The Greater Manchester borough that has the most places with hardly any Covid-19 cases - chiefs say the reason is simple

direct to your inboxHealth leaders are planning for a third Covid peak in Greater Manchester hospitals within 10 to 14 days, with bed demand now the same as the end of October.Figures obtained by the M.E.N. show there are now 1,041 people with Covid in hospitals here, a 21pc rise in three weeks, with 119 of those in ICU or high dependency units.The numbers are where they were at the very end of October into the start of November, a fortnight before the second wave peaked.

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 inboxSnow has returned to parts of Greater Manchester this morning as the region's cold snap continues.Every borough has been coated in a light or, in some places, a heavy dusting over the last two weeks - causing travel disruption in some areas.Several yellow weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued, as freezing temperatures have led to treacherous conditions.Whilst the cold weather is set to continue this week, there are currently no weather warnings for Greater

infection rates could be doubling week-on-week within a matter of days if the rise continues.

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

direct to your inboxThe coronavirus infection rate is now rising in all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester. The government is now under increasing pressure to delay the reopening of all schools on Monday as a result of the concerning data trend.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester's coronavirus infection rate is continuing to climb as the region begins 2021 in Tier 4. As we entered our second day under the country's tightest coronavirus restrictions, concern is growing nationally about the highly transmissible new strain of the virus.

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 inboxCoronavirus cases are continuing to rise in nine out of 10 of Greater Manchester's boroughs, the latest figures show. The latest Public Health England data, released ahead of the region's move into Tier 4 tomorrow (Thursday), shows the average rate for Greater Manchester currently stands at 200.3 per 100,000 people.

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 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 inboxSnow has fallen across Greater Manchester this Bank Holiday Monday.But what is the weather going to be like the rest of the day?Here's our hour-by-hour forecast for the region - for every borough.There's a Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice in place until 6pm.An area of rain, sleet and snow moved south through Sunday night.It's caused icy surfaces and some travel disruption.Drivers are being told to expect longer journey times.Get the latest updates from across

Bury is on the rise again - with the borough now having the highest infection rate in Greater Manchester.

direct to your inboxA former police rep says any culture shift within Greater Manchester Police must start with the region’s mayor.Ian Hanson says Andy Burnham must deal directly with those delivering the service if the force is to make important changes after it was placed into ‘special measures’.Mr Hanson - who retired as GMP’s Federation chairman in 2018 - claims Mr Burnham met with him just once during his tenure.He has accused the mayor of “shouldering” responsibility for policing to his

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

Don't miss a thing that's happening in and around Bury by signing up to the free MyBury newsletterThe coronavirus infection rate has gone up in Greater Manchester for the first time in weeks.It currently sits at 161.4 per 100,000 people during the week ending December 15 - that's a 6.3 per cent increase on the previous week.It is the first week-on-week increase in Greater Manchester of more than 1 percent since October 31.The infection rate has remained fairly level across the region for the