Almost all of Greater Manchester councils are yet to speak out on the reopening of primary schools

direct to your inboxThe NHS has sadly confirmed the deaths of 29 more patients in hospitals in Greater Manchester who had tested positive for Covid-19.The region's hospital death toll now stands at 4,757.NHS bosses said on Friday a further 993 people who tested positive for the virus have died in hospitals across England.It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 65,104.In the north west, a further 94 hospital deaths were reported, the NHS said on Friday.A

direct to your inboxThe last 24 hours has seen multiple deluges of rain, inches of snow, roads and homes collapsing, and a slew of serious car crashes as the region was 'just centimetres' away from disaster. In the wake of Storm Christoph hitting Greater Manchester, the city's Fire and Rescue Service chief has spoken out about a day, night and further day filled with drama.

Bolton is currently the only borough in Greater Manchester where cases of the virus are still on the rise.

direct to your inboxA flood 'alert' has been put in force in Greater Manchester today after hours of heavy rainfall overnight.The alert warns of 'possible' flooding around the area of the middle River Mersey catchment area.It includes areas near Bramhall in Stockport, Sale, Altrincham and Urmston.The Environment Agency warned: "Flooding is possible - be prepared."And Transport for Greater Manchester said: "With heavy rain in Greater Manchester this morning, expect flooding in some areas.

direct to your inboxCoronavirus infection rates across Greater Manchester are continuing to surge, the latest figures show.Across the region rates are below the national average, which stood at 671.9 cases per 100,000 people, as of January 5.But every town and city in Greater Manchester is seeing a spike in cases.Wigan is the worst-affected area, with an infection rate of 459.7, according to the latest figures from Public Health England.But the week-on-week growth of cases in the borough has

direct to your inboxA Greater Manchester Police officer who repeatedly sexually assaulted a young girl has been jailed.Farooq Ahmed, 37, walked into a police station with a confession note before Christmas.

further 60,916 lab-confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the UK.

Follow our dedicated live blog here The ones that are closed are providing places for key worker and vulnerable children, as they did during the first lockdown. If your child's school has closed, get in touch with us on our Manchester Family Facebook page here, let us know in the comments here, or email [email protected]. These are the schools that have closed by boroughMount Carmel RC, BlakleyOswald Road Primary, ChorltonSt Peter's Catholic Primary, WythenshaweBirchfields Primary,

Follow our dedicated live blog hereThe ones that are closed are providing places for key worker and vulnerable children, as they did during the first lockdown.And some that were due to reopen later this week are warning parents they'll be staying closed.If your child's school has closed, get in touch with us on our Manchester Family Facebook page here, let us know in the comments here, or email [email protected] are the schools that have closed by boroughMount Carmel RC, BlakleyOswald

direct to your inboxIn a matter of hours, schools will be reopening their doors to begin the spring term, but thousands of teachers, support staff and parents don't know whether they should be returning or not.Earlier this week, the education secretary Gavin Williamson backtracked on earlier decisions and said secondary schools will have an extra week's holiday before a staggered return.Some primary schools in London were told not to reopen but then Mr Williamson performed another U-turn after

direct to your inboxBosses at an Oldham primary school say “it is not safe” for pupils to return tomorrow and they will not be opening.The ‘majority’ of teaching staff at Holy Trinity C of E School, in Dobcross, are not expected to return to school on Monday morning (January 4) as advised by their union.They are said to be acting on advice from the National Education Union that “it is not safe to return to work if a school is in a Tier 4 area”.As such, Holy Trinity will be closed to all but

direct to your inboxParents have been left angry and frustrated after Boris Johnson insisted that primary schools were safe despite ongoing pressure to keep them closed.Primaries are due to reopen in Tier 4 areas except London tomorrow despite growing concerns about a new variant of coronavirus.Unions, teachers and scientists have urged the government to delay the reopening to curb mounting transmission rates.

direct to your inboxPrimary schools in London will remain closed following a government U-turn.It comes after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced 50 education authorities in the south of England would be closed to primary school pupils for the first two weeks of term.The list failed to encompass several school areas in London, where Covid-19 rates remain alarmingly high as the new strain continues to spread across the country.Latest scientific advice warns that the new strain variant

direct to your inboxThe streets were empty as Greater Manchester said goodbye to 2020 and ushered in a new year - but many were determined to keep alive at least one tradition.Our video from Werneth Low shows how many parts of Greater Manchester were ablaze with colour as people set off fireworks at midnight to celebrate the arrival of 2021.Around 200 socially distanced people gathered on the popular spot to watch the moment our region said goodbye to 2020 and ushered in the New Year.Car horns

direct to your inboxIt has been a year like no other.However Great Mancunians have still made headlines across the world, for all sorts of reasons.Here we look at those who have put the region on the map in 2020, a year we will never forget.2020 has undoubtedly belonged to Manchester United and England star Marcus Rashford.However it is his incredible work off the pitch which has made the headlines, even more than his impressive goal-scoring feats on it.The Withington-born and Wythenshawe raised

direct to your inboxWhen the new term starts next week for primary schools, headteacher Ruth Vayro knows some parents will keep their children at home."Our families do trust us at St Ambrose to keep children safe but I'm sure some parents will take the decision not to return their children to school because they just don't know."Parents will be concerned just as they are in London and Greater London."I completely empathise with parents - I'm a parent.

direct to your inbox"It's absolutely gut-wrenching."Hair salon owner Jane Nixon describes how she felt as Matt Hancock announced that Greater Manchester would be moving into Tier 4.And it's a feeling thousands of business owners across the region will be familiar with.A change in restrictions, businesses finally being allowed to open then being forced to shut again just a few weeks later.

direct to your inboxParents and teachers in Greater Manchester have spoken of their anger at the government's decision to only close primary schools in London and the South East - despite soaring coronavirus cases.Education secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed yesterday he was triggering the 'contingency framework' that will see all secondary schools have an extra week's holiday.Face-to-face teaching for exam year groups will resume from 11 January and all students will return on 18 January,

direct to your inboxDoctors and paramedics say they are bracing themselves for a new tide of Covid patients to hit Greater Manchester's hospitals within weeks. Speaking as plans for the region's move to Tier 4 were announced and the return to school for secondary pupils was delayed, Dr Carole Gavin, a consultant in Greater Manchester, said concerns were growing as hospitals in the south battle to find beds as infection rates - largely found to be caused by the new mutant strain - rise.

direct to your inboxA Greater Manchester Police chief has urged people to stay at home in Tier 4 tomorrow night instead of celebrating New Year's Eve as they normally would. Under Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions, people are required by law to remain at home unless they need to leave their home for essential reasons.