Firefighters spend eight hours tackling blaze at house which spread to other properties

direct to your inboxA suspected drink-driver and three of his passengers were taken to hospital after a car smashed into a popular Manchester city centre restaurant at 3am on New Year's Day.No staff were inside Tampopo when the dramatic smash happened in Albert Square.But the car burst into flames on impact and firefighters had to help a man and a woman from the vehicle.They and two others were taken to hospital for treatment.The Ford Fiesta smashed into the front of Tampopo restaurant in Albert

direct to your inboxA man has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a knife attack in east Manchester.Police were called to Castleton Walk in Bradford on Wednesday afternoon following reports of an assault.Offenders had gone into a property and attacked a man. The 33-year-old victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries 'including a stab wound', a GMP spokesman said.His injuries are not believed to be life threatening, according to police.No arrests have been made following

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 inboxFirefighters are currently tackling a building fire in Heywood.Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said eight pumps and specialists appliances were dealing with the incident in Agincourt Street on Friday night.They have urged people to avoid the area and for those who live nearby to keep doors and windows closed.GMFRS tweeted at around 10.30pm on Christmas Day: "We currently have eight pumps and specialist appliances dealing with a building fire in Agincourt

straight to your inbox every day for freeMarcelo Bielsa has hit out at journalists and pundits for their criticism after Leeds United's 6-2 defeat to Manchester United. The Reds recorded a big victory over their rivals in a frenetic game on Sunday with Scott McTominay's brace inside the opening three minutes setting them on the way to victory.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester Police are still unable to answer non-emergency phone calls this morning - almost 24 hours after the problem first emerged.The force says all major systems are online, but there is a technical fault affecting the 101 service.People are being urged to report non-emergency incidents online via GMP’s website while bosses work with BT to fix the problem.The issue is not thought to be related to the force’s troubled new computer system iOPS.

straight to your inbox every day for freeOle Gunnar Solskjaer has been praised for outsmarting opposite number Marcelo Bielsa in Manchester United's demolition of Leeds United.The Reds were 2-0 up in three minutes before eventually running out 6-2 winners of a highly-anticipated clash at Old Trafford.Whilst Leeds did create chances, they were also porous in defence against a fast-paced Man United attack.

direct to your inboxMarcus Rashford has received a Panel Special Award at the BBC Sports Personality show to honour his work to tackle child food poverty.The Manchester United striker, 23, led a successful campaign to extend the provision of free school meals for vulnerable children throughout the coronavirus pandemic.He was also awarded for his continuing efforts to tackle child hunger, and for his work with FareShare, to feed over 4.2million people across the country.Rashford wasn't

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United and Leeds United will rekindle a well-known rivalry on Sunday as Old Trafford hosts the first Premier League clash between the pair for around 16 years.The spectacle promises goals given how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Marcelo Bielsa favour attacking football, and how both teams are stronger on the offensive side of the game compared to their defensive efforts.The Reds have been linked with a number of centre-backs in recent months as a

straight to your inbox every day for freeMarcelo Bielsa says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done well to deal with the pressure of managing Manchester United.United renew Premier League acquaintances with Leeds United on Sunday after Bielsa led them back to the top flight last season. Bielsa's unique style of football has caught plenty of attention since Leeds' return to the top flight and Sunday's game is set to be an eagerly-anticipated clash.

direct to your inboxAn extra 24 miles of permanent cycling and walking routes will be built across Greater Manchester using almost £16m in government funding.Permanent and ‘pop-up’ cycle lanes, footpaths, pedestrian crossings and traffic calming measures feature amongst 25 schemes delivered in each of the 10 boroughs.They form the second phase of Greater Manchester’s active travel vision, with the city-region using a £3.1m emergency government grant to trial temporary cycle lanes and