‘We tried so hard’ - Chef Mary-Ellen McTague closes her Chorlton restaurant The Creameries

There has been a rumour in Manchester this week. Initially, few dared to believe it.

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has admitted that he expected the Catalan giants to try and force him out of the club by frequently leaving him on the bench in recent months.

Curry night has long been a weekend tradition in many households with Saturday night meaning a take away in front of the TV. For reporter Elaine Blackburne, a concern about calories meant she ditched the usual delivery for Slimming World ready meals - and investigated whether she could slim down the calories and the cost.

Nazir Afzal, the former North West chief crown prosecutor, has been officially unveiled as the new Chancellor of the University of Manchester. In a ceremony on Wednesday (October 12), Mr Afzal OBE officially took over as the University's chancellor, succeeding from Lemn Sissay.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Eric Welbers, who served as managing director of the production company NDF until the end of March, has set up the internationally focused content company Bravado Media, with headquarters in Munich. Bravado has acquired all of NDF’s shares in Italy’s Viola Film (an 80% stake), headed by Alessandro Passadore, and Belgium-based Bravado Fiction (also an 80% stake), headed by Jan Theys, and Welbers is increasing his stake in NDF Intl. Production, which he will continue to run together with Matthias Walter. The new company will make its first market appearance at next week’s trade fair for audiovisual content Mipcom in Cannes.

Former Bolton Wanderers loanee Marcus Maddison has had his contract at non-league Darlington cancelled by mutual consent.

A driver climbed over his partner as she lay in the passenger seat with life-threatening injuries to escape from the scene of a crash. Craig Hirtle then returned later to try drag her injured body through a window before fleeing again, a court heard.

Erling Haaland's lack of a weakness in his game as a centre-forward makes him difficult to handle for a defender, according to his Manchester City teammate Nathan Ake.

With winter looming, and the cost of living crisis at the forefront of everybody’s mind, having a little extra cash on the side to tie things over wouldn’t go amiss over the next few months. While we all look to adjusting budgets and becoming more thrifty, there's a company that is offering another solution to consider, which could help alleviate some of those fears.

Celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo's pizza and prosecco restaurant inside Manchester's Arndale Centre has closed - but has swiftly reopened as new Italian restaurant brand Piccolo by Piccolino. The Italian TV star had launched his My Pizza and Prosecco Bar amid a blaze of publicity inside the huge Next in the shopping centre back in 2017.

This year continues to be a difficult one for many, especially Manchester’s hospitality businesses. While the cost of living rises for domestic households are starting to be felt, Manchester’s restaurants, bars and pubs have also been feeling the strain as the cost of ingredients soars along with their energy bills and general operating costs.

Sharon Osbourne has said she received therapy which involved being injected with ketamine several times a week to help her cope in the aftermath of a royal racism row. The TV star lost her job after she defended her friend Piers Morgan during the row.

Four years after Anthony Bourdain’s death by suicide, his final text messages to girlfriend Asia Argento have been revealed.

Helen Skelton has said she is 'trying to be sexy' while showing off her blistered feet on social media. The Countryfile host is currently in training for week two of Strictly Come Dancing which will be on screens this coming Saturday.

Khloé Kardashian recently welcomed a baby boy with her ex Tristan Thompson, and although she is focused on her role as a mother of two, the idea of falling in love with Mr. Right is something she has been dreaming of.

Prizes including a lifetime pass to Good Life Skates, dinner, drinks and a room at the soon-to-open Treehouse Hotel, weekend passes for the Blue Dot festival and hundreds of pounds in vouchers for the city’s top restaurants are being offered in a fundraising raffle.

Therese Coffey has announced plans to ease pressure on health and social care services this winter and next.