News
The areas of England that could escape Tier 3 next week as infection rates drop
It could be good news for Greater Manchester
With coronavirus cases in Greater Manchester falling rapidly, there’s hope we could escape Tier 3 next week, although it looks like London and Essex could be moving up into the highest tier.
The government is set to re-assess the tiers on Wednesday, December 16th, and it looks like Greater Manchester could escape the toughest restrictions for the first time in months.
The Mirror conducted an analysis of coronavirus rates since November 26th, and have found which places could be moving up or down due to changes in the numbers.
Daniel Nisbet / Flickr
Like Greater Manchester, infection rates are dropping in lots of Tier 3 areas, including Hull, Birmingham, and West Yorkshire, raising hopes more areas will be able to drop down into Tier 2 – however, it’s not clear by how much rates need to fall in order to move down a tier.
Andy Burnham said yesterday that while there has been a ‘significant decline’ in hospital admissions across Greater Manchester, the infection rates are varying in different areas, with cases in Bury actually growing by 5% (to 225.7 per 100,000), while in Trafford they’ve dropped down into double digits (81.5 per 100,000).
In other Tier 3 areas, Kent is likely to remain under the toughest restrictions as rates continue to rise there, with Lincolnshire in the same position, and it looks like London and Essex could be joining them in Tier 3.
Like in Greater Manchester, London has seen a variation in infection levels across the city, with places like Camden and Richmond having relatively low rates, while Waltham Forest and Havering have seen high levels.
Colin and Kim Hansen / Wikimedia
The top ten areas with the highest rates include six in Kent, two in Lincolnshire and one each in Essex and London, with Swale in Kent currently having the nation’s highest rates (619.7 cases per 100,000), followed by Medway (602.4).
But the overall rate is only one measure the government looks at when considering tiers, they also consider the number of hospital beds an area has and the prevalence of the virus – specifically in the over-60s.
Here’s a breakdown of the rates in different areas of England, courtesy of the Mirror’s analysis.
The places where rates have increased in Tier 2:
Essex
- Basildon, 433.8, (812), 275.1, (515)
- Brentwood, 281.7, (217), 199.9, (154)
- Thurrock, 252.4, (440), 216.2, (377)
- Epping Forest, 249.1, (328), 221.0, (291)
London
- Havering, 378.7, (983), 337.5, (876)
- Waltham Forest, 316.6, (877), 217.3, (602)
- Barking and Dagenham, 310.9, 261.6, (557)
- Newham, 263.9, (932), 223.1, (788)
- Bexley, 259.8, (645), 227.2, (564)
Surrey
- Runnymede, 284.0, (254), 191.2, (171)
- Woking, 218.3, (220), 193.5, 146.8, (148)
Hertfordshire
- Broxbourne, 264.2, (257), 196.3, (191)
- Watford, 199.8, (193), 164.6, (159)
- Hertsmere, 158.2, (166), 146.8, (154)
- East Hertfordshire, 146.2, (219), 128.2, (192)
- North Hertfordshire, 100.3, (134), 96.6, (129)
East Midlands
- Rutland, 97.7, (39), 47.6, (19)
North West
- Barrow-in-Furness, 123.8, (83), 102.9, (69)
Buckinghamshire
- Milton Keynes, 182.2, (491), 167.0, (450)
- Aylesbury Vale, 160.4, (320), 132.4, (264)
- High Wycombe, 151.2, (264), 139.1, (243)
The places where rates have decreased in Tier 2:
Liverpool City Region
- St Helens, 129.6, (234), 170.6, (308)
- Liverpool, 88.1, (439), 147.2, (733)
- Wirral, 57.1, (185), 112.3, (364)
Worcestershire
- Worcester, 82.0, 153.1, (155)
- Malvern Hills, 61.0, 87.7, (69)
Norfolk
- Norwich, 121.6, (171), 140.9, (198)
- South Norfolk, 109.3, (154), 137.7, (194)
Northamptonshire
- Northampton, 197.2, (443), 227.1, (510)
- South Northamptonshire, 113.2, (107), 201.1, (190)
- Corby, 101.1, (73), 164.8, (119)
North West
- Carlisle, 78.2, (85), 233.7, (254)
- Warrington, 120.9, (254), 187.1, (393)
- Cheshire East, 103.1, (396), 164.8, (633)
- Cheshire West and Chester, 100.9, (346), 168.2, (577)
Suffolk
- Ipswich, 160.7, (220), 161.4, (221)
- East Suffolk, 61.7, (154), 71.4, (178)
- West Suffolk, 53.6, (96), 60.9, (109)
The places where rates have increased in Tier 3:
Kent
- Swale, 619.7, (930), 532.4, (799)
- Medway, 602.4, (1,678), 442.3, (1,232)
- Gravesham, 423.6, (453), 392.7, (420)
- Thanet, 419.9, (596), 478.4, (679)
- Maidstone, 409.1, (703), 277.0, (476)
The places where rates have decreased in Tier 3:
East Yorkshire
- Hull, 200.9, (522), 460.0, (1195)
- East Riding of Yorkshire, 147.4, (503), 278.5, (950)
Greater Manchester
- Oldham, 153.5, (364), 366.9, (870)
- Rochdale, 215.4, (479), 342.2, (761)
- Wigan, 187.1, (615), 301.2, (990)
- Manchester, 169.8, (939), 245.3, (1,356)
- Trafford, 85.1 (202), 169.4 (402)
- Bury 225.7 (431), 300.5 (574)
Lincolnshire
- Boston, 387.6, (272), 438.9, (308)
- Lincoln, 329.3, (327), 391.7, (389)
- East Lindsey, 176.4, (250), 429.0, (608)
- North Lincolnshire, 174.1, (300), 341.3, (588)
- North East Lincolnshire, 153.5, (245), 372.9, (595)
North East
- Hartlepool, 222.1, (208), 364.1, (341)
- South Tyneside, 205.3, (310), 336.5, (508)
- Middlesbrough, 180.9, (255), 309.3, (436)
- Sunderland, 162.8, (452), 275.8, (766)
- Newcastle upon Tyne, 113.9, (345), 300.8, (911)
Staffordshire
- Stoke-on-Trent, 321.8, (825), 419.3, (1,075)
- Newcastle-under-Lyme, 204.0, (264), 407.1, (527)
- East Staffordshire, 220.5, (264), 362.4, (434)
West Midlands
- Sandwell, 211.3, (694), 406.5, (1,335)
- Wolverhampton, 243.4, (641), 343.6, (905)
- Birmingham, 191.4, (2,186), 339.8, (3,880)
- Walsall, 194.4, (555), 320.2, (914)
Warwickshire
- Coventry 129.5 (481), 200.5 (745)
- Rugby 105.6 (115), 212 (231)
West Yorkshire
- Bradford, 192.7, (1,040), 362.9, (1,959)
- Calderdale, 192.0, (406), 306.4, (648)
- Kirklees, 182.6, (803), 373.6 (1,643)
- Leeds, 142.5, (1130), 266.3, (2,112),
South Yorkshire
- Doncaster, 214.2, (668), 245.3, (765)
- Rotherham, 184.6, (490), 232.1, (616)
- Barnsley, 139.8, (345), 256.8, (634)
- Sheffield, 131.1, (767), 223.6, (1,308)
Lancashire
- Pendle, 286.6, (264), 311.6, (287)
- Blackburn with Darwen, 263.2, (394), 335.3, (502)
- Burnley, 247.4, (220), 356.5, (317)
- Rossendale, 226.6, (162), 303.6, (217)
- Hyndburn, 169.0, (137), 407.2, (330)
- Blackpool, 147.7, (206), 205.1, (286)
East Midlands
- Nottingham, 152.0, (506), 196.8, (655)
- Bassetlaw, 256.3, (301), 290.3, (341)
- Derby, 144.6, (372), 260.8, (671)
Leicestershire
- Oadby and Wigston, 301.7, (172), 413.9, (236)
- Leicester, 245.6, (870), 383.4, (1,358)
- Blaby, 203.9, (207), 346.7, (352)
- North West Leicestershire, 113.9, (118), 279.9, (290)
South West
- South Gloucestershire, 136.4, (389), 212.2, (605)
- Bristol, 126.7, (587), 300.4, (1,392)
- North Somerset, 113.9, (245), 204.6, (440)
South East
- Slough, 238.7, (357), 323.0, (483)
The above numbers are based on two different testing programmes, both tests in laboratories (pillar one) and tests in the wider community (pillar two), and the figure is the number of new cases per 100,000 people.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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