Operation Tisdale was launched in March 2016 to interrupt and dismantle a large organised crime group who conspired to produce, package and sell industrial-sized quantities of cannabis on a national scale.

A Salford man was among the 26 to be jailed, Amtomio Kojo (08/01/1992) of Pensby Close, Pendlebury was given a one year and three months sentence.

The near-30-strong criminal enterprise were employed in the conspiracy as farmers, managers, quartermasters and directors to sustain the operation.

On Thursday 21 July 2016 officers from GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group orchestrated 12 raids across the Greater Manchester and Cheshire areas in a joint operation with the immigration service, North West Electricity and local authorities.

Officers discovered cannabis farms reaching an approximate total worth of £6million across Crumpsall, Moss Side, Wythenshawe, Stretford, Salford, Droylsden, Rochdale and Wilmslow.

Other farms were discovered in Rotherham and Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Enquiries established that the produce of these farms had reached a number of areas in Manchester and Sheffield but also in areas further south in Swindon.

Twenty-six people were arrested, charged convicted of offences including conspiracy to supply class B drugs, money laundering and false documentation.

The last two, Elton Omuri (01/01/1992) of Chippenham Road, Manchester and Toni Boboshi (06/02/1974) of Pyramid Court, Manchester were sentenced today, Tuesday 17 April, at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square for conspiracy to supply class B drugs after pleading not guilty at an earlier hearing.

Omuri was sentenced to four years imprisonment and Boboshi was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

Detective Inspector Karen Ryan of GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Team, said:

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“Professing to be part of a sophisticated operation, the group used false names, false addresses and fraudulent documentation to avoid detection by the authorities, frustrate police investigations and attempt to evade criminal prosecution.

“They stretched far beyond the borders of Greater Manchester, pumping the proceeds of their crimes into other cities spreading the detrimental effects of drug supply across the nation.

“We have been able to collect evidence and following strong lines of enquiry thanks to the members of the community who notified us of the group’s wrongdoings and have been invaluable in our pursue to prosecute them.

“This has been an intense investigation which has relied on the intelligence and the trust of the community and today, we can confidently say these people are safely behind bars, unable to profit from the proceeds of their illicit activity or continue to spread harm through the streets of the United Kingdom.”

 

The following people, apart from the first two, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and the cultivation of cannabis at earlier hearings at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square:

Friday 27 January 2017

Besnic Hoxha (22/02/1984) of Cedric Road, Crumpsall was jailed for two years for money laundering.

Ifigjenia Cipi (17/02/1985) of Cedric Road, Crumpsall was jailed for one year and six months for false documentation.

Wednesday 24 May 2017 

Denad Hoxha (17/06/1989) of Polygon Road, Manchester was jailed for four years and six months.

Taulant Hoxha (23/10/1986) of Carlton Road, Whalley Range was jailed for five years and four months.

Mario Basha (01/01/1987) of Palatine Road, Didsbury was jailed for three years and nine months.

Fatjon Hazizi (01/01/1986) of Palatine Road, Didsbury was jailed for four years.

Krenar Harisis (13/04/1985) of Carlton Road, Whalley Range was jailed for three years and six months.

Thursday 25 May 2017

Andi Lekaji (15/07/1978) of Angleton Gardens, Sheffield was jailed for four years.

Glynn Besson (12/01/1961) of Nursery Road, Sheffield was jailed for four years.

Luke Oakley (15/05/1984) of Horsham Road, Swindon was jailed for two years.

Wayne Bayford (25/08/1989) of Rivergreen, Swindon was jailed for two years.

Richard Vincent (21/10/1969) of Penhill Drive, Swindon was jailed for three years.

Fatjon Hoxha (04/05/1984) of no fixed address was jailed for one year.

Two men aged 31 and 32, both from Stalybridge, were sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years. 

Friday 26 May 2017

Ervin Hoxha (10/06/1979) of Dobroyd Street, Crumpsall was jailed for one year and three months.

Arbor Basha (02/02/1991) of Cyril Street, Manchester was jailed for one year and three months.

Arjan Harisis (03/03/1992) of Hancock Street, Stretford was jailed for one year and three months.

Gentjan Harisis (06/01/1990) of Ardenfield Drive, Wythenshawe was jailed for one year and three months.

Amtomio Kojo (08/01/1992) of Pensby Close, Pendlebury was jailed for one year and three months.

Haxhi Hazizi (17/09/1997) of Styal View, Wilmslow was jailed for one year and three months.

Ismail Agaci (05/01/1996) of Leicester Street, Rochdale was jailed for one year and three months.

Altin Ripaj (23/06/1984) of Peter Street, Rotherham was jailed for one year and three months.

Shah Kamaly (02/01/1972) of Greenlands Road, Swindon was jailed for two years and nine months.

Anyone with information about crime in their area should contact police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Update 27/04/18: Police are no longer looking for this man, an arrest has been made, thanks for sharing.

Justin Phelan (05/06/1981) of Littleton Road, Salford was released from prison in November 2017 after being sentenced to nine months for battery and breaching restraining orders. 

He has since breached the terms of his license and is now wanted on recall to prison. 

Phelan has links to areas across Greater Manchester as well as Blackpool so it is possible he may have travelled away from Salford as he continues to evade arrest. 

Anybody with information about his whereabouts should contact police on 0161 856 8222 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. 

At around 9.15am on Sunday 8 April the robber – who donned a face covering - went into Alex's Off Licence on Liverpool Street where he pulled out a large kitchen knife.

He then threatened a staff member before taking the till. He fled down Peterhead Walk towards Graythorpe Walk.

The offender is described as white, about 5ft 9ins tall, medium to large build and was wearing dark clothing that was inside out. He also had just socks on his feet.

Detective Sergeant Wendy Grace said:

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“Although no one was injured this was a brazen attack and the staff member was understandably terrified by the ordeal.

“We are desperate to hear from anyone who saw a man running away from the shop around that time or acting suspiciously in the area.

“If you know anything then please get in touch.”

 

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 790 of 8 April 2018.

Alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 
 

If you are offered a 'bargain' bike similar to that in the photo below then take note that in all likelihood it is stolen, the distinctive back mountain bike with lime green flashing was taken from outside a Premier Shop on Grasmere Crescent in Winton on Saturday the 14th of April. However, the theft was caught on local CCTV.

The young lad had nipped into the shop as his friend stood guard over their bikes when the thieves struck out of the blue. As you can see clearly in the video, both thieves rolled up on the same bike,  as they came to a stop one of the thieves dressed in a black Nike tracksuit with a distinctive yellow JD sports bag on his back, jumped off, ran over, grabbed the bike and rode off on it. All within a matter of seconds.

The owner of the bike was left sickened and upset after seeing the CCTV footage so if anyone has any further information that could name the pair who stole it then please get in touch with police on 101, likewise if you have been offered this bike then take note that it is stolen and now too hot to handle as the video has been shared across social media platforms as well as on this site.

Vincent Gerald O’Kane (03/10/1972) of Florence Street in Eccles has been charged with murder and will appear at Manchester City Magistrates’ Court today (Monday 16 April 2018). 

  
At about 12.10am on Monday 26 March 2018 police were called to a report of a body found at a property on Florence Street in Eccles. 
  
On arrival, officers discovered the body of a 55-year-old man who has been formally identified as Philip Edge. 
  
An investigation was launched and enquiries remain ongoing. 

A man has died after an incident in Monton which left him with head injuries.

At around 2.45pm on Tuesday 10 April 2018, police were called to a property on Parrin Lane in Monton by the ambulance service. 

The man was found at the entrance of the Old Fold residential block in Monton.

On arrival, officers discovered a 36-year-old man with significant head injuries. He was immediately taken to hospital but has since sadly passed away. 

Two men were originally arrested on suspicion of assault and have been bailed pending further enquiries.

Detectives investigating now believe the man may have been assaulted around Parrin Lane sometime between 12am and 10.30am on Tuesday 10 April 2018.

The identity of the man has not yet been given by the police but his name is thought to be circulating widely on social media.

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“We have made two arrests but I want to stress that our investigation does not stop because of this. 

“We are still carrying out extensive forensic work and a post-mortem will be undertaken in the next few days. 

“As part our enquiries we are really keen to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything suspicion in the Parrin Lane area. 

“At the time you might not have thought anything of it but even the tiniest piece of information could really help this investigation and ultimately provide the answers to this man’s family. 

“Specially trained officers continue to offer their support during this devastating time for all those who knew and cared for this man.” 

Anyone with any information is urged to call police on 0161 856 5254 quoting 1140 of 10/04/18, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. 

The council’s Cabinet met to go through the results of a consultation with parents, schools and the public after initial proposals were put on the table. Information was sent to 1,000 people potentially affected.

This year there is a projected £1.071m overspend on transport, whilst £11.2million has been cut from the overall budget.

The agreed changes mean:

The council will invest in support to help SEND (special education needs and disabilities) young people learn how to travel confidently where possible helping prepare them for employment or further training.

The council will ask for a contribution of up to £510 per year for young people aged 16-19 who use local authority transport to get to school or college. This fee will be reduced for families with a lower income. The average cost of transport is £4,500 per year and in some cases, individual travel arrangements can be as much as £25,000 per year. This contribution to council finance ensures those with the highest need will continue to receive support,

Those who require high levels of support to get to post 16 education or college will be offered a personal budget to support travel arrangements.

Children from families who live further than the statutory walking distance away from school will be given free bus passes instead of receiving reimbursement (all SEN children aged between 5 and 16 years old qualify for free bus passes).

The Cabinet has required that each application will be assessed on an individual basis and satisfied that concerns raised through the consultation have been taken seriously. Transport support for the most vulnerable residents will continue to be provided and in line with the council’s statutory duties.

Following an extensive consultation, the council dropped a proposal to introduce a contribution for (SEN) transport for children under five years old with special educational needs (SEN) attending specialist provision. The decision was made after responses and feedback from the public. Where local authority transport is provided, this continues to be free of charge.

These proposals have been agreed after a projected £1.071m overspend on transport in a year that has seen a further £11.2million cut from the overall budget.

Charlotte Ramsden, Strategic Director for People at Salford City Council, said:

Quote

 

“Salford was one of the few councils in Greater Manchester who offered fully-funded travel budgets for children with SEN. But with our budget situation, we have reluctantly agreed to review the transport so we can support those with the highest needs.

“It is a decision we do not want to make. But with our budget cuts, having lost £198million since 2010 – or £60,000 each and every day, we have to make changes.

“After going through the 47 responses to the consultation we will now ask parents of students aged 16-19 to make a contribution towards the cost of local authority transport, bringing us in line with other local authorities. Obviously not everybody will be able to afford this so we will work with each family to make sure no one is left without the means to fund travel costs.

“It is important to note, no SEN children aged between five and 16 years old who receive transport assistance are affected by the changes – their transport is free.”

 

Police confirm a female prison officer was stopped and detained on Saturday morning (7th April), as she carried out her duties, she was later formally arrested on suspicion of conveying prohibited items into the Sodexo ran category B prison in Agecroft, Salford.

The items are said to be mobile phones and batteries among other banned items.

The staff member has since been released as a full investigation into the incident takes place.

A spokesperson for Sodexo said:

Quote

“As this is part of an ongoing police investigation we cannot comment any further.”

Two men, aged 40 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of assault after police were called to an incident by the North West Ambulance Service, in which a 36-year-old man was found with serious head injuries in the doorway of the Old Fold residential block on Parrin Lane in Monton at around 2:45pm on Tuesday afternoon.

The block located across from the King Fisher Kebab house lies next to the border with neighbouring Monton Village and close to the banks of the Bridgewater Canal.

Paramedics first attended the scene whereupon the 36-year-old man was treated for his injuries before being transported to the hospital, forensics officers soon took over the investigation and the block which was taped off to the public whilst forensic searches were carried out.

Police remain at the scene this morning and the block remains cordoned off.

GMP have confirmed that two arrests have been made but have given no further details, we are told there is no danger to the public.

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 1140 of 10/04/18, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

The new line’s contractor MPT had planned a series of possessions to connect the Trafford Park line to the Eccles line, but has now decided to condense these into a single 13-day closure in the summer. MPT is a joint venture between Laing O’Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales.

The contractor’s plan has been backed by Metrolink’s operator, KeolisAmey, and local stakeholders. TfGM said this approach would reduce service disruption by five days, and the works would be undertaken during summer holidays and would avoid major events.

TfGM also said the 13-day possession would minimise disruption on other lines, while it would allow third-party works adjacent to the Eccles and MediaCity lines to take place during the closure.

Construction of the £350m Trafford Park line is already well advanced, with the first track laid in February this year. Major utility diversions have been completed, while changes to the highway network, particularly around Peel Circle and Park Way Circle, are ongoing.

Transport for Greater Manchester's head of projects, Alex Cropper, said:

Quote

 

“We will be running a comprehensive communications campaign to keep local residents, businesses and customers informed about the closure and the alternative travel arrangements that will be in place.

"We have planned the work during the summer holidays to minimise the impact on our customers. The operator KeolisAmey Metrolink will also carry out other works at the same time to reduce future disruptions to service.

”We will ensure customers can still get to where they want to go and I would encourage them to visit our website or social media channels nearer the time for the latest information and advice.”

 

Temporary works including new retaining walls, are now in place around the Manchester Ship Canal, while access to all the land required for the scheme has now been secured.

The line, which will run from Pomona to the Trafford Centre via Trafford Park, is on course for completion in 2020.

At around 4pm on Tuesday 13 March 2018, an 87-year-old woman was in her garden on Spa Lane when she heard someone shouting from behind the fence.

The woman went to see who it was but as she opened the gate, a man hit her on the head with a large wooden stick and she fell to the floor.

The man then grabbed her around the neck and shouted “give me your jewels” but when she told him she didn’t have any, he became frustrated.

Seeing his/her owner in trouble, the woman’s dog went to defend her against the offender and bit his arm.

The man, who was wearing a dark hoodie and dark trousers, then fled from the scene.

He is described as white, 5ft 5in tall, around 25-years-old, with dark stubble and a dragon’s tail tattoo stretching from his left forearm to his finger.

Detective Constable Steven Hughes of GMP’s Salford Borough, said:  

Quote

 

“This lady was enjoying a spring afternoon in her garden when she was violently assaulted by a man who showed no concern when he struck the 87-year-old over the head.

“She managed to escape without serious injury, but this incident could have been much worse if her dog hadn’t stepped in and scared the offender away.

“Imagine if this was your mum or grandma- please, if you saw something that day that could help with our enquiries, share this with police as soon as you can.”

 

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 5471 or 101, quoting incident number 1447 of 13/03/18. Reports can also be made anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Main Image Credit: Google Earth

Police are appealing for the public’s help to trace the next-of-kin of a man from Stretford, although not from Salford he may have friends or relatives who live here that may be able to help. 

Bernard Allen, 65, passed away at his home on Highfield Road in Stretford on Friday 30 March 2018. 

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. 

It is believed that Bernard’s brother may live in Newcastle. 

Anyone with information about Bernard or his family are asked to contact the Police Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 7711. 

Time is running out to register to vote in Salford, with a full list of candidates now announced it is up to you to ensure you can have your say in local politics by signing up to vote.

Returning Officer Jim Taylor said:

Quote

 

“Salford people are very proud and passionate about their city and their community so voting is the ideal way to show the Spirit of Salford.

“Please take a moment to ask family and friends if they have registered to vote and if they haven’t get them to sign up. It takes just five minutes and means you can have your say in choosing councillors to represent your views over the next few years.”

The deadline for registering to vote is midnight on Tuesday April 17 and council officials are preparing for a last minute surge.

Registration takes just a few minutes and can be done online at www.gov.uk/registertovote  with free internet access at all Gateway centres and libraries across the city. Or people can register by phone on 0161 793 3195 or in person at Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton with proof of their national insurance number and date of birth.

Anyone not on the electoral register at midnight on April 17 will not be able to vote in the local council elections on May 3.

Social housing provider Salix Homes is working with Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester, and The University of Salford on a ground-breaking research project dubbed MiiHome.

The pioneering project has the long-term aim to help elderly people who are frail and may have problems with their memory maintain their independence by constantly monitoring their well-being using artificial intelligence (AI)

MiiHome involves sensors such as Microsoft Kinect technology, most commonly associated with the Xbox, fitted into people’s homes.

Samia Nefti-Meziani, professor of artificial intelligence at the University of Salford, said:

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“As the leading University in the development of robotics and AI in the north of England, we are very keen to apply our expertise to healthcare. Our focus is on developing software which uses these sensors to understand changes in people’s behaviour and how those changes impact their health.”

Microsoft Kinect sensors have already been fitted into a number of properties at Salix Homes’ sheltered living schemes, which provide accommodation for older people, as part of the first research study.

Jonathan Drake, service director for business development at Salix Homes, said:

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“Salix Homes is very proud to be involved in this pioneering research project, which we hope will help elderly people live safely in their homes for longer and reduce the pressures on the NHS and other care services.

“Here at Salix Homes we are rethinking the way housing services are delivered in order to cope with the demands of the future, such as an ageing population, and the MiiHome project is a perfect example of this.

“By utilising mainstream technology, we hope this will provide a realistic and affordable solution to tackling one of the most critical health and social care issues of our time.

“This is a trailblazing project led by Salford-based organisations, so it’s fantastic for Salford as a city to be at the forefront of such cutting-edge research, which could change the landscape of how health and housing is delivered in the future.”

 

Salix Homes’ residents taking part in the first study are being monitored for three months by researchers at the University of Manchester, after which the data will be examined to identify patterns and changes in behaviour that could be linked to changes in health.

Caroline Gardner, a research associate at the University of Manchester, said:

Quote

 

“We are very excited to be working with Salix Homes on this ground-breaking MiiHome research project, which we hope will help ensure elderly people can maintain their independence for longer.

“We are very grateful to the residents at Salix Homes who have kindly agreed to help us with this first study and I will be making regular visits to see how everyone is getting on and how the Kinect technology is performing. It is really important for us to know if it is practical to install this type of equipment and to learn from their experiences.”

 

Salix Homes resident Lily McEwen, 89, suffers from mobility issues and is one of the first people to sign up for the initial study.

She said:

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“I have quite a lot of falls at home, so I was happy to sign up to take part in the study. If it helps more people in the future then it can only be a good thing.”

A much larger study is being planned for later this year, which will see the sensors fitted into more than 100 homes across Salford. Salix Homes residents are currently working alongside technical experts to develop the study and ensure it meets their needs.

Dr Anthony Hodgson, dementia clinical research development and delivery lead at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, said:

Quote

 

“The long-term vision of these studies is to test the idea we might install a digital ‘guardian angel’ in the home, particularly of those who live alone.

“We want to develop a system where we can detect significant deterioration in a person’s health. This would mean we could react appropriately and avoid the more serious problems that could result when things continue to deteriorate, perhaps unnoticed. We hope that this will result in fewer people needing help in an emergency or even an admission to hospital.

“We are at the very beginning of this journey, however, we hope that eventually, this technology may be able to, for instance, detect whether someone has been unusually getting up several times during the night and alert us that there could be something wrong that could be fixed easily before it turns into something serious

“We are very lucky that Salix Homes and its residents are involved in helping us develop this idea. This is ensuring the studies are being co-created with the right people and the response from residents has been fantastic in helping us design a system that could be accepted into people’s homes in the future.”

 

If successful, it’s hoped this type of sensor technology will one day be part of the fabric of the future home, especially if the home is supporting an older person who lives alone.

All Souls RC church, on the corner of Liverpool Street and Weaste Lane, closed in 2010 and was demolished in 2011.

How the site looks now

The 0.4-hectare site land has remained undeveloped ever since but Salford City Council has just granted planning permission for the developer, Investar Developments and placemaker Places for People to build 58 affordable homes.

These will include a four-storey block of 48 one and two bedroom apartments, nine two-storey houses which will range from three to four bedrooms and one two bedroom bungalow. At first, let all 58 homes will be allocated via the council’s choice based lettings system to residents who are in housing need.

All homes will be for affordable rent and will be capped at the Local Housing Allowance starting from just under £300 a month. The site will also offer disabled parking, an electric vehicle charging point and a mobility scooter store.

City Mayor Paul Dennett welcomed the development.

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“This site has remained empty and unused for many years and I’m delighted to see it brought back into use to provide much needed affordable homes in Salford.  This is a much-welcomed development within the City of Salford and complements the 460 affordable homes built in 2016/17 and estimated 329 affordable homes built in 2017/18 at a time when many residents and families are struggling to make ends meet because of stagnant wage growth and increases in the cost of living.

“This development will provide a good range of different sized homes for local people and opens a new chapter in the history of All Souls.”

 

Paul McEvoy, Group Head of Affordable Housing at Places for People, said:

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“Melody Gardens has been a collaborative effort, and we are pleased to reach this stage of planning as we move one step closer to realising our vision of more affordable homes for local people. Our aim is to be on site by summer 2018.”

Michael Dong, CEO at Investar said:

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“This development is a fantastic opportunity to provide more homes in Salford. Working with Salford City Council and Places for People we will deliver high quality, affordable housing which meets the needs of the community.”

All Souls church was founded in the 1890s but closed its doors with a final Mass on November 2, 2010, just months after football legends Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and Nobby Stiles went to the church for the funeral of Busby Babe Albert Scanlon.

The church, which needed extensive repairs, was demolished in 2011 but the marble altar and lectern were relocated to St James, Pendleton. The two parishes were combined, due to falling congregations.

Rugby League legend Paul Sculthorpe MBE was joined by modern-day stars of the game to kick off a new era for Cadishead Rhinos RLFC when he opened the side’s new, state-of-the-art clubhouse yesterday, April 4.

The former Warrington, St Helens and GB team captain was joined by Cadishead Rhinos head coach Paul Elliott, and Hamilton Davies Trust Trustee Graham Chisnall along with Salford Reds and Rhinos stars at the opening ceremony at Cadishead Recreation Ground, Lords Street, Salford.

Local people will get their first chance to see the facilities for themselves during an open day on Saturday, April 7, which will include children’s and adult rugby games, followed by the Rhinos first home game since work began at the ground in 2012, against Clock Face Miners A.

Around £580,000 has been invested in transforming the Rhinos’ clubhouse, which promises to bring huge benefits to the local community as well as the club itself.

The successful and rapidly developing club’s old Lords Street HQ was in poor condition, did not meet league requirements and would have cost too much to repair and improve.

The new building meets league standards, providing a much better environment for the 12,000 people that use the facilities each year. It includes flexible changing rooms to allow for female-only teams for the first time, disabled facilities and a kitchen and social area.

The Rhinos have existing training, coaching and community participation links with local Super League club Salford Red Devils, who are keen to develop this further. Coupled with the new building, this is expected to encourage many more participants, particularly young people.

The project was funded via £300,000 from the Hamilton Davies Trust (HDT), £100,000 from Salford City Council, £15,000 from Salford Community Leisure and £15,000 from Cadishead Rhinos own fundraising activity. 

Paul Sculthorpe said:

Quote

“The new Cadishead Rhinos clubhouse is impressive and I’m sure the players, fans and the whole local community will benefit from it. Top-class facilities like these are great for the sport and will help the club to continue to grow and develop by attracting more and more local people to get involved.”

Graham Chisnall, HDT Trustee, commented:

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“I’m thrilled that the Cadishead Rhinos have a state-of-the-art club fit for a team which is going places.

“This modern, new facility will also bring huge benefits to the local community, with many more individuals, schools and community groups able to get involved in the future.

“We and our partners have all worked hard to make this ambitious and exciting project happen and we are all delighted to see it come to fruition.”

 

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said:

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 “The opening of this brand new clubhouse is fantastic news for Cadishead Rhinos and the local community and we’re proud to have played a part to make it happen.

“The council secured £100,000 towards the upgrade from Section 106 contributions. This money is paid by local developers to reduce the impact of their works on local people.

“We now look forward to seeing the club thrive for future generations.”

 

Paul Elliott, Rhinos Head Coach and Secretary said:

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“The new clubhouse is fantastic! It will be great for the local community and will make our club the envy of many rugby clubs in the North West. We can’t wait to start using it. Thanks to all of the partners who have contributed to making this happen."

GMP have given warning to the public to beware that there have been a number of keyless car thefts recently.

They are able to do this with a keyless remote which contains a short-range radio transmitter and must be within a certain range usually 5-20 meters of the car to work.

Thieves are able to use these easily obtainable gadgets to detect whether the car features keyless entry and go, once detected the vehicle can be hacked and stolen within less than 60 seconds.

The attack essentially tricks both the car and real key into thinking they're in close proximity. One 'hacker' holds a device a few feet from the victim's key, while a thief holds the other near the target car. The device near the car spoofs a signal from the key.

That elicits a radio signal from the car's keyless entry system, which seeks a certain signal back from the key before it will open. Rather than try to crack that radio code, the hacker's devices instead copy it, then transmit it via radio from one of the hackers' devices to the other, and then to the key.

Then they immediately transmit the key's response back along the chain, effectively telling the car that the key is in the driver's hand.

To prevent this from happening police advise to: 

1. Fit a steering wheel lock.
2. Install a driveway parking post.
3. Use a wheel clamp.

Drivers can also stop cars being nicked while they are at home by using a Faraday bag, which blocks the electronic signal. These consist of a small material bag which the fob is placed into, the material used blocks the signal from being transmitted.

They can be found easily online and are a much cheaper option in some cases: https://amzn.to/2GTAjyD

Some key fobs also allow motorists to switch off the signal.

Even if the thieves are able to access and start your car, these should prevent them from driving away.

Always remember to park in secure or well-lit areas wherever possible.

Remove all valuables when you leave your vehicle.

Lock your door and close all windows. But check these manually - automatic locking devices can suffer from interference. 

Secure all number plates with anti-tamper screws.

You can register all your valuables free of charge at www.immobilise.com

A petition has been started after news 'first broke by the Salford Star' revealed that there are proposals to build residential properties upon land adjoining Buile Hill Parks historic grade 2 mansion. 

At the time of going to press the petition has already gathered over 280 signatures and it requires more if it's to be successful.

Campaigner and local resident Lynda Curran wrote:

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"Buile Hill Park is one of the few green public spaces left in the centre of Salford in an area that is surrounded by motorways and main roads. 

"It has been a park since 1902 and loved by the people, it is well used and very much needed.  It would be a travesty to build houses on it. 

"It's a Public space.  Salford is drowning in construction so we need to preserve our green spaces for future generations to enjoy, as we have before them."

 

The original Salford Star article can be found at this Link

The petition can be found at this Link

Meanwhile, as we reported earlier in the week, Salford's City Mayor - Paul Dennett has confirmed that any plans for the park would have to first be put out for public consultation. 

In a statement, local councillor Paul Wilson said:

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"Like many residents in Salford, I’m keen to see the mansion returned back to its former glory.

"Whilst I accept that some development will be required to do this, I don’t think residential property in a public park is the way forward.

"My views on this are reinforced by the 2016-17 Public Parks report, this report was produced by the cross-party Commons Communities and local government committee.

"This morning I met with the City Mayor and made it clear that I’m personally opposed to a residential development in a public park and asked that we work together to reach a solution; I’d like to see enhanced leisure facilities within the park to enable the mansion to be returned back to public use.

"The City Mayor assured me that the outcome of the 6-month Memorandum of Understanding between the City Council and Salford Red Devils Foundation and Capital and Centric Group would be open to public consultation.

"As local Councillors for the area, we have committed to meeting with the City Mayor and Council Officers to obtain further details of the plans for the mansion and former parks depot and updating residents at the next Community Committee Meeting."

 

Proud Salfordian, Marie Harvey (21), was out looking for a lost cat which had been reported missing on Salford Online when she made the shocking discovery after inadvertently throwing a rock at a parrot that was looking angrily at her.

Marie told us:

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"I was walking along the bank when I saw this parrot looking back at me, I had read reports that they can be quite vicious and so I decided rather than take chances with my life, I would pick up a rock and throw it at it in an attempt to scare it away. 

"I had followed all the other advise I had read about, I had no bird seed or bread in my pockets and well, to be honest, I don't think it was falling for my attempts to look like a hawk so I chucked the rock at it

"Sadly I missed and the rock hit the water, it was at that point I saw the bubbles coming up and so I called the police.

"I asked the officer in charge what it was I had found and he said that it was either a supervolcano or some frogs under the water, I just knew it was the supervolcano and so I contacted the press".

 

Marie is no stranger to finding odd things, last year she sparked a Salford wide hunt for the elusive Irlam Bigfoot after claiming to have spotted it whilst meditating on Barton Moss.

In 2013 she famously claimed she had cured the common cold by sitting in bed with a hot water bottle for 2 weeks and in 2015 was almost arrested for beating up a BNP truck during the elections.

We asked a spokesman from the National Geological Survey who told us:

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"Clifton is an area full of mine shafts, we must stress to the public we have no evidence of any such supervolcano and we suspect Marie may have been heavily drinking at the time.

"We also doubt her claims that she saw a parrot as those are only native to Barton and as such would not travel this far north.

"We have no evidence for any volcanic activity within Salford, although we still ask the public to remain vigilant, as supervolcanos are very dangerous and can kill hundreds of people

"Statistically speaking though, more people are killed by angry parrots each year than by supervolcanoes, the public has little to fear from them."

 

We also asked Salford City Council for a comment but once more the stroppy bleeders made threats of legal action and reminded us of the restraining order.

Marie wishes to let it be known that sadly she did not find the cat and later remembered she doesn't even own a cat anyhow.

A public warning has been issued by the RSPCB after a Barton man was left hospitalised in what is said to be the most horrific attack by territorial parrots that emergency services have seen in decades.

The man (who can not be named for legal reasons) was photographing the frequent visitors to his back garden when the attack happened. Neighbours raised the alarm after screams of 'Get off me you feathered b*stards' were heard emanating from his garden.

Local shoplifter Tony Flynn was passing at the time and told us:

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"I just heard these screams as I walked past the house, at first I thought someone had opened their council tax bill but I quickly realised it was more serious than that.

"I managed to scare the birds away by swinging a garden chair at them but I would appreciate if you didn't print that bit as they might stop my benefits".

 

A spokesman for the RSPCB told us:

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"At this time of year, the parrots are either in the process of mating or have young in nests, they are not usually aggressive but they can get a bit stroppy if you piss them off.

"Sticking a long lens in their faces is a bit provocative and so we ask that members of the public show a little common sense and leave them the hell alone".

 

Local Bird expert Albert Spiby told us:

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"If you feel as if you are going to be attacked, stand still as they can't detect movement.

"If you happen to have any bird seed in your pocket, throw it to the ground. Don't throw bread though as it is bad for them and can swell their stomachs.

"If all else fails, put your arms at your sides and try to imitate a bird yourself as they may think you are a hawk and will leave you alone".

 

We contacted Salford Council for a quote but they sadly declined to comment and just reminded us of our restraining order again.

We are told the photographer is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery.