Welcome to the Manchester Evening News breaking news service.
We’ll be making sure that you are the first to know what’s happening across the Greater Manchester region.
Throughout the day we will be bringing you constant updates on news across the area.
We’ll also be bringing you crime, travel, health, sport, politics and education stories from the M.E.N team.
And the CityLife journalists are working hard to bring you the best reviews, celebrity gossip and information on going out in the city.
Some of the stories happening today include a planning application taking place in Macclesfield for a wedding venue to be constructed in the back garden of Cheshire Housewives star Dawn Ward.
A man has gone on trial accused of sex attacks on two students on the same night.
We have a tragic story about a mum who claims her baby was ‘strangled’ by a blind cord at a nursery.
At the moment everything seems to be running smoothly on the Metrolink.
If there’s something you’ve noticed and want us to check out then feel free to get in touch - call us on 0161 211 2323 or tweet @MENnewsdesk
Key Events
Moss Side Power cut
A power cut hit almost 1,000 properties after an underground cable fault in Moss Side.
Electricity North West engineers were called when the lights went out at 951 homes and businesses in the M15 and M16 postcodes on Wednesday evening.
More here.
Fire service
I’ve just checked in with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
There are no new major incidents to let you know about at this moment.
Moss Side powercut
I’ve just been told the power issue in Moss Side has been sorted, and everyone’s lights are back on.
Hurrah!
I’m just tapping up the full story - more details soon.
Nearly 1,000 Moss Side properties without power
I’m just going to look into this, I’ll bring you more information as I have it...
Supercar showdown
There were some supercars plus super action at Salford’s MediaCity today when the Cholmondeley Power and Speed crew rolled into town.
Aiming to promote the June petrolhead extravaganza at the Cheshire castle, there were exotic cars including a Ferrari FXX, McLaren MP4 12C and a BAC Mono on show as well as a display of fast bikes.
More here.
Woman walking on slip road
There are also reports of a woman walking on a slip road to the M6...
Children on the M60 AGAIN
This is the second report TODAY of children playing on the M60...
...police issued a school holiday warning after children were seen playing on a busy stretch of the M60 earlier today.
Horrified motorists dialled 999 after youngsters were seen running across the carriageway between junctions 20 and 21 near Blackley on Wednesday.
Police, who rushed to the motorway to investigate, said it was the second incident in two days where children were spotted running to the central reservation as part of a potentially lethal game.
Officers manning the GMP Traffic Twitter account posted: “For the 2nd day we have reports of children playing on the M60 Jcn 20 to 21 - running to the central reservation and back!”
They added: “Parents should keep an eye on their kids!”
Tyson Fury goes vegetarian
Boxing champ Tyson Fury has gone veggie as he looks to get in shape ahead of his world title rematch.
Fury, 27, claimed the crown of undisputed heavyweight champion of the world after a stunning victory over Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf last November.
And the controversial star, born in Wythenshawe and raised in Styal, Cheshire, is due to face the legendary Ukrainian again in a rematch at the Manchester Arena on July 9.
At the press launch for the fight back in April, Fury whipped his shirt off and called himself a ‘fat man’ as he showed how he had ballooned in weight.
More here.
Images of crash off M60 in Blackley
These images show the incident just off the M60 in Blackley.
The A664 Rochdale Road is closed in both directions closed due to an accident.
It’s understood two vehicles were involved at Hilldale Avenue.
A police diversion is place in place, with Manchester-bound traffic sent left onto Victoria Avenue East.
Traffic from Victoria Avenue is being diverted onto Manchester New Road, towards Middleton.
M60 crash
We’re hearing reports a car has crashed into the central reservation of the M60 near junction 20 near Rochdale Road and Victoria Avenue.
There are apparently a number of police and ambulance vehicles at the scene.
More soon.
Moss Side murder charges
Five men have been charged as part of the investigation into the murder of a man in Moss Side.
Ahmed Mohammed, 20, died after being stabbed in the neck and chest on Tuesday, March 22.
Police and paramedics were called to Crondall Street at around 12.10pm.
Mr Mohammed - known locally by the nicknames ‘Mudz’ and ‘Mudi’ - was found with severe stab wounds.
A post-mortem exam found that he died from wounds to the neck and chest.
More here.
Tram service back to normal following crash
Crash seems to have been relatively minor, delays should clear up soon as trams are back on their way...
Tram delays after car crash
I’m just looking into this incident to see how serious it is...
...be wary if you’re planning on getting a tram that way.
Shooting in quiet village
Armed police swooped on an idllyic village after a shotgun was allegedly brandished in a row over parking.
GMP sent two armed response units and more than a dozen other officers to Simister, near Prestwich, Bury.
They responded to a report that a man was pointing the weapon from a bedroom window at a car in which a woman was sat with her children.
More here.
Nursery apologises after mother of girl after claims she was ‘strangled’ classroom blind
Nursery bosses have apologised to the mother of a baby girl after claims she was ‘strangled’ by a blind in the classroom.
Kelly Connolly, 42, said staff at the Holyrood Nursery in Salford ‘apologised profusely’ when she met with them to discuss the shocking incident.
One-year-old Willow Green was raced to A&E by Kelly after she was sent home from the nursery, on Stott Lane, with a deep red mark around her neck.
More here.
Ahrmed Mohammed murder charges
Five men have been charged as part of the investigation into the murder of Ahmed Mohammed in Moss Side.
More soon.
Man 'left looking like Hilter' on passport photo
Passport officers are investigating after a man was left looking like Hitler in his passport photo.
Stuart Boyd, 50, was distraught after opening his newly arrived passport to find he looked a dead ringer for the Nazi leader.
The Salford man had ordered his passport on May 22 after booking a holiday to the Greek island of Rhodes in July with friends.
The document arrived exactly one week later, but the former paramedic was dismayed to find his reproduced photograph made it look like he had a menacing toothbrush moustache.
More here.
Police officer attacked by City fan
A Manchester City fan has been banned from matches for three years after punching and flooring a policewoman in a ‘vile’ attack at a train station.
Steven Mark Wilson, 34, knocked the officer to the ground with a sickening blow just as she and a colleague tried to arrest him at Piccadilly.
More here.
Appeal after man hit by car
A man was left in hospital after being carried on the bonnet of a speeding car when it careered onto the pavement.
The black Mercedes was seen veering in and out of traffic on the A580 in Leigh, Wigan, on Saturday, May 28.
More soon.
(More) Greater Manchester mayoral race
Mayoral hopeful Andy Burnham is pledging to give every child suffering mental health problems in Greater Manchester the support they need, ‘end of story’.
The former health secretary made his promise in a blog post sent round party members, who are being wooed by candidates ahead of the Labour selection in August.
Highlighting a number of damning statistics around child poverty, development and mental health in Greater Manchester, he promises a ‘relentless focus on the first 1,000 days of life’.
More here.
Greater Manchester mayoral race
The mayor of Liverpool has launched an extraordinary attack on Andy Burnham for making ‘ignorant and insensitive’ comments towards local government leaders.
Joe Anderson hit out at the Greater Manchester mayoral hopeful after he said the role of a metro mayor was a ‘cabinet-level job requiring cabinet-level experience’.
Mr Anderson, who has been the mayor of Liverpool since 2012, said the Leigh MP’s remarks were ‘the most ignorant and insensitive comments anybody could actually make, because it is disrespectful to every local government leader who has worked hard for their area’.
More here.
Piccadilly Gardens closure
Most of Piccadilly Gardens is to close for five months so its broken fountain can undergo a massive £400,000 repair job.
Council bosses have agreed the move after engineers concluded the entire mechanism of the attraction, which has already been shut for two years, needs replacing - including the massive tanks that run underneath the gardens.
The majority of the public space is expected to close from September 5 and earmarked to reopen on January 20.
More here.
Jose Mourinho's new home?
Newly-installed Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho may have one thing better than a hairdryer – his very own fire-breathing dragon.
That’s what comes as standard with a £3.9m property he’s reportedly got his eye on in Wales.
Gyrn Castle, or Castell Gyrn in Welsh, is a secluded mansion just outside Ruthin, in the North Wales countryside.
Complete with draught exclusion, underfloor heating and double glazing, it also has a huge Welsh dragon which breathes fire when vehicles enter the gates.
More here.
'Victoria Wood Station'?
Liverpool has John Lennon Airport and New York has JFK.
Now the brother of Prestwich-born comedy legend Victoria Wood believes another transport hub should be renamed after his sister.
Chris Foote Wood wants to see Manchester Victoria railway station renamed Victoria Wood Station.
More here.
More M6 traffic
We’re hearing reports there’s a lane blocked due to a broken down vehicle on M6 northbound between J19 A556 (Knutsford) and J20 A50 / B5158 (Lymm Interchange).
Lane one, of three, is reportedly blocked. The issue is affecting traffic leaving Cheshire towards Wigan.
M6 closure
There are also severe delays and queueing traffic due to an accident between a van and a bus on the M6 northbound between J17 A534 (Sandbach/Crewe) and J18 A54 (Middlewich/Holmes Chapel).
Reports suggest there’s congestion on the M6 to Keele Services.
All lanes have been re-opened following the incident, which saw the air ambulance attend.
The issue is affecting traffic from Sandbach towards Knutsford and alternative routes are heavily congested as traffic is diverted from the motorway.
M60 delays
We’re getting reports there’s a lane blocked and very slow traffic due to an accident on M60 clockwise between J17 A56 (Prestwich / Whitefield) and J18 M62 / M66 (Simister Island).
Our traffic partner Inrix says there’s congestion to J14 M61 / A580 (East Lancs Road).
Bury could face library closures
Bury Council admits it may decide to close some of its libraries as part of a cost-saving review.
No libraries have been named and no changes at all will be implemented until March next year.
There are six township libraries, five community centres with libraries and three smaller community libraries in Bury - which between them have more than 70,000 members.
But council bosses are now planning a 12-week survey consultation with the public around six proposed ‘key principles’.
More here.
