Meet Greater Manchester's Christmas Heroes - working on the frontline this festive season

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 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 inboxThese are some of the brilliant people who have been recognised in the 2021 New Year Honours list.The list features many people who have been going above and beyond in their professional lives or voluntarily to support their communities through the pandemic, as well as many Greater Manchester medics.They include a GP Dr Amir Hannan, who took on the challenge of joining Harold Shipman's old practice 20 years ago, and set about restoring patients' trust. Since then, he has

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.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester and even more areas of England are set to be moved to Tier 4 restrictions from tomorrow.Matt Hancock announce the latest tier review in the House of Commons today, and the new rules will take effect from Thursday December 31. Tier 4 is currently the highest level of Covid-19 measures that can be allocated to an area - with much of the south east and London already under the toughest rules.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester will move into Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions, Matt Hancock has announced.The Health Secretary made the announcement on the region's move into the tightest set of measures as he addressed the House of Commons this afternoon (Wednesday).It means that non-essential shops, hairdressers, gyms, leisure and entertainment venues - such as cinemas - must close on top of normal Tier 3 closures.People will be asked to stay at home where possible - unless there's a

Sign up for the latest from M.E.N.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester is to be placed into the toughest Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions, Matt Hancock has announced.The Health Secretary made an announcement on the tiering review across England in the House of Commons this afternoon, revealing yet more areas will face the strictest restrictions.The aim is to reduce social contact in Tier 4 areas - previously limited to London, parts of the South East and the East of England.Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester will move into Tier 4 under a review of the government's Covid-19 restrictions.The Health Secretary made the announcement on the region's move into the tightest set of measures today (Wednesday).Matt Hancock addressed the House of Commons this afternoon to announce changes to local restrictions as infection rates continue to rise across England.Tier 4 is currently the toughest tier and includes the closure of non-essential shops closed and stricter rules on

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 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 inboxThe deputy mayor has expressed fears there could be a rise in illegal raves and house parties in Greater Manchester over the Christmas period.Beverley Hughes told a press conference led by Andy Burnham on Tuesday that there is intelligence to suggest the region 'could see a return' of the raves and parties seen over the summer.

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

Bury, the decision from Health Secretary Matt Hancock was met with a mixture of frustration and sense of inevitability.

direct to your inboxFour of the areas which will be allowed to stay under Tier 2 Covid rules have a higher infection rate than every part of Greater Manchester.Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced today that Greater Manchester would remain in Tier 3, dashing hopes that rules would be relaxed for the hospitality industry over Christmas.He also revealed that some council areas in the south east of England would be moved up from Tier 2 to Tier 3 after a rise in coronavirus cases.However, some

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester will remain in Tier 3 following the government's latest announcement. Matt Hancock announced on Thursday that the "vast majority" of places in Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions will not be changed following the first review since the restrictions were re-implemented earlier this month.

direct to your inboxThree boroughs in Greater Manchester have lower coronavirus infection rates than the areas taken out of Tier 3 by Matt Hancock today.The Health Secretary revealed that Bristol and North Somerset are the only places in the country which will be moved down into Tier 2 and have the toughest restrictions lifted.The neighbouring council areas in the south west have both seen a drop in infection rates similar to that of Greater Manchester since early November.But some parts of our