Two £1m lottery prizes have been won in Oldham - but they remain unclaimed

Bosses in Oldham say they can ‘offer lessons learned’ to Bolton on how to bring down a coronavirus spike after they narrowly avoided a full local lockdown.In the middle of August the borough was balanced on a knife edge with the threat of an economic shutdown looming.However nearly a month later and the number of new infections in Oldham has dropped significantly – although it remains in the ‘red zone’.In the week leading to September 9 the rate of infection per 100,000 people was 58.2 – down

Coronavirus infections are on the rise again in Oldham’s biggest hotspot making it the third highest neighbourhood for cases in Greater Manchester.Despite a recent steep fall in cases, the latest statistics show that there were 22 cases of Covid-19 recorded in Alexandra Park in the week ending September 3.It is in the top three areas in the region for cases of the virus, behind only Bolton hotspots Breightmet South and Darcy Lever with 30 cases, and Tonge with 25.Bolton’s rate of infection is

Cases of coronavirus are continuing to plateau in Oldham, with the two largest hotspots recording steep falls.In the last seven days to August 29, there have been 134 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in the borough, a slight decrease on the previous week of 143.According to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Oldham had an infection rate of 56.4 cases per 100,000 people for the same period.This is a fall of almost half from the first week in August, where the rate was 109.7.Throughout the

Schools across England are due to reopen on Tuesday but the pandemic means that it will be very different for returning pupils.In Blue Coat school, an oversubscribed secondary school in Oldham town centre, the main challenge has been around the logistics of how to separate and keep safe its 1,750 pupils and 150 staff. Maximising space has been the biggest issue for leaders preparing for all pupils to return to the Egerton Street academy on September 1.Gone are the days of specialised department

in Oldham.Police said they were called to Elm Road near Lime Green Parade in the Lime Side area of the town shortly after 4.45pm today (Sunday August 30). Few details have been released but a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spokesman said officers responded to reports of a 'disturbance'.

Tougher restrictions which ban people from socialising with anyone they don’t live with are to remain in place for a further week in Oldham, the government has confirmed.The number of new coronavirus cases in the borough is now on a downward trend after spiking dramatically in the first week of August.The infection rate had climbed to 108 per 100,000 people, with 266 cases recorded in the seven days to August 11.Now the rate has now more than halved, down to 51.9 for the week ending August 24,

Oldham will be entitled to up to £182 if they have to self-isolate due to coronavirus, and can't work from home.The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock said the new payment scheme will start on Tuesday 1 September, for those living in areas with high infection rates.Residents in Oldham, Blackburn with Darwen, and Pendle who are on Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit, will be eligible for the money.Individuals who test positive for the virus will receive £130 for their 10-day period of

hereOfficers received intelligence indicating that a number of people were being controlled and exploited at the property.Seven “potential Romanian victims” were removed from the address during the operation, which was supported by Greater Manchester Police and the Department for Work and Pensions.Nechita, of Garthwaite Avenue, Oldham, appeared at Stockport Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, August 20.He has been charged with facilitating the travel of two men from Romania to the UK with a view to

Manchester Evening News."At the end of the day, you can sit in a pub close to people you don't know, but you can't sit in a pub close to people you do know. It's been tough not being able to see family."What concerns me the most is how it's going to affect schools reopening.

there were particularly high incidence of cases in central Oldham areas, where there is a high proportion of people from the south Asian community."There are people who are racist, they think 'because of them, we have to be in lockdown'. The next Bangladeshi person you see could then become a target", Mr Mahmood said.Mufti Helal Mahmood MBE, an officer from Oldham Mosque Council, agreed."There's been a huge spike in Islamophobic hate crime and racial tension within the community.

has announced tighter restrictions in Oldham, Pendle and Blackburn, while releasing Wigan, Darwen and Rossendale from current measures. Birmingham and Northampton have been added to the government's watch list following an increase in cases.

hereTargeted testing and other measures have brought numbers down significantly with health secretary Matt Hancock agreeing on Friday that a full lockdown would not be necessary.Instead it is understood people in Oldham will be told not to socialise with other households anywhere.This is a stricter message than the present rules, which had still allowed people to meet in outside public spaces such as parks and outside pubs and restaurants.Oldhamers will also be advised only to use public

Oldham has been made subject to extra measures around social distancing - but how long will they last for? The M.E.N learned on Friday (August 21) that the town will escape a full Leicester-style economic lockdown, and instead people will be told not to socialise with other households anywhere.This includes in houses, gardens, pubs and restaurants and at outdoor public spaces such as parks.It is understood that Oldhamers are now also being advised only to use public transport for essential

that a full lockdown is not necessary. It means the borough's pubs and restaurants can remain open.But people from different households are no longer allowed to go out for a drink or meal together - even if they sit outside.

coronavirus rates. Every other borough will remain subject to the original rules imposed by the government at the end of July.In Oldham, residents will now also be advised only to use public transport for essential travel - largely for work and school.They'll also be told not to socialise with other households anywhere.

Oldham had been teetering on the brink of full Leicester-style lockdown due to high infection rates, but after targeted testing and other measures brought numbers down significantly in the space of a week, Matt Hancock yesterday agreed that it would not be necessary.But what are the new measures that have been announced?It is understood people in Oldham will be told not to socialise with other households anywhere, a stricter message than the present rules, which had still allowed people to meet

can be downloaded at this link.The number of coronavirus cases across Greater Manchester began to rise around July 16th and local lockdown measures were announced on July 30th.The case numbers continued to rise up until the end of last week but in recent days have levelled out and may now be falling.There has been no related increase in the number of hospital admissions with Covid-19 or people diagnosed with Covid-19 while in hospital and the majority of recent positive cases have been through

after the health secretary responded to rising Covid infection rates in all but one of them. Since then, the consensus for which Greater Manchester's system likes to be known has come under pressure.