Fraudsters posing as Greater Manchester Police officers dupe elderly couple out of thousands in cruel Christmas con

direct to your inboxA top cop at Greater Manchester Police says officers are 'really fed up' of having to deal with the same people who won't obey coronavirus laws. Assistant Chief Constable Nick Bailey has been leading GMP 's response to lockdown rules since the pandemic began.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester Police responded to 1,500 reports of ‘stupid and selfish’ people breaking Covid-19 laws over the New Year period.More than 1,000 callouts involved officers breaking up house parties held inside residential homes, properties rented for the night and short-term lets.‘Hundreds’ of fines have been handed out to those attending illegal gatherings in the past week, including people who went to a rave on an industrial estate.Rising infection rates are also

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.

Contact police on 101 - or the 0161 number listed in each case below - if you think you can help.Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.The information below was correct as of December 31, 2020.Hicham Mihoub, 36, from Wigan is wanted in connection with 'domestic violence and stalking offence's which took place between January 2019 and May 2020. Mihoub has links to Wigan and North Wales.Contact police on 0161 856 7770.Carl Phillips, 45, was released from prison in

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 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 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.

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direct to your inboxGreater Manchester Police has referred itself to the police watchdog after three people were found dead at a property in Failsworth.Officers were called to Oldham Road by paramedics responding to a report of concern for welfare at 3.30pm on Monday.Three people were pronounced dead at the scene.But the force has voluntarily referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct as officers had attended the same address on December 23. An IOPC spokesperson said: “We have

discovery of the Nazi symbol in a police officer's locker at Pendleton police station in Salford on July 19 prompted a significant criminal investigation, which included samples being taken for DNA analysis. But five months on the M.E.N.

direct to your inboxLike this entire year, Christmas Day in 2020 is anything but normal.It's a restricted, and for some quite sad time.But Greater Mancunians did have something to smile about today...

direct to your inboxA former police rep says any culture shift within Greater Manchester Police must start with the region’s mayor.Ian Hanson says Andy Burnham must deal directly with those delivering the service if the force is to make important changes after it was placed into ‘special measures’.Mr Hanson - who retired as GMP’s Federation chairman in 2018 - claims Mr Burnham met with him just once during his tenure.He has accused the mayor of “shouldering” responsibility for policing to his

direct to your inboxTwo men from Greater Manchester who won £20,000 on the hit BBC show Race Across the World have donated their prize money to charity.Emon Choudhury, 36, from Stockport, beat four other teams to win the race alongside his nephew Jamiul Choudhury, 25, from Oldham.The pair beat the odds to complete an epic 54-day journey from Mexico City to the south of Argentina for the second series of the BBC2 show.On their travels, the men were visibly moved by the number of homeless children

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester Police may have to send some of its officers to Kent in the event of a no deal Brexit.Deputy mayor for crime and policing, Beverley Hughes said during a press conference that the force had been asked to offer 'mutual aid' if the situation warranted it.The deadline for a deal on Brexit set by the European Parliament passed with no sign of progress and may now go on until December 31 - when the transition period is due to end.Dept Hughes expressed concerns

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.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester Police says 'technical difficulties' are preventing staff from answering non-emergency calls this morning (Monday).The force reported the problem via Twitter just after 8.30am on Monday morning (December 21).The message warned that those who need to contact police should use the reporting facilities on GMP’s website.People are still being urged to call 999 in an emergency.Greater Manchester Police tweeted: “We're currently experiencing some technical

direct to your inboxDreaming of a white Christmas?Sadly, forecasters have predicted there will be no snow on Christmas Day this year.But the Met Office has said Greater Manchester is likely to see widespread frosty conditions that will bring a 'seasonal feel' to festivities on the day.Temperatures across most of the country will stay in mid-single figures on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but no snow is expected to settle, Met Office forecasters have predicted.They said that despite a wet

direct to your inboxThis is the man who will take over the top job at Greater Manchester Police - for now - after the resignation today of chief constable Ian Hopkins.Ian Pilling, currently GMP's deputy chief constable, will 'step up' as the force's interim chief, the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said.Mr Burnham added he would set in motion the search for Mr Hopkins' permanent replacement in the new year, saying: "Now is the time for new leadership and a new era in our police