Latest Greater Manchester Covid-19 infection rates as all ten boroughs are now below England average

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.

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

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 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 inboxCoronavirus infection rates are continuing to rise in Greater Manchester with six out of the region's 10 boroughs seeing increases.The latest Public Health England data for the week ending December 25 shows the average rate for the region now stands at 190.9 per 100,000 people.This is well below the national average transmission rate of 367.4.However, as the most recent set of data available is for the week up to Christmas Day, there was a drop in positive tests.

direct to your inboxIt wasn't quite the white Christmas we see in all those festive movies.But there was a dusting of snow across Greater Manchester on Christmas Day.However, things quickly turned to strong winds and heavy rain as Storm Bella began its approach on Boxing Day.The Met Office has since issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice beginning at 6pm tonight (Sunday) into Monday morning.Therefore sleet, snow and flooding is all expected in parts of Greater Manchester as the extreme

direct to your inboxForecasters have posted three flood alerts across Greater Manchester as Storm Bella wreaks havoc in parts of the country.People in communities in Trafford, Stockport and Tameside close to the River Mersey valley and also residents in Oldham, Bolton and Rochdale in the River Irk catchment have been urged to be prepared for possible flooding.Met Office forecasters have warned that Storm Bella could bring 70mph winds and heavy rain to parts of the UK on Saturday, with the worst

direct to your inboxIt could be a rough day across Greater Manchester tomorrow as forecasters warn of extreme weather.The Met Office has issued alerts for strong winds and heavy rain, alongside a weather warning for snow and ice in Greater Manchester as Storm Bella sweeps across the country.Temperatures are expected to reach no higher than 3°C across most of the region on Sunday but the windchill will make the conditions feel much colder.Forecasters say icy surfaces are likely in much of Greater

direct to your inboxIt's not something that happens very often on Christmas Day - snow actually falling.But yesterday, parts of our region witnessed the magical white stuff fall from the sky after a terrible year.What will the weather do today, on Boxing Day, as Storm Bella sweeps in?Here's our hour by hour guide to the forecast today.Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletterYou can sign up very simply by following the instructions

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 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 inboxThe tide has turned.After weeks of declining infection rates in Greater Manchester, coronavirus cases are climbing again. There has been a 10.6pc week-on-week rise in the region as of December 19, according to Public Health England.

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 inboxHospital bosses in Greater Manchester are meeting today (December 21) for a rapid review of testing, site access and visiting rules in light of a new variant of coronavirus in the UK.Northern Care Alliance (NCA) - the NHS group which runs hospitals and other health care services in Salford, Bury, Oldham and Rochdale - will today decide whether its infection prevention control measures must be strengthened.It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed that the new