Rally in Piccadilly Gardens calls for 'zero Covid strategy to save lives and livelihoods'

LGBT+ talent have joined forces to collaborate on a 2021 calendar. The idea for the Calendar Queers project came about after performance artist and creative producer Beau-Azra decided that something needed to be done to recognise the ‘melting pot’ of Manchester’s queer culture.

direct to your inboxFormer Piccadilly Radio presenter and popular Manchester DJ Umberto Saoncella has died, close friends have reported.The broadcaster made his name with the 'Umberto Breakfast show' which aired on the radio station, and after it moved to Piccadilly Gold in 1998.Close friends said in a Facebook post that the DJ had passed away on December 17 after losing his battle with an 'awful illness.'"After a few weeks in hospital he came home to spend his last days with his partner Bob and

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

In an exclusive report published last night, the Manchester Evening News revealed that the force had been placed in 'special measures' following a damning inspection report published last week. The report on behalf of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services found GMP had failed to record one in four violent crimes reported to it, warning that people were being 'denied justice'.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester will remain in the highest level of coronavirus restrictions, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced today.During a statement in the House of Commons, Mr Hancock released the details of the latest government review of the tier system in England.There had been hopes that Greater Manchester - or some boroughs - would be moved down to Tier 2, due to a fall in infection rates.But the Health Secretary said many areas in Tier 3 were not 'quite there,' as he

direct to your inboxPolice and firefighters were called to a street in Hale Barns following reports of an explosion.They were scrambled to Alan Drive at 8.10pm.When they arrived, they found the remnants of a firework and a box of nails in the road.There were no reports of any injuries.Police later confirmed that a loud bang had been caused by accident when a car ran over building materials.A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said two fire engines were scrambled following

After her fiancé Bradley Dack branded her The Grinch, Olivia Attwood decided to give the footballer a festive surprise by giving their flat a Christmas makeover. With the help of Lasting Memories Weddings & Events, Olivia transformed their Manchester flat into Santa’s Grotto complete with two giant Christmas trees, festive garlands and stunning decorations.

Tim Burgess has propelled one Manchester band onto BBC Radio 6 Music – as well as a slot at next year’s Kendal Calling.Guitarist Jack Iddon approached Burgess while working at Crewe train station to ask for a photograph, according to 6 Music DJ Chris Hawkins.When Iddon bumped into the Charlatans frontman a second time, the young musician told him about his own band, prompting Burgess to suggest that Iddon send him one of their tracks.‘Love Is A Pleasure’ by Rhys E – the band fronted by Rhys

direct to your inboxThe fire service was called to the city centre on Friday morning to a fire in a lighting unit at a commercial property.Crews from Moss Side and Salford were called to Lloyd Street and spent just under an hour at the scene.A spokesperson for GMFRS said: “On Friday, 11 December, at 8.37am, firefighters were called to a fire on Lloyd Street in Manchester.Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletterYou can sign up very

direct to your inboxTwo sisters have been slapped with a £150 fine EACH after feeding a McDonald's hash brown to pigeons in Piccadilly Gardens.Jacqueline Falconer, 53, and her sister Nicola, 48, were Christmas shopping in Manchester city centre on Wednesday morning (December 9).They said they left Primark to get breakfast from McDonald's - and got their sausage and egg McMuffin meals to take away, due to Covid-19 restrictions.The sisters, from Worsley, Salford, sat on a step in Piccadilly

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United great Rio Ferdinand has called for football's governing bodies to take action after PSG's game against Istanbul Basaksehir was suspended after an alleged racist incident.Players from PSG and Basaksehir walked off the field following an alleged racist comment from the fourth official towards the Turkish side's assistant manager.That came days after some fans in attendance for Millwall's Championship tie against Derby County booed the

A Pennsylvania school principal was recently fired in connection to a social media post in which he called Black Lives Matter a "leftist lie." The Northeastern School District board in Manchester approved a separation agreement with Shallow Brook Intermediate School principal Scott D'Orazio at a Monday night meeting, the York Daily Record reported.  D'Orazio shared a video to his Facebook page in June calling the Black Lives Matter movement a "leftist lie." A screenshot of the post was tweeted

direct to your inboxHundreds of people gathered for an anti-lockdown protest in Piccadilly Gardens which spilled over into a march through the city centre.Holding placards and banners with a variety of messages - including ‘Your Voice Your Choice’ and ‘Boris Loves Satan’ - the group gathered for the ‘Rise Up Manchester’ event at around 1pm on Sunday afternoon (December 12).But Manchester City Councillor Pat Karney has slammed those who marched down Market Street as ‘totally dangerous and

direct to your inboxPiccadilly remains the busiest railway station in the north west, with more than 32 million passengers passing through last year.And with Manchester city centre's phenomenal growth expected to continue in the coming decades, it is only likely to get busier.That is why the city's leaders say they are determined to get the redesign of Piccadilly right, first time.The next stage in that process is responding to the government's refinements to the design of HS2, the high-speed