This giant puppet will walk through Manchester city centre as part of next year's MIF

straight to your inboxGuardiola's message to Van DijkManchester City boss Pep Guardiola has wished Virgil van Dijk well in his recovery from a serious knee injury. Van Dijk is set to undergo ACL surgery and could miss the remainder of the season."I cannot speak about how it will affect Liverpool.

A ‘plain, boring, rectangular box’ Travelodge near Deansgate railway station will serve ‘hen and stag parties and football fans’ and destroy ‘beautiful’ Victorian buildings, objectors say.Plans for the 152-bed hotel at 2-4 Whitworth Street West are recommended for approval by Manchester planning officers ahead of a planning committee meeting on Thursday.The proposed development would see two vacant Victorian warehouses demolished in place of the building which will also sit on top of Rowendale

were sleeping or taking drugs in basements and stairwells.At that point, locks were changed, police stepped up patrols and said they were looking at CCTV to see if any crimes had been committed.It's fair to say policing of rough sleepers in Manchester city centre has evolved since then.Greater Manchester Police now works with the council and a range of other partners including the NHS, drug and alcohol services and the Department for Work and Pensions on an innovative project that aims to help

currently on the market for £429,000.Snowdonia in Wales has long been a beauty spot for people living in Greater Manchester to visit, but it could soon become home.The renovated five-bedroom property on offer there sits along the promenade in the coastal village of Llanfairfechan.It's a Victorian mid-terrace set in a row of eye-catching pastel painted homes - with the one up for grabs in pretty pink.Once you step out the front door, you can stroll down to be beside the sea in a matter of

straight to your inboxIan Evatt has explained why loan deals for prospects from Premier League academies did not come to fruition for Bolton Wanderers. The transfer window slammed shut for the Trotters yesterday afternoon with no business done on deadline day.

Police investigating the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Manchester city centre have released an image of a man they want to speak to. Officers were called to the canal tow path near Dale Street at around 6.50pm on Saturday, July 11.  A girl and her friends were approached by a group of men at around 5.15pm, police said.

Manchester city centre tonight. Emergency services descended on Anaconda Cut on Greengate near the banks of the River Irwell in Salford.Police said they were called to the apartment block just after 9:45pm after reports a stabbing.

murdering 21-year-old Jason Comerford in February 1994, in Manchester city centre.Jason was fatally stabbed to the neck after a night out.But Strike pleaded guilty to manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility.He has remained in a mental health facility since 1997, after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.A key breakthrough in the investigation of Jason's death came when more advanced DNA techniques became available to GMP's cold case unit.Get the latest updates from

and have promised to build a ‘vibrant new neighbourhood’ in its place.

They found that a lack of communication and information at handovers contributed to his death, as well as misinterpretation of instructions; a break-down in radio communication; the internal layout of the building; inadequate fire risk assessment, and acts of vandalism and criminal damage.

Network Rail has confirmed nine workers based at their Manchester city centre office have tested positive for COVID-19.The outbreak at the Manchester Square One building is understood to have affected staff based on the second floor.The organisation, which owns, operates and develops the country's railways, has responded by carrying out a deep clean of the areas where the staff had been.

Dive Bar & Grill which comes complete with a re-vamped menu and heated outdoor terrace which can sit up to 88 people safely.The colour and lighting scheme has changed, as has the street art covering the walls. The new look and layout has enhanced the space to make it more vibrant and upmarket.The new outdoor terrace means that Dive Bar & Grill has crept out of its basement and comes with its own cocktail bar with beer on draught.

Stockport mum will go on trial next year.Thomas McCann, 48, appeared before a judge at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday morning (October 7). He is accused of murdering Yvonne McCann.

United were reluctant to meet Borussia Dortmund's €120million asking price for the England winger and sounded out other options on loan to fill the right-wing position, which had been identified as a priority for the summer. They wanted to negotiate a cheaper price for Sancho amid concerns over paying such an inflated fee in the current financial climate.

Manchester city centre.Bars, pubs and restaurants would usually be packed as revellers partied into the early hours. But hospitality venues now have to operate on restricted hours under new measures to curb rising rates of coronavirus  infections.

straight to your inboxManchester United fans want to see a partnership of Harry Maguire and Eric Bailly in defence against Tottenham on Sunday.United have had a mixed start to the season, with their opening day 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace being followed up with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Brighton.The defending from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side in both games, however, was far from ideal.

straight to your inbox Barcelona have made a renewed offer to Manchester City for defender Eric Garcia and have included midfielder Rafinha Alcantara in the proposal, according to reports. With less than four days of the transfer window remaining City are still keen to conduct more business after already signing Nathan Ake, Ferran Torres and Ruben Dias but there may be some more outgoings, too.

both from Wythenshawe, today walked free from court after narrowly avoiding immediate jail terms for the "deeply unpleasant" attack.The court heard the victim, now a teacher, had when she was a student worked at the branch of Boots at Manchester Airport with Winstanley and that the pair "had a working relationship" but "didn't regard themselves as friends."Boots have a policy that staff cannot date workers at the same branch, Manchester Crown Court was told.And whilst they were working together

here.Here's the link to the M.E.N's main Facebook page where we share our latest stories.This week, therefore, was the first Monday lunchtime under new instructions from the government to work from home again, and the impact on the city’s high streets was clear.St Peter’s Square, usually a bustling tram interchange, was almost silent.In the Arndale centre, fewer than a dozen people could be seen grabbing lunch at Pret and Starbucks, and there were noticeably fewer shoppers in every store at a

here"The government has said the 10pm curfew is based on Belgium, but they also have police to disperse people on the streets."My personal feeling is that the curfew is probably doing more harm than good as it’s creating a major incentive for people to carry on drinking and partying at home. And that is where we are told the virus spreads - gatherings in the home."He added: "If it is doing more harm and damaging businesses, then the government shouldn’t just plough on with it.