I called in at Morrisons Store in Eccles today for a chat with Sue Marsh, The Community Champion for the store.

My visit was to discuss a possible book signing for the History of Eccles Pubs book, and the use of a table and chairs in a suitable Covid free, socially distanced environment. no doubt close to the recycling bins where our office is situated,

All monies raised will be split between The Mustard Tree Foodbank in Eccles, and Broughton House, The Armed Forces Rest Home, and who knows perhaps Morrisons may purchase a copy or make a donation to the two nominated charities?

My plea for help seems to have worked as the matter is being handed to the store supervisors, so fingers crossed for a week on Saturday between 12-m and 2pm depending on how many people turn up or we slope off to the pub with the takings

Sue asked if we would kindly mention that Morrisons are giving away, free of charge, packets of sunflower seeds, at the tills with no purchase needed. as part of the Seeds of Hope campaign.

The reason being is that they want to help celebrate the growing sense of national optimism with the decline in Covid cases by planting these sunflowers across the UK, representing the brighter and lighter times of hope ahead.

Seems fair enough to me, I love Sunflower plants and  had two growing at Alma Towers, last year bright and cheerful they are.

I have been given quite a few packs, so just think, a free packet of sunflower seeds with every book purchased!

Police were called after reports that a woman had fallen over the barrier of the M60 motorway bridge on Manchester Road near to Clifton during the early hours of Monday morning (19th April).

The women has been taken to hospital via ambulance and at present the extent of her injuries is unknown.

Both sides of the motorway were temporarily closed, causing long delays whilst emergency services dealt with the situation.

The carriageways have since been reopened.

A Police Spokesperson said:

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"Police were called just after 6am this morning (Monday 19 April) to a report of a woman falling from a bridge over the M60 between junctions 16 and 17.

"Officers attended, and the woman was taken to hospital."

 

Eighty-two litter bins in Salford will now let council workers know when they need emptying.

The bins, which are being trialled in Ordsall and Salford Quays are fitted with sensors which monitor how full they are. 

Collections can then be tailored to bins which need immediate attention instead of crews checking every bin in the area.

The bins are also twice as large as the ones being replaced and, if successful, could be rolled out to replace more of the 1,800 litter bins across the city.  

Peter Openshaw, Strategic Director Place, said:

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“We’ve seen a massive increase in the numbers of people visiting local parks and open spaces and using our litter bins over the last year. Some bins are now being emptied twice daily at ‘hotspots’ because areas have become so popular.

“The smart bins will help us provide a timely response which I’m sure the public will appreciate. It will also free up staff time to tackle other environmental issues around the city and will be better for our carbon footprint by reducing journeys.

“The public can help by making sure they always dispose of litter properly when out and about.”

 

Following on with our recent articles and videos about the abandoned and forgotten graveyards of Barton upon Irwell, the story takes another twist.

Whilst we were  filming in the Barton upon Irwell Wesleyan Methodist graveyard on Barton Road, the one that that mired in controversy when the developer callously smashed the headstones and was forced to put them back, which he did, but not in the original sites.

Amongst the rubbish that had been dumped there, we noticed a small, black marble headstone. that had been left and it was obviously a fairly recent headstone with gilt lettering and no sign of wear.

It reads, In Loving Memory of Darren L O'Brien, Died 6th July 2019,Aged 42 Years.

One of our readers, Debbie Milton contacted us this week to ay that the headstone was still there and wondered if it had been stolen and dumped there?

I fear this is one of those cases which has more questions than answers, who was Darren OL O'Brien,  was he a local man, who paid for the headstone, why was it left in the Barton Wesleyan, is their a family connection to this burial ground, has it been removed from another graveyard in the area, All Saints and St Catherine's can be ruled out I should imagine, that leaves Peel Green cemetery, but why remove it and place it here?

To my untrained eyes it doesn't appear to have been in the soil at all, also it is a small size, possibly an addition to a family grave.

I would love to find out who, Darren was and how and why his headstone has ended up in the Barton Wesleyan burial ground in such undignified circumstances, so if you have any knowledge of this, we would love to hear from you and return the headstone to it's rightful owners.

Detectives are continuing to investigate following the death of a man in Eccles on Monday.

Officers were called just before 11.10am on Monday 12 April to Liverpool Road, Eccles to a report of a disturbance.

Emergency services attended and enquiries established a 41-year-old man had been stabbed inside a property. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Two men, both aged 34, were arrested on suspicion of murder. One man has been released on bail.

The second man has been released with no further action.

Enquiries are ongoing.

Detective Inspector Vicky Wade of GMP's Major Incident Team said:

Quote

"As our investigation continues our thoughts have firmly remained with the man who has sadly died and his family. Extensive enquiries are ongoing to locate his next of kin.

"Although two arrests have been made I would like to stress that our investigation is very much ongoing and we would appeal to anyone who has any information that could assist our enquiries to come forward and assist police.

"We are still treating this incident as isolated with no wider risk to the community but I would stress that we are working at pace to ensure the responsible parties are identified and face the appropriate justice. If you are holding information that could be beneficial to our investigation please contact us as a matter of urgency."

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 3400 quoting log 992 of 12/04/21. Alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A Lorry has overturned this morning after a collision with a railways bridge on Hilton Lane in Walkden.

Shortly before 9am this morning (April 14th) the lorry struck the bridge and tipped over onto its side.

Fortunately no one was injured during the incident, although traffic in and out of the area has been disrupted with Hilton Lane still closed.

Emergency services arrived at the scene and the vehicle is currently being recovered in order to clear the road as quickly as possible.

For the time being, drivers are being advised to seek an alternative route around the area.

Photo: National Rail

Salford City Council is to introduce landlord licensing for shared homes where three or four tenants live (houses in multiple occupation or HMOs.)

The scheme will come into force on July 19 this year, will cover the whole of Salford and will last for five years. Landlords will pay a one-off fee for the licence which can be paid in instalments.

The council estimates more than 27,000 homes are privately rented in the city and in the last five years conversions to HMOs of all sizes in selective licensing areas have risen by 460 per cent in Eccles, 410 per cent in Langworthy, Weaste and Seedley and 196 per cent in Broughton.

Over the last year 90 per cent of three and four bed HMOs inspected fell below the required standard. This is despite the council providing clear information about acceptable standards and offering an HMO advice service.

Salford City Council was the first local authority to introduce landlord licensing in Seedley and Langworthy in 2007 to drive up standards in private rented property. A further six followed and there are two current schemes in parts of:  Charlestown and Lower Kersal and Langworthy, Weaste and Seedley.

Strategic Director Place, Peter Openshaw said:

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“Our inspections found missing or damaged fire doors, inadequate or blocked escape routes and insufficient measures to prevent fire and smoke spreading. Some properties didn’t have fire alarm systems at all, despite that being a legal requirement, while others had systems but they were damaged, putting tenants at risk.

“Over a third of the properties we checked were damp and/or suffering from mould because of leaky roofs or walls and a third had no or inadequate heating. In some cases we had to move tenants out immediately for their own safety.

“Most of the landlords or managing agents carried out improvements and removed the hazards when alerted to them without formal enforcement action but 21 landlords were issued with civil penalties for breaches of HMO management regulations. 

“Private sector rented properties now account for 23% of Salford’s private housing stock, up from 11.2% in 2008 so the homes they provide must be safe, warm and well-run.

“As with previous licensing schemes we want to work with landlords to ensure high quality rented properties in Salford but will not hesitate to take firm action against those who leave tenants in unsafe or poor conditions.”

 

Council officers will now begin contacting landlords and managing agents and information will be posted on the council’s website. After the scheme comes into operation in July landlords will have three months to register unless they already hold a licence for five bedded or larger HMOs or a licence for properties where selective licensing schemes already apply. Landlords who fail to get a licence where required could be fined or issued with a civil penalty notice. The council also has the powers to order the landlord to repay rent to the tenants or to take over management arrangements for the property on an interim or final basis.

To be approved for a licence, landlords and property managers will need to demonstrate they are a ‘fit and proper person’ to let the property and that they have suitable management arrangements in place including annual safety checks and that tenants have bins and know how to properly recycle and dispose of waste.

The licence will also determine the maximum number of occupants to make sure tenants are not living in cramped and overcrowded properties.

If the landlord fails to licence the property or breaches conditions of the licence and fails to remedy the situation the council can issue civil penalty notices or prosecute them.

Officers from GMP said the man had a lucky escape after inadvertently following his sat-nav directions into the Bridgewater Canal in Eccles on Sunday evening (11th April).

Fortunately the driver was able to be rescued without getting his feet wet.

A spokesperson for GMP said via Twitter:

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“This taxi was rescued by RPU west A-relief in Eccles after the driver followed his sat nav straight into the Bridgewater Canal.

“Very lucky escape for the embarrassed driver.”

 

It shows that despite all the modern technology we have at our disposal, a keen eyesight and a little common sense are the best tools we can own when behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Over the past few weeks we have telling you about Sue Richardson and the excellent work she has been doing for over 40 years in publishing local history books that cover both Salford and Manchester at affordable prices.

I first met Neil in 1977 and together we set about doing extensive research into Salford pubs, photographing them, chatting to customers and Landlords alike, and yes we did imbibe quite a few pints, but serious research can be thirsty work.....I digress.

Looking back, I am so glad we did the Salford pub books,because as you know Salford has lost so many pubs for so many reasons, and we managed to document their history's for posterity.

In 1981 I branched out on my own when Neil went full time as a printer/publisher and author, I decided to write a history of the pubs of Eccles from 1772  onwards, some 40 pubs.

Only 1.000 were run off and quickly sold out I'm happy to say, the printing plates were never used again and have been lost over the years.

I have been asked many times to do an up to date version, but to be honest I haven't the inclination and things are moving so fast the new updated book would soon be redundant, and I am a lazy sod.

You can imagine my shock when I saw a copy for sale on the Amazon site for a staggering £500 a few years back, my spirits were lifted when I was told there was a copy on sale in an Oxfam Charity Shop in Cheshire, for the knockdown price of £250...well if you are daft enough to pay that, good luck to you, I wouldn't.

However I was chatting to Sue at weekend and I mentioned that I usually do a history walk around Eccles twice a year to raise both money and food for the Mustard Tree Foodbank and Broughton House, the nursing home for armed forces veterans.

The Covid crisis has wiped out one of the walks for certain, however.

With advances in printing techniques, Sue has told me that we can now reprint A History Of The Pubs Of Eccles, be still my beating heart!

I have decided if enough people are interested in buying a copy, we can run off a strictly limited number of the book, each one numbered and signed, and the profits to be shared between above named charities.

The sticking point is how many to reprint and how much to charge?

I think 100 to be published and charge a £10 a copy is about right, and yes I know it was originally only a quid but that was nearly 40 years ago and the money is for charity and not for my Swiss bank account or for paying for the upkeep of Alma Towers, West Wing.

So there you go, so if you are interested  in purchasing a valuable piece of social history which is bound to increase in value over the years, an ideal gift for your grandchildren. a talking point when left on your smoked glass coffee table, you know the dance, let me know?

A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Eccles.

Officers were called just before 11.10am today (Monday 12 April) to Liverpool Road, Eccles to a report of a disturbance.

Emergency services attended and enquiries established a 41-year-old man had been stabbed inside a property.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Two men, both aged 34, have been arrested on suspicion of murder. They remain in custody for questioning.

A scene remains in place and enquiries are ongoing.

Detective Chief Inspector Rick Thompson of GMP's Salford district, said:

Quote

 

"Firstly, our thoughts are firmly with the family of the man who has sadly lost his life this morning.

"Whilst our enquiries are in their initial stages, we currently have two men in custody and we believe this incident to be isolated with no immediate threat to the wider community. We do understand the concern and upset incidents such as this can cause for communities and we want to reassure you we are working at pace to ensure we establish the full circumstances.

"We would appeal to anyone who may have information surrounding his death, or witnessed anything in the area around the time that you think may be crucial to our investigation to get in touch with police as a matter of urgency."

 

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 3400 quoting log 992 of 12/04/21. Alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

An area around the junction of Langley Road South and Owen Street in Salford has been closed off due to a potential chemical incident.

People in the immediate are are being advised to keep windows and doors closed and stay indoors.

They are warning people to avoid the area if possible.

TGfM are reporting diversions and road closures in the area.

GMFRS have said via Twitter:

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"Our crews are currently dealing with a potential chemical incident at an industrial premises on Langley Road South in Salford.

"As a precaution, residents in the area should keep doors and windows closed and people should avoid the area if possible."

 

Salford City Council has teamed up with mobile phone charity Hubbub, O2 and Salford CVS to collect, wipe and circulate donated phones to people in need.

Any phones donated will stay in Salford and will be given out with a calls and data package and support to help more local people benefit from being online.

Strategic Director Service Reform Debbie Brown said:

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“Over the last five years we have helped over 6,000 people get the digital skills and confidence they need through our Digital You programme. Now we are moving into the second phase – Digital Everyone – which is about also helping people to get the equipment and connectivity they need, as well as the skills.

“The pandemic has made the ability to get online even more critical and we want to make sure that no-one in Salford is missing out.”

 

Alison Page, Chief Executive of Salford CVS, said:

Quote

“Salford CVS is keen to be involved in this initiative so we can help get smartphones and other digital kit to our members – the city’s many community and voluntary organisations - to support the communities they work with. Salford CVS is committed to working with Salford City Council and partners to ensure we are doing all we can to tackle digital exclusion in Salford.”

To donate an unwanted phone please remove the pin or password, take off all personal information including deleting all accounts or unpairing with other devices and reset the phone to factory settings. The phone will also be professionally data wiped when received.

Phones can be donated at the centres below from Monday 12 April. Please follow any COVID-19 safety instructions from Gateway staff, wear a face covering inside the building, maintain social distancing and wash your hands frequently with soap and water or sanitiser.

Eccles Gateway
28 Barton Lane
Eccles
Salford
M30 0TU

Swinton Gateway
100 Chorley Road
Swinton
M27 6BP

Broughton Hub
50 Rigby Street
Salford
M7 4BQ

Pendleton Gateway
1 Broadwalk
Pendleton
Salford
M6 5FX

Walkden Gateway
2 Smith Street
Walkden
Salford
M28 3EZ

We have received unconfirmed reports of a possible stabbing incident on Liverpool Road in Eccles

The incident seems to be focused around the former 'Inkspirations Tattoo Studio' which was recently converted into a residential 'home of multiple occupancy' or HMO.

Both paramedics from NWAS and the Air Ambulance were called to the scene.

Police forensics officers are currently carrying out investigations on the property which is located next to the Premier Shop.

We are being told that at least one person has been injured and that there has been a possible fatality.

The Air Ambulance was seen to land close-by.

The road has been cordoned off by police and traffic is currently being diverted along Cromwell Road in both directions.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area or make alternative travel plans if possible.

We have asked GMP for comment and will update this article accordingly.

Today we paid a return visit to Ringley Village to see local history book publisher, Sue Richardson, to see how she is coping with book sales and the Corona virus, also to present her with the salford.media award in recognition of both her and Neil's  work in documenting and preserving the diverse history of Salford and Greater Manchester.

For over 40 years they have been publishing local history books at affordable prices, with books that cover all aspects of life in Salford and Greater Manchester, which are a boon to both the serious academic and keen local historian, alike.

With the death of Neil in 2006, it was feared that Sue would close the publishing house and leave a massive void in the local book market, she has bravely continued with Neil's good work and for that, I thank her along with many other people.

Following the video interview we did with her last week she was delighted to receive a request for a book catalogue from the Mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett, who hopefully will place a massive order!

Also she received telephone orders from both local people including a request from Norway! and a several visitors to her home.

So, once again I am asking you to support local business who will be struggling in these difficult times.

Please contact Sue on 01204 578138 or via email at wattywalton@btconnect.com

Or if you send a Stamped Addressed Envelope to Sue at 88 Ringley Road, Stoneclough, Radcliffe, Manchester, M26 1ET. She will send you a catalogue of all of the over 100 books available

Earlier this week we visited several areas of Barton upon Irwell and did a live stream about three graveyards in the local area, one of which was, the Roman Catholic cemetery on Peel Green Road which opened in 1820 and closed in 1948 with at least 280 interred there.

We had to mention the dreadful state that it is in, with cans, bottles, household rubbish, traffic cones etc which has just been thrown over the walls, not to mention the fallen trees, branches and undergrowth.

Concerned reader, Billy Tunnicliffe contacted us and told of his plans to clear up the site and recruit local volunteers to help clean up this eyesore..

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"Once we find out who is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the graveyard and we get their permission, I want people to join me and tidy it up, I have access to chainsaws, shovels and a wheelbarrow, but we need dedicated people who are not afraid to get their hands dirty and muck in.

"There is tons of dead wood in here which is dried out, this would be ideal for people with wood burning stoves and they would help immensely by taking away as much as they want, I would love to hear from anybody who could donate a few skips to take away the accumulated rubbish, or anybody who could provide cleaning materials or donate a few hours to help out in anyway possible, the more the merrier"

 

As we clambered over the undergrowth we came across several more headstones, which we cleaned up to make more legible, and these included the following people.

Charles Kilner, Arthur Sherry, Jonathon Hankinson, Patrick Higgins, Patrick Griffin, Elizabeth Swarbrick, Joseph Polllit, and Robert Eadsworth.

Are any of these names, relatives, or you do you recognise these names?

So if you wish to help Billy on his mission to tidy up the graveyard please get in touch with us and we shall pass on all details.

After much speculation on social media regarding the potential sake of the former Salford City Stadium to a third party, Sale Sharks - who have been linked to the deal, have issued a statement calling for talks between Salford City Council and its Co Owners Peel Holdings alongside Salford FC and Salford Red Devils in order to discuss options for creating a 'viable home' for all local clubs.

The Sharks CEO Sid Sutton has also said that at this stage they have tendered no formal offer for the stadium which is currently shared by themselves and Salford's Red Devils.

There have been unconfirmed rumours circulating for some time in the press and on social media that both Salford FC and Sale Sharks were looking at the possibility of jointly purchasing the stadium, news which has left some within Salford Red Devils fearing that their club could be left homeless at some point in the future.

Sale have previously expressed an interest in purchasing the stadium with plans to expand but an earlier offer was declined by CosCos, the joint venture between Salford City Council and Peel Land & Property.

Salford Council have said that they have been approached but as yet no offer has been received and talks are in the early stages at present.

Sale Sharks CEO Sid Sutton, said:

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“It is an incredibly exciting time for the club and our fans at the moment with a talented group of players and staff taking us to a Champions Cup quarter final and a strong position in the Premiership.

“Our club is going from strength to strength and in order to continue this growth it has always been our ambition to own our own stadium. It’s no secret that in recent years we have been exploring options and carrying out due diligence on a number of ways to achieve this. However, at this stage no formal offer has been tendered in relation to the purchase of the AJ Bell Stadium by Sale Sharks.

“I would encourage the facilitation of a public meeting, including Salford City Council, Peel Holdings, Salford Red Devils, Sale Sharks and Salford City FC, to discuss the options for creating a viable home for all local clubs. It is imperative this meeting is based on honesty and openness surrounding the situation, with the aim of providing clarity on the future homing of all concerned clubs.”

 

It may be an exciting time for Sale but for Salford Red Devils fans the news of a potential purchase and the prospects of the club losing its home at the stadium are troubling.

A Birmingham man has been jailed for over seven years following a serious collision where four people were injured near Worsley.

Mohammed Tabassum (1/7/1991) of Floyer Road, Birmingham, was yesterday (Friday 9 April), sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to seven years and 6 months in jail after he pled guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, perverting the course of justice, failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision and failing to report a road traffic collision.

In August 2018, Tabassum was involved in a collision which resulted in two men and two women being injured - with one of the women suffering a serious hand injury that is likely to affect her for the rest of her life.

Tabassum was driving an Audi A3 when he collided with a Nissan Qashqai whilst attempting to overtake on the M60 near Worsley. Following this collision, Tabassum fled from the scene and failed to report the collision to emergency services. He then tried to pervert the course of justice by claiming that his car had been stolen. 

Following a lengthy investigation to locate the driver of the Audi and bring him to justice, Tabassum was arrested in December 2020 and remanded in custody.

Tabassum was also sentenced for several other offences in the Midlands.

PC Jon Gorton, of GMP's Road Traffic Policing Unit, said:

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"Firstly, I would like to wish the woman who suffered from serious injury all the best for a full recovery and would like to thank everyone who was involved in this investigation, including the victims and witnesses and colleagues from West Midlands Police for their support in aiding our enquiries and their patience in the process which has led us to this result today.

"Tabassum was a coward who thought he could escape the consequences of his actions by scheming and lying about his involvement in this collision. He had absolutely no concern for the safety of others, leaving the injured people in need of help as he failed to report the collision to the emergency services.

"I hope today's result sends a clear message that this type of behaviour is unacceptable. GMP will always seek to find the truth and bring offenders to justice."

 

After extensive searches focused in Irlam and Cadishead, police have sadly confirmed that they have recovered the body of missing local teacher John Curran from the Manchester Ship Canal in Irlam on Friday night.

John went missing from his home on Francis Road in Irlam at around 7:30pm on Tuesday 6th April after telling family that he was going for a walk.

GMP have said that there are thought to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police, said:

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“Officers searching for a missing man have sadly found a body in the Manchester Ship Canal in Irlam.

“He has been identified as missing 29-year-old John Curran, last seen in Irlam.

John Curran pictured with his nephew Laurie (Image: Curran family)

“There are believed to be no suspicious circumstances and a report is being prepared for HM Coroner.”

 

We wish to express our condolences to his family at this tragic time.

Property developers Himor Group (thought to be a subsidiary of Wain Homes) have made a successful purchase of Swinton Park Golf Club for an undisclosed sum, despite a huge campaign to keep it open after it saw permanent closure in September 2020 and subsequently offered for sale just two months later in November of the same year.

The Historic 95-year-old club was the focus of a huge campaign to keep it open and subjected to a jointly commissioned audit carried out upon it which determined it to have continued viability as a profitable business and the demand for the facilities in the area.

The 'Save Swinton Park Golf Club' campaign group put in an offer to purchase the club for its market price as a Golf Club which amount's to £1.5m but this was turned down by the owners.

As a result of the findings of the audit, another interested company walked away from purchasing the land.

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett quickly issued the company with an open letter, reminding them that the site is not listed in Salford City Council's development Plan and is considered to be an 'Asset of Community Value' and a 'Dedicated Recreational Area' within the city.

He called for the company to declare its intentions for the club and the site.

City Mayor, Paul Dennett, said:

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"You will no doubt be aware that the land is subject to local protections - it is listed as an Asset of Community Value - and I believe your purchase of the club is likely to to have been guided by your desire to avoid triggering the Asset of Community Value process.

"You'll be aware from my previous correspondence of the community proposal to buy the club for £1.5m (In line with the sites value as a Golf Club', which had already been prepared and would have been ready to be committed by the community in event of any such attempts to sell the club's land

"As I noted to you in my previous correspondence, the land owned by the club which you have purchased is not designated for residential use in the Local Plan."

 

The Mayor went on to say:

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"You should be aware that the Local Plan designation has been consulted on extensively with the local residents, with significant local support for the site's continuing as a Golf Course - and I highly doubt the results of future consultations, if consulted honestly and openly, will return anything other than a reaffirmation of support.

"Consequently I would be very keen to receive plans of your intended consultation with residents."

 

The developers intentions for the club and the land are unclear but the Mayor has asked for further clarification from them.

In a response to the Manchester Evening News, Himor have said that they are committed to consulting with local residents, through the appropriate processes, to explore potential uses which best meet local needs.

Having witnessed the backlash against the clubs closure and the sale of the land first hand on our social media groups, we wish them the best of luck in changing the minds of the residents in the area and the wider public in Salford. They will definitely need it.

It came as a shock to many when news broke this morning of the death of his royal highness the Duke of Edinburgh, just weeks after being discharged from hospital following an illness.

It is said that the Prince fell asleep peacefully at Windsor Palace where both he and the queen have been staying throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Salford City Council has this afternoon issued a statement offering its deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and members of the Royal Family on the death of The Duke of Edinburgh.

The Union flag has been lowered to half-mast at Eccles Town Hall and Swinton Civic Centre. The Civic Centre will be lit deep purple until the day of the funeral.

City Mayor Paul Dennett, the Ceremonial Mayor of Salford Councillor John Mullen and Chief Executive of Salford City Council, Tom Stannard, said:

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“His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh has given decades of outstanding service to the people of Britain as well as being a devoted husband and family member.

“He was Chancellor of the University of Salford from 1967 to 1991 and continued his interest and support for the university long afterwards. In 2012 he visited Salford to view the new, state of the art campus at MediaCityUK and meet students.

“Many young people in Salford have also benefited from his Duke of Edinburgh scheme which helped them develop self-confidence and skills for life and leaves a lasting legacy.

“Salford mourns his passing and as a city, we send our deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and members of the Royal Family on their sad loss.”

 

Due to the pandemic, the council is respectfully asking members of the public to display flowers in the windows of their home, rather than gather at a central location to lay tributes to avoid any risk of virus transmission.

Salford City Council will add a website link to the national book of condolence as soon as it is available.