The best Christmas Markets to visit near Greater Manchester

Manchester Christmas Markets mugs have sold out AGAIN this year with a week still to go of the festive event. Manchester council bosses increased their order of the colourful 2023 design this year to try to keep up with demand.

A country pub nestled in the heart of Saddleworth has seen a huge boost to business following an extensive refurbishment in the autumn. The Royal George in Greenfield, underwent a £400,000 update in September which saw the pub close for five weeks.

Enjoying a festive day out is a key part of the run up to Christmas for many. Grand country houses are always popular to visit at this time of year as they go all out with spectacular decorations and guarantee a magical atmosphere.

Six new flood warnings have been issued across Greater Manchester this afternoon (December 9) as the region braces for adverse weather.

It has been two months since the Bee Network was launched across Greater Manchester, and it is clear there are more changes than just the colour of the buses.

Santa is a busy guy. You can see him all across Greater Manchester this Christmas, seven days a week.

Asda will be opening 34 new Express stores across the UK before Christmas - including four in the Greater Manchester area. Eight of the new stores opened their doors to the public today.

There’s only a few weeks left until the big day so if you haven’t already started thinking about Christmas shopping you better get your skates on. Gift buying can be a stressful experience - you’ve got to battle all the crowds in the shops and it can be hard to know what to buy.

A home cook from has had his spaghetti bolognese judged the best in Britain by TV chefs The Hairy Bikers. And it might be down to a special and perhaps unexpected ingredient Jonathan Wood adds to his take on this much-loved classic.

Construction work on a brand new hospital theatre in Wigan is set to begin now planning permission has been granted.

Two areas of Greater Manchester have been named as some of the worst places for fly-tipping in the entire North West region last year.

A new neighbourhood in and around a redeveloped 18th-century mill in Stockport will become the 'coolest' and 'possibly the best place to live in Greater Manchester', one of its bosses has said as it reached a new milestone.

Police in Greater Manchester plan to use artificial intelligence roadside cameras to detect people scrolling and messaging on phones while driving. The force say the ‘spy in the sky’ technology will not only be able to spot those with a phone to their ear but those using handsets lower down in the vehicle.

Sub-zero temperatures have swept the UK this week, including parts of Greater Manchester. This weekend will see temperatures slip below freezing once again.

Greater Manchester Police has made 'significant improvements' - with no areas of policing now deemed to be 'inadequate' - but there are still a number of key priorities where the force 'needs to do better', inspectors have said.

Andy Hardiment, assistant manager at discount store OneBelow in Hyde, Tameside, is recalling some of the more notable incidents of shoplifting he's witnessed recently. "The other week two girls came in and in three minutes they took about £100 of stuff - things like candles, Dove soap," he said.

It’s less than five weeks until Christmas Day, so it’s time to start thinking about buying gifts if you haven’t already started. While Christmas shopping usually fills people with dread, it doesn’t have to be that way.

New figures reveal a huge rise in animals being left abandoned in Greater Manchester amid the cost-of-living crisis. In one shocking case, a pair of kittens were dropped in a park and left, while inside a box and a bin bag.

The Manchester Christmas Markets are in full swing with hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to descend on the city during the festive season. It's no secret that a day at the markets can cost you a pretty penny, but it is also possible to enjoy them for free, simply by walking around and soaking up the festive spirit.

A cosy underground Christmas grotto for adults has opened in the city centre - and it features candy cane cocktails, mulled wine and a comforting fireplace to unwind.