402 thousand pounds in legal fees, countless hours in staff time and resources, The 'Battle for Broadoak' has already diverted money from the cities coffers to fight what seems like a never ending series of legal challenges from Peel.

In August last year (2019), despite claims of legal errors made in the previous ruling, the High Courts once again ruled against the companies plans for the area, upholding the decisions of both the council and two separate home secretaries but it seems that despite all of that Peel is still pushing to get its way.

In an open letter posted last year which was aimed at John Whittaker (Chairman of Peel Holdings), Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett encouraged Peel to reconsider its application, citing the huge opposition from not only local residents but also the cross-party support against the development from the Council, sadly that seems to have fallen on deaf ears. 

Paul said,

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"The Council has now won three appeals including two public inquiries to protect the site from development, incurring legal costs of over £400,000 to the local ratepayers. 

"The Council will once again defend our policy to preserve this vital green space."

 

Local councillor and chair of the Residents Against Inappropriate Developments (RAID) has revealed that once more the company is set to appeal in a bid to overturn two costly and time consuming public enquiries and the previous decisions of the courts.

Councillor Garrido posted the news via social media, saying:

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"Regretfully I have to advise you that Peel Investments (North) Limited have been granted leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal, Civil Division against the decision made by the High Court against Peel.

"We do not have full details yet but the question which The Rt Hon Lord Justice Lewison has said needs to be settled is whether a plan (local plan) is "out of date" for the purposes of the National Planning Policy Framework and whether the tilted balance is an important point which ought to be settled by the (Appeal) court.

"Salford are awaiting advice from their QC as to what the strength of this argument may be and I will let you know as soon as I have further information.

"The judge refers to a previous case where comments regarding a similar issue were made although it is not known at this stage whether it influenced that particular decision.

"This appeal is on a technicality, it is not a rehearing of the whole application.

"I am told that the court hearing could be as early as the spring or by an unconnected source I am told that it can sometimes be up to twelve months. I will of course keep you all informed."

 

For those who thought the epic battle was over, it seems they are sadly mistaken. The seven year battle to stop Peel looks set to rumble on.

Salford City Council have invited local residents to have their say on plans for major new pedestrian and cycling routes in Salford, connecting Walkden, Worsley and Boothstown as well as providing access to RHS Garden Bridgewater along the Bridgewater canal.

The proposals for expanding the city’s off-road network will be on display at Worsley Library on Tuesday 21 January from 2pm to 7pm and Walkden Gateway centre on Thursday 23 January from 2pm to 7pm.

These detailed designs have been developed as part of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s £160 million Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund.  This aims to create the UK’s largest cycling and walking network across all 10 Greater Manchester authorities, benefiting 2.7 million people and making cycling and walking a real alternative to the car.

Developed in partnership with Salford City Council, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Peel L&P and Worsley Park Marriott Hotel, the proposals will provide:

·    A traffic-free route along the north of the Bridgewater Canal linking Worsley and Boothstown to the RHS;

·    An enhanced north-south route from Walkden Station to the RHS, also linking to the A580 Guided Busway;

·    New pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities on the East Lancashire Road (A580), Leigh Road (A572), Walkden Road (A575), Barton Road (B5211) and Birch Road;

·    The route will also connect into the existing traffic-free network in Salford, including the Bridgewater Way, the Roe Green loopline and the Tyldesley loopline.Set to open in 2020, RHS Garden Bridgewater has been enabled by Salford City Council and Peel L&P.

Councillor Roger Jones, executive support member for transport, said:

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“We welcome people’s views, reactions and comments on these exciting plans for the city. They will offer local residents a real alternative to short car trips by connecting them to jobs, education and health facilities and local shops.

"It will also provide pedestrian and cycle access to the RHS Garden Bridgewater which will be a major visitor attraction providing another boost to Salford’s growth and the GM tourism industry. From new jobs, training, educational and volunteering opportunities, RHS Bridgewater will bring enormous economic, social, health, environmental and community benefits to the area.”

 

Residents’ views and comments will help support a full business case submission to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to secure funding to implement the scheme. The more responses received the more weight this will have in terms of securing funding to implement the scheme. A decision is expected in summer 2020.

A sick serial rapist who lured unsuspecting men back to his flat in Manchester before plying them with drug laced alcohol so he could film himself sexually attacking them has been jailed for 60 years.

So horrendous and prolific were his crimes, the Judge said he will never be safe to be released from jail.

Gay Christian student Reynhard Sinaga (19/02/1983), of no fixed address, has today (Monday 6 January 2020) been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of 159 counts of sexual offences against 48 different men. He will serve a minimum of 30 years before being considered for release.

The sentencing - which took place at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square – comes at the conclusion of four separate trials. The earlier trials were unable to be publicised due to reporting restrictions that were put in place to protect the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings.

During the course of each trial, the court heard how Sinaga would target men who were alone and potentially vulnerable before approaching them in the street.

Sinaga would then strike up a conversation with his intended victim, before convincing them to come back to his home under false pretences, taking advantage of their trusting nature. Once inside he would offer them a drink which, unbeknownst to the men, would contain a substance – believed to be GHB – that would render them unconscious.

With his victim unconscious, Sinaga would rape and sexually assault the men whilst filming his horrific acts.

Sinaga was completely unknown to police and his offending - which is believed to have taken place between 2005 and 2017 - only came to light in June 2017, when one of his victims woke up during one of the sickening attacks and fought him off.

After the incident was reported to police, the scale of his offending soon became apparent and he was swiftly arrested and charged before being remanded into custody.

Including the men that Sinaga has been found guilty of attacking, the investigation team found evidence linking over 190 potential victims to him.

Although the majority of these victims have been identified and provided with specialist support from St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and Survivors Manchester, there remain around 70 who have not yet been identified and detectives are keen to speak with them to ensure they have any support needed.

Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain, of Greater Manchester Police, said:

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“Reynhard Sinaga is a depraved individual, who targeted potentially vulnerable men that he had spotted walking on their own after a night out.

“He would strike up a conversation with them before leading them back to his flat under a false premise and drugging them before subjecting them to sickening abuse, all the while recording the attacks as they took place.

“Not much was known about Reynhard Sinaga prior to his final victim telling police of his ordeal and he had never previously come to the attention of GMP with regards to any criminal incidents.

“To the rest of the world he came across as an engaged member of society who was studying for a PHD qualification and had a small circle of law-abiding friends that he would socialise with. However beneath that façade was a serial sex offender, who we now believe to be Britain’s most prolific rapist. The fact that he was able to cover-up his true nature for so long, just serves as further evidence of his calculating criminal nature.

“I want to be clear that Sinaga is just one appalling individual and he should not be considered as being reflective of any community.

“I do not wish to waste another word on Reynhard Sinaga. Instead, I would now like to pay tribute to his victims, many of whom did not know for certain what had happened to them until they received a visit from the police, after they had been identified from the videos taken by Sinaga.

“I can only imagine how devastating this news must have been for them but the bravery that these men have shown in engaging with officers and support workers in an effort to come to terms with what happened is nothing short of incredible.

“Many of these men have stood up in court and provided evidence, which detailed the significant impact these offences have had on their lives. We appreciate this can be a daunting experience and it truly does take a lot of courage to stand up in court and tell your story.

“Finally, I would like to thank the investigation team for the meticulous work that they have put in since this inquiry was launched. They, along with colleagues from the Crown Prosecution Service, St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre and Survivors Manchester, have made supporting and seeking justice for those affected by Sinaga their absolute priority.

“Even with the video evidence, this was not a straight forward case and it required round the clock work, including consulting with subject matter experts, carrying out detailed research, arranging pre-trial court visits for witnesses and other vital tasks.

“Many of the team also had to sit and watch the horrifying videos that Sinaga created, which has undoubtedly had a personal impact on them. Without their work, there would be more victims out there who were unaware of exactly what had happened to them and without any specialist support being provided.

“I hope the work of the investigation team sends out a clear message that Greater Manchester Police is prepared to invest time and resources into bringing those who carry out sex offences to justice as well as work alongside partner agencies to provide victims with any support they need.”

 

Bev Hughes, Greater Manchester's Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime and Criminal Justice, said:

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“Reynhard Sinaga is a vile individual who preyed upon his victims in a disturbing and depraved manner. Today, he has rightly been brought to justice. 

 “Both the nature of Sinaga’s appalling crimes and their scale are shocking. This has been a deeply distressing and disturbing case and I want to thank Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the Crown Prosecution Service and other partners for their relentless and meticulous work on what is believed to be the largest rape investigation in British judicial history. 

“I particularly want to praise the victims and survivors for their bravery and courage throughout these trials – it has been an immensely challenging and upsetting time.

 “The police, St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Survivors Manchester, Victim Support, the National Probation Service and other partner agencies have worked together to provide victims and survivors with the best possible support throughout the trials.

 “I also want to echo GMP’s appeal for further victims of Sinaga to come forward, so we can ensure they get the support they need. I also want to urge anyone who has been a victim of any rape or sexual assault to come forward and report it to police, confident that they will receive the help and support they need. 

“Greater Manchester is a resilient place. We have undergone traumas in the past and, together, come through them. Sinaga is an appalling individual, who acted alone and is now off our streets. He is in no way representative of our city-region and people should not be fearful of enjoying all that Manchester city centre has to offer.”

 

If you have been affected by this case or believe that you may have been a victim of Reynhard Sinaga, then please contact police or specialist support agencies using the contact details below.

All reports made to police will be fully investigated and Greater Manchester is nationally recognised as a model of good practice in terms of support services available to victims.

Reports relating to Reyhard Sinaga can also be made online via the Major Incident Public Portal: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/06GMP19V24-PO2

Dedicated incident room contact details:

If you wish to speak to police and make a report relating to Reynhard Sinaga, then please contact: 0800 092 0410 (calls made from within the UK) / 0207158 0124 (international calls).

If you have been affected by this case and would like to seek support from specialist agencies, then please contact: 0800 056 0154 (calls made from within the UK) / 0207158 0011 (international calls).

Police were called to reports of a firearm having been discharged at a property on Bradden Close in the Langworthy area at around 10:30pm last night (3rd Jan 2020).

An area of waste ground has been cordoned off as a police forensics team conducted a search using sniffer dogs whilst officers stood guard at the scene.

Other officers went door to door as part of their enquiries as well as to reassure those living close-by.

So far the police have told us that they have made no arrests over the incident and that no one is thought to have been injured.

In mid July last year another shooting took place in the same area opposite Lark Hill Primary school, which police said was thought to have been a targeted attack.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said:

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"We were called shortly after 10.30pm on Friday 3 January 2020 to a report of a firearms discharge on Bradden Close, Salford.

"Officers attended and found damage to a property consistent with a firearms discharge."

 

Photos: SM