Greater Manchester expected to remain in ‘Tier 3’ under government review

direct to your inboxA warning has been issued by the Met Office with a cold snap expected to lead to icy conditions in parts of Greater Manchester tonight and tomorrow.The national forecaster has issued a yellow warning for ice in the region as well as Lancashire and numerous other areas across the North West, Midlands and North East.The warning, which comes into force at 4pm this afternoon says it is likely there will be icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.Rain is forecast

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester’s Covid-19 infection rate has crept above 300 for the first time since November 19.It is currently 300.9 per 100,000 people in the seven days up to December 31.That represents a 45 per cent week-on-week increase and is the first time it has risen above 300 since November 19.Despite the rising number of cases here, our region’s rates are still well below the English rate - which is currently 537.5.The fastest growth is happening in Wigan, where cases are up

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 inboxGreater Manchester is bracing itself for yet more cold weather over the next few days.The region has already seen several days of snowfall, making for a white Christmas in many places.While a weather warning for snow and ice had been issued for the best part of a week, the white stuff appears to be clearing across all 10 boroughs.Temperatures are set to remain cold for the week ahead, but Greater Manchester could have seen the last of the snow for a few days.As people prepare

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 inboxAndy Burnham has said that Greater Manchester's move into Tier 4 is "justified" but has encouraged a more national approach.The Mayor of Greater Manchester held his final coronavirus press conference of 2020 after the region was placed under the toughest restrictions.From 00.01 on Thursday, millions of people have been subjected to a stay home order with non-essential businesses also forced to close.During his press conference, Mr Burnham confirmed that the new variant of

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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Greater Manchester certainly has a lot to look forward to. Despite a challenging 12 months, the region already has a long list of new developments coming up in the next year and through to 2023.

direct to your inboxStorm Bella is set to bring heavy rain and strong winds to Greater Manchester on Boxing Day.The Met Office have issued a series of weather warnings ahead of the storm's arrival on Saturday afternoon (26 December).An amber severe weather warning has been issued for parts of south Wales and across southern England, with gusts expected to reach up to 60 to 70mph in some places.Storm Bella is likely to bring disruption to travel and utilities, the forecaster's alert said.In

direct to your inboxStorm Bella has officially been named as strong winds and heavy rain are forecast for Boxing Day.The Met Office has said Christmas Day will be relativity calm and cold, but conditions across the UK will turn increasingly unsettled through Saturday and into Sunday. An amber weather warning has been issued for parts of south Wales and across southern England, with gusts expected to reach up to 60-70mph in exposed coastal locations.

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

Don't miss a thing that's happening in and around Bury by signing up to the free MyBury newsletterThe coronavirus infection rate has gone up in Greater Manchester for the first time in weeks.It currently sits at 161.4 per 100,000 people during the week ending December 15 - that's a 6.3 per cent increase on the previous week.It is the first week-on-week increase in Greater Manchester of more than 1 percent since October 31.The infection rate has remained fairly level across the region for the

direct to your inboxTameside now has the most places with hardly any cases of Covid-19 in Greater Manchester.The borough’s council boss says the explanation is simple – everyone has ‘played their part’.The latest hyper-local neighbourhood data shows that there are five areas of the borough which saw two or fewer cases in the last week.Ashton North, Audenshaw, Hurst Cross, Denton East and Dukinfield West all saw either two, one or no new infections in the seven days to December 11 according to

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester’s political leaders have criticised the government’s decision to place the area under the strictest coronavirus rules – but Rochdale’s leader has welcomed the news.Trafford’s director for public health, Eleanor Roaf, said she doesn’t believe Greater Manchester is being ‘punished’.She said: “I think really, unfortunately, in Greater Manchester we happen to have a lot of things that put our population at greater risk – more people in lower paid work, more

direct to your inboxThe mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has slammed the government’s decision to keep the region under the toughest coronavirus restrictions.Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester this afternoon, he said: “The average for all of Greater Manchester is lower than Liverpool and London when they went into tier 2.“I don’t think they’ve got the balance right at all here, so I understand the frustration, but let’s not take it out on the NHS.“We’ve got to follow those rules and it

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester and Lancashire are staying in Tier 3 restrictions after a review of Covid rules across England.Matt Hancock announced in the House of Commons on Thursday morning that Bristol and North Somerset were coming out of Tier 3 into Tier 2 - but that every other part of England currently in Tier 3 was staying there.  He also announced a list of areas that would be moved up into Tier 3 including Surrey, Berkshire and Peterborough.