The first people in Oldham receive their vaccine and dream of a summer of cricket and normality after coronavirus is finally hit for six

direct to your inboxCovid-19 infection rates are beginning to rise again in Oldham after weeks of plateauing case numbers.It comes as a more transmissible variant of the virus has begun to circulate in Greater Manchester, which Mayor Andy Burnham says could already account to 25pc of all new cases in the region.Oldham’s infection rate is the second lowest of the ten boroughs, just above Bolton, standing at 249.7 per 100,000 people in the week to January 3.However this is up 29pc on the previous

direct to your inboxSchools across Greater Manchester have announced that they will not be opening to pupils on Monday (January 4). The Manchester Evening News has been contacted about nine school closures across the region so far, but many more are expected to announce that they will remain closed.

direct to your inboxLeaders in Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale have now spoken out in the row over whether schools should stay closed due to coronavirus.The Prime Minister said today 'schools are safe ' and that he wants all primary schools to open tomorrow as planned, apart from those in London and the South East where the number of cases is soaring.

direct to your inboxFriends and family have been paying tribute after three people were found dead in Failsworth. James Acton, 41, Zoe Hamilton, 28, and Andrew Smith, 39, were found unresponsive at a house on Oldham Road on Monday afternoon.

direct to your inbox Forensic tests are being carried out to establish how two men and a woman died at a house in Failsworth. All three were found 'unresponsive' at a property in Oldham Road at 3.30pm yesterday when paramedics called police who were responding to a report of a concern for welfare.

direct to your inboxTwo people have been taken to hospital - and four arrested - after a police chase ended in a crash in Oldham.Officers from GMP's Tactical Vehicle Interception were on patrol on Monday morning (December 28) when they spotted a 'suspected cloned vehicle' in Chadderton.They followed the the vehicle at around 10.35am, police said.A short time after the chase began, the suspected cloned vehicle crashed into a third party car on Foxdenton Lane.Two people were taken to hospital

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

coronavirus coma. Wayne Oldham fought for his life as the killer virus attacked his lungs during an 11 week stay in hospital after being admitted on October 5.  The 46-year-old gym fanatic was placed on an ECMO machine in a last ditch attempt by doctors at the Aintree Hospital, the Liverpool Echo reports.

direct to your inboxA drugs boss and his 'loyal and trusted workers' have been jailed for flooding the streets of Manchester and Oldham with heroin and cocaine.Dorian Bell spearheaded the long-running enterprise over two years, recruiting 'vulnerable and naïve young men' to do his bidding.He was arrested three times but carried on dealing, only stopping because he had been remanded into custody.Bell, 23, has now been locked up for nine years after admitting three counts of conspiracy to supply

direct to your inboxA review into allegations of child sexual exploitation in Oldham is now expected to publish its findings in the ‘middle of 2021’, the region’s deputy mayor has confirmed.In a letter to Oldham council’s chief executive, Baroness Beverley Hughes said the findings of the independent review would not be published for months.She was writing in response to a motion raised at the November meeting of the full council, proposed by Conservative and Independent councillors John Hudson

direct to your inboxA determined drugs boss carried on operating even after being arrested twice.Dorian Bell's involvement in selling heroin, cocaine and ecstasy only stopped when he was remanded in custody.He and a number of other dealers face lengthy sentences for their role in an Oldham and Manchester based drugs gang, in which 23-year-old Bell played a 'leading' role.Police recovered significant quantities of drugs and also found a safe house the gang used in the Green Quarter of Manchester

direct to your inboxCampaigners have lost a legal challenge against plans to build 265 homes and a £3.5m new link road on protected green land in Oldham after raising more than £40k for the fees.A judge has ruled that the permission granted by the council’s planning committee last summer for the controversial Knowls Lane application will stand.Residents in Springhead and Grotton have been fighting the hybrid planning planning application by developer Russell Homes for several years.The council’s

direct to your inboxA mother and daughter are homeless for Christmas after a car crashed into their house for the second time in months.Friends of Pauline Fitzgerald, 82, and Verna Harper, 54, are rallying round to help and raise money - alongside the community where they live in Oldham.A red Volkswagen Golf collided with the front of their terraced property on Hollins Road, Oldham, in September last year.

in Oldham.Father Peter McKie, 82, served the Salford Catholic diocese for 52 years and was priest at several churches in the area during his career. His body was discovered in Hollinwood on Friday, December 4.

direct to your inboxPolice investigating a man from Oldham who went missing last week have found a body.Thomas Geeling, 30, was last seen at around 4.50pm on Sunday, December 6, driving a white Volvo in the Oldham area.He was not believed to have a phone or access to money.Today (Monday) Greater Manchester Police confirmed a body has been found.Formal identification, however, has not yet taken police."There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances and a report is being prepared for

direct to your inboxPolice say they are becoming 'increasingly concerned' for a missing man last seen a week ago.Thomas Geeling, 30, is not believed to be in possession of a mobile phone and has no access to money.He was last seen at around 4.50pm on Sunday, December 6, driving a white Volvo in the Oldham area. Thomas is described as white, 5ft 7ins with a slim build with black hair.

direct to your inboxFifteen more people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.The region's hospital death toll has risen to 3,915, the latest NHS figures show.Six more Covid-related deaths were recorded at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.