themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--One by one they told their stories - Hashem Abedi was too cowardly to listen

The grief-stricken relatives of those who lost their lives in the Arena bombing have spoken about the devastation the atrocity has wreaked on their lives .
Hashem Abedi , 23 , the younger brother of bomber Salman Abedi , was found guilty of 22 counts of murder in relation to the bombing attack at Manchester Arena on May 22 , 2017 .
He was also convicted on one count of attempted murder concerning those who were injured but survived the blast ; and conspiring with his brother to cause an explosion following a seven-week trial earlier this year .
Today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-day sentencing hearing - the Old Bailey heard powerful testimonies from the loved ones of those who died .
Statements from a number of survivors , who are still living with devastating physical injuries and psychological trauma , were also read in court .
Abedi was brought to the court building , but refused to enter the courtroom .
He has also declined to be legally represented during the sentencing .
The judge , Mr Justice Jeremy Baker , said the 23-year-old had been brought to the court building from prison , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the courtroom .
Not all victim impact and witness statements were read in open court on Wednesday , but will instead be considered by the judge in private .
This is because the identities of some of the children covered by the statements can not be reported because of their age .
Read more of today 's stories here Survivor Claire Booth was among those who courageously read out their own statements in court .
Her sister , Kelly Brewster , 32 , from Sheffield , died in the blast .
Claire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a world of chaos ' by the loss of her sister , who she described as her 'sidekick ' .
`` I can ’ t go anywhere in public on my own , even if it ’ s to the shop , '' she said .
`` Sometimes I feel like a prisoner in my own home .
I try as much as possible to find some level of normality '' .
Mum Caroline Curry spoke about the loss of her 'beautiful boy ' Liam , who died with his girlfriend Chloe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court how the 19-year-old ‘ became a man overnight ’ after losing his dad to cancer just months before the attack .
Holding up a picture of Liam and addressing Abedi , she said : `` You took from me something more precious than gold , a beautiful boy , inside and out .
`` I want you to look at Liam and remember the beautiful boy that was snatched away .
`` Your actions have caused this heartbreak .
I just feel cheated .
You took his future , my future , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All we have now is heartbreak and dreams of ‘ what if ?
’ .
`` There are not enough words in the world to describe the pain I feel .
There is no relief .
Life now is not a life - it is an existence '' .
Chloe 's mum Lisa Rutherford went on to speak about the devastating loss of her 'gorgeous girl ' , who never got to enjoy the 18th birthday party she had been planning .
Lisa said : `` We will never get to see our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 21st in a few days time .
`` She had planned her 18th for the following August - guest list , play list , dress .
`` She never got to experience this amazing night with family and friends , to dance the night away '' .
Lisa told the court her family still 'needed answers ' about her daughter 's death .
Figen Murray , the mother of Martyn Hett , 29 , told the court that she can no longer go to bed before 10.31pm - the time of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I still can not go to bed before 11pm , it ’ s this 10.31 thing .
`` I was asleep in bed when my son was dead on the floor , I ’ m still deeply ashamed of that and I probably always will be '' .
In her statement , Figen spoke about her talented and popular son , who was about to head off on a trip to America when he died .
She said of the Coronation Street 'super fan ' : `` Martyn loved attention and would court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a strong work ethic and the combination with his love of fun made him so popular '' .
Martyn 's dad Paul meanwhile , said : `` Salman and Hashem Abedi took the life of our beautiful son Martyn and nothing will ever be the same again .
`` There have been many ways this tragedy has impacted our family , too many to mention .
`` Few of us can face going near to the Arena or Victoria station ever again '' .
Prosecutor Duncan Penny read out a statement from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atkinson , 28 .
She says losing her son has been like a light being switched out She said : `` He was my only son .
`` I was in the hospital when John died , I ’ m haunted by the thought of how much he must have suffered at the end .
`` My thoughts are constantly about John .
I can ’ t see a day that the pain will ever go away '' Even now , I still cry .
I still cry on a very frequent basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The devastation is hard to put into words .
I feel as if a light has been switched off and it will never shine again .
`` Maybe one day the pain will subside , but John will never be forgotten '' .
Simon Callander , the father of 18-year-old Georgina , wrote a statement describing how he walks the streets alone at night because he doesn ’ t want to talk to anyone .
He said : `` I don ’ t want to talk , I want to die .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ the bombing ] that if I had been near a gun I would be with her now .
`` I will never get over Georgina ’ s death '' .
The family of Megan Hurley , 15 , were in court but declined to give a victim impact statement ‘ because it would have to be heard by the defendant ’ .
Instead , they asked for court to pause and take a moment to look at a photograph of Megan .
A statement from the family of 14-year-old Nell Jones described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child .
It read : `` The pain is with us every day , it wraps around us until it suffocates us .
`` We miss her laugh , her wicked sense of humour and the warmth of her hugs .
`` Her beautiful smile will stay with us until we take our last breath .
`` There are no words that can convey how much Nell was loved '' .
The family of Michelle Kiss , 45 , said in a statement : `` We believe there is more good in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfortunately , it only takes one bad person to devastate so many people , as we are experiencing .
`` We fear for the future of our grandchildren .
`` Hell has no fear for us as it can not be any worse than it is now '' .
Samantha Leczkowski , the mother of 14-year-old Sorrell , described how her daughter wanted to study architecture at Columbia in New York .
She said : `` Sorrell was clever , determined and beautiful inside and out .
`` She was not only my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I remember her first day at school , whereas some children were apprehensive , Sorrel absolutely loved it .
`` She knew what she wanted and knew how hard she had to work to get it '' .
Sorrell 's dad added that he was afraid to grieve properly because he needs to be there for his family .
The mother of Lisa Lees , 43 , described her loss as a void that will never be filled .
Her mum , Elaine , said : `` I should never have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve been battling cancer for nine years , I ’ ve made what Christie ’ s call a miraculous recovery .
`` That was Lisa ’ s doing .
I just carry on because she would want me to .
`` Who can ever recover from losing someone who is irreplaceable ?
A void has been left that can never be filled '' .
The family of 14-year-old Eilidh MacLeod said she was 'becoming the wonderful young woman they knew she was going to be ' .
They said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we adored her .
`` Everywhere we turn we see how much losing our darling Eilidh has been on a daily basis .
`` Her laughter , her empty bedroom , her space at the table , even her space on the sofa .
`` We still have to stop ourselves calling out her name to come down to dinner '' .
Paul Price the partner of Elaine McIver , 43 , himself suffered multiple serious injuries in the blast and was in a coma for ten days .
He says he still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amputation .
He talked about feeling alone , directionless and lost without Elaine , who he called 'the love of his life ' .
Philip Tron 's mum June says her life has 'not been worth living ' since the loss of her son , who died with his stepdaughter Courtney Boyle .
June said : `` Since losing Philip I feel empty .
I ’ m always telling people I feel fine , putting on a brave face , but I ’ m not .
`` My family don ’ t like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put a brave face on , but it is tiring and a strain on my mental health .
`` I will never see my beautiful boy again , and this destroys me .
`` I ’ ve not felt happiness since Philip was taken - I can ’ t see it ever happening '' .
The daughter of Jane Tweddle , 51 , Harriet Taylor , said : `` We have harnessed the strength my mum left behind to come together as an even stronger family .
`` We know our mum will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have that evil does not is love '' .
The court also heard statements from people who were injured in the blast .
It included a dad who lost an eye in the attack , and is tormented by feelings of guilt that he was n't able to stop the bomber .
A number of mothers who survived spoke about being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder .
One mum is now fearful of anyone carrying backpacks , while another was also present when the IRA bomb went off in Manchester in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened on May 22 .
One young concert goer told how she sat in an exam a short time after the bombing and , struggling to focus , found herself counting out 22 people to imagine the number who had been killed .
A woman who suffered shrapnel wounds still has panic attacks as a result of flashbacks brought on by random things such as a speed camera .
A man who was left with nuts and bolts embedded in his stomach can no longer travel , particularly on planes , because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacting on his family and work .
One mum , who suffered horrendous injuries , said : `` Since the Arena attack my life has totally changed , and I know it will never recover unfortunately .
Although I did not die , the life I had did '' .
While the mother of a teenage girl who was injured said her daughter had 'changed dramatically ' and will never talk about what has happened .
The hearing will resume on Thursday at 10.30am when there are further statements to be read out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sentence that he is to impose on Hashem Abedi .
He is expected to be jailed for life , however the judge is precluded from imposing a full life term due to Abedi being under the age of 21 at the time of the atrocity .

newsdesk@men-news.co.uk (Helen Johnson, Steve Robson)

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The grief-stricken relatives of those who lost their lives in the Arena bombing have spoken about the devastation the atrocity has wreaked on their lives.
Hashem Abedi, 23, the younger brother of bomber Salman Abedi, was found guilty of 22 counts of murder in relation to the bombing attack at Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017.
He was also convicted on one count of attempted murder concerning those who were injured but survived the blast; and conspiring with his brother to cause an explosion following a seven-week trial earlier this year.
Sign up to the free MEN email newsletter Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletter You can sign up very simply by following the instructions here
Today - on the first day of a two-day sentencing hearing - the Old Bailey heard powerful testimonies from the loved ones of those who died.
Statements from a number of survivors, who are still living with devastating physical injuries and psychological trauma, were also read in court.
Abedi was brought to the court building, but refused to enter the courtroom.
He has also declined to be legally represented during the sentencing.
(Image: PA)
The judge, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, said the 23-year-old had been brought to the court building from prison, but said he was powerless to drag him into the courtroom.
Not all victim impact and witness statements were read in open court on Wednesday, but will instead be considered by the judge in private.
This is because the identities of some of the children covered by the statements cannot be reported because of their age.
Survivor Claire Booth was among those who courageously read out their own statements in court.
Her sister, Kelly Brewster, 32, from Sheffield, died in the blast.
Claire described how her family had been 'thrown into a world of chaos' by the loss of her sister, who she described as her 'sidekick'.
"I can’t go anywhere in public on my own, even if it’s to the shop," she said.
"Sometimes I feel like a prisoner in my own home. I try as much as possible to find some level of normality".
Mum Caroline Curry spoke about the loss of her 'beautiful boy' Liam, who died with his girlfriend Chloe Rutherford, 17.
She told the court how the 19-year-old ‘became a man overnight’ after losing his dad to cancer just months before the attack.
Holding up a picture of Liam and addressing Abedi, she said: "You took from me something more precious than gold, a beautiful boy, inside and out.
"I want you to look at Liam and remember the beautiful boy that was snatched away.
(Image: MEN MEDIA)
"Your actions have caused this heartbreak. I just feel cheated. You took his future, my future, my family’s future.
"All we have now is heartbreak and dreams of ‘what if?’.
"There are not enough words in the world to describe the pain I feel. There is no relief. Life now is not a life - it is an existence".
Chloe's mum Lisa Rutherford went on to speak about the devastating loss of her 'gorgeous girl', who never got to enjoy the 18th birthday party she had been planning.
Lisa said: "We will never get to see our daughter celebrate any special birthday, 18th, a 21st in a few days time.
(Image: newcastle chronicle)
"She had planned her 18th for the following August - guest list, play list, dress.
"She never got to experience this amazing night with family and friends, to dance the night away".
Lisa told the court her family still 'needed answers' about her daughter's death.
Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett, 29, told the court that she can no longer go to bed before 10.31pm - the time of the blast.
She said: "I still cannot go to bed before 11pm, it’s this 10.31 thing.
"I was asleep in bed when my son was dead on the floor, I’m still deeply ashamed of that and I probably always will be".
In her statement, Figen spoke about her talented and popular son, who was about to head off on a trip to America when he died.
She said of the Coronation Street 'super fan': "Martyn loved attention and would court it on any occasion.
"He had a strong work ethic and the combination with his love of fun made him so popular".
Martyn's dad Paul meanwhile, said: "Salman and Hashem Abedi took the life of our beautiful son Martyn and nothing will ever be the same again.
"There have been many ways this tragedy has impacted our family, too many to mention.
"Few of us can face going near to the Arena or Victoria station ever again".
(Image: Figen Murray)
Prosecutor Duncan Penny read out a statement from Daryl Price, the mum of John Atkinson, 28.
She says losing her son has been like a light being switched out
She said: "He was my only son.
"I was in the hospital when John died, I’m haunted by the thought of how much he must have suffered at the end.
"My thoughts are constantly about John. I can’t see a day that the pain will ever go away
"Even now, I still cry. I still cry on a very frequent basis. The grief just consumes me.
"The devastation is hard to put into words. I feel as if a light has been switched off and it will never shine again.
"Maybe one day the pain will subside, but John will never be forgotten".
Simon Callander, the father of 18-year-old Georgina, wrote a statement describing how he walks the streets alone at night because he doesn’t want to talk to anyone.
He said: "I don’t want to talk, I want to die.
"There have been many times since [the bombing] that if I had been near a gun I would be with her now.
"I will never get over Georgina’s death".
The family of Megan Hurley, 15, were in court but declined to give a victim impact statement ‘because it would have to be heard by the defendant’.
Instead, they asked for court to pause and take a moment to look at a photograph of Megan.
(Image: PA)
A statement from the family of 14-year-old Nell Jones described the all consuming grief of losing a child.
It read: "The pain is with us every day, it wraps around us until it suffocates us.
"We miss her laugh, her wicked sense of humour and the warmth of her hugs.
"Her beautiful smile will stay with us until we take our last breath.
"There are no words that can convey how much Nell was loved".
The family of Michelle Kiss, 45, said in a statement: "We believe there is more good in the world than bad.
"But, unfortunately, it only takes one bad person to devastate so many people, as we are experiencing.
"We fear for the future of our grandchildren.
"Hell has no fear for us as it cannot be any worse than it is now".
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Samantha Leczkowski, the mother of 14-year-old Sorrell, described how her daughter wanted to study architecture at Columbia in New York.
She said: "Sorrell was clever, determined and beautiful inside and out.
"She was not only my daughter, she was my best friend.
"I remember her first day at school, whereas some children were apprehensive, Sorrel absolutely loved it.
"She knew what she wanted and knew how hard she had to work to get it".
(Image: PA)
Sorrell's dad added that he was afraid to grieve properly because he needs to be there for his family.
The mother of Lisa Lees, 43, described her loss as a void that will never be filled.
Her mum, Elaine, said: "I should never have had to bury my child.
"I’ve been battling cancer for nine years, I’ve made what Christie’s call a miraculous recovery.
"That was Lisa’s doing. I just carry on because she would want me to.
"Who can ever recover from losing someone who is irreplaceable? A void has been left that can never be filled".
(Image: PA)
The family of 14-year-old Eilidh MacLeod said she was 'becoming the wonderful young woman they knew she was going to be'.
They said: "She was ours, our baby and we adored her.
"Everywhere we turn we see how much losing our darling Eilidh has been on a daily basis.
"Her laughter, her empty bedroom, her space at the table, even her space on the sofa.
"We still have to stop ourselves calling out her name to come down to dinner".
(Image: PA)
Paul Price the partner of Elaine McIver, 43, himself suffered multiple serious injuries in the blast and was in a coma for ten days.
He says he still may end up losing his leg to amputation.
He talked about feeling alone, directionless and lost without Elaine, who he called 'the love of his life'.
(Image: PA)
Philip Tron's mum June says her life has 'not been worth living' since the loss of her son, who died with his stepdaughter Courtney Boyle .
June said: "Since losing Philip I feel empty. I’m always telling people I feel fine, putting on a brave face, but I’m not.
"My family don’t like to see me upset, so I put a brave face on, but it is tiring and a strain on my mental health.
"I will never see my beautiful boy again, and this destroys me.
"I’ve not felt happiness since Philip was taken - I can’t see it ever happening".
The daughter of Jane Tweddle, 51, Harriet Taylor, said: "We have harnessed the strength my mum left behind to come together as an even stronger family.
"We know our mum will be with us forever.
"What we have that evil does not is love".
The court also heard statements from people who were injured in the blast.
It included a dad who lost an eye in the attack, and is tormented by feelings of guilt that he wasn't able to stop the bomber.
A number of mothers who survived spoke about being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.
One mum is now fearful of anyone carrying backpacks, while another was also present when the IRA bomb went off in Manchester in the 1990s and immediately knew what had happened on May 22.
One young concert goer told how she sat in an exam a short time after the bombing and, struggling to focus, found herself counting out 22 people to imagine the number who had been killed.
A woman who suffered shrapnel wounds still has panic attacks as a result of flashbacks brought on by random things such as a speed camera.
A man who was left with nuts and bolts embedded in his stomach can no longer travel, particularly on planes, because of the risk from a blood clot, impacting on his family and work.
One mum, who suffered horrendous injuries, said: "Since the Arena attack my life has totally changed, and I know it will never recover unfortunately. Although I did not die, the life I had did".
While the mother of a teenage girl who was injured said her daughter had 'changed dramatically' and will never talk about what has happened.
The hearing will resume on Thursday at 10.30am when there are further statements to be read out.
Justice Baker will then decide on the sentence that he is to impose on Hashem Abedi.
He is expected to be jailed for life, however the judge is precluded from imposing a full life term due to Abedi being under the age of 21 at the time of the atrocity.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Students will not get BTEC results tomorrow following U-turn on grading

Schools and colleges have been told not to issue BTEC results to students tomorrow ( July 20 ) following a last-minute U-turn on grading .
Exam board Pearson has asked schools and colleges not to publish level 1 and 2 results in order to give them more time to recalculate the grades .
The announcement comes with less than 24 hours to go until students are expecting to find out their results .
BTECs were not included in an announcement earlier in the week that revealed GCSE and A-Level students would be rewarded grades based on teacher assessments .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regrading BTECs awarded last week – as well the grades that were due to be released tomorrow .
It comes after education unions and the Labour Party called on the government to provide clarity on why BTEC students had been left out of Monday ’ s grading U-turn .
A spokeswoman for Pearson , the provider of BTECs , said : “ Following Ofqual ’ s announcement that A-level and GCSE students are to receive centre-assessed grades , we will be applying the same principles for students receiving BTEC results this summer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ address concerns about unfairness in relation to A-levels and GCSEs and ensure no BTEC student is disadvantaged.
” She added : “ We know this could cause additional uncertainty for students and we are sorry about this .
“ Our priority is to ensure fair outcomes for BTEC students and we will work around the clock to provide revised grades as soon as we can.
” “ For some young people to find out less than a day in advance that they will not be receiving their grades tomorrow is utterly disgraceful .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of young people should face further confusion and uncertainty because of the Government ’ s incompetence .
“ This repeated chaos is simply no way to run a country .
The Government must urgently set a clear deadline for every young person to receive their grades.
” On Tuesday , exams regulator Ofqual said its moderation algorithm used in A-levels and GCSEs was not used in the majority of vocational and technical qualifications ( VTQ ) – including BTECs .
But in a statement on Wednesday night – just hours before results were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s exams watchdog said some exam boards , including OCR and Pearson , will “ need more time ” to recalculate results .
It said : “ OCR have said that their Cambridge National results will issue next week .
“ Pearson , which initially did not think there would need to be significant changes made , has now decided to revise its arrangements to ensure that students ’ qualification-level results better reflect the unit-level results that students have already secured through internally assessed units.
” Ofqual added : “ Everyone is working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as soon as possible , recognising the impact that delays are having on schools , colleges and students .
“ No learner ’ s result will go down as a consequence of regrading .
”

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Schools and colleges have been told not to issue BTEC results to students tomorrow (July 20) following a last-minute U-turn on grading.
Exam board Pearson has asked schools and colleges not to publish level 1 and 2 results in order to give them more time to recalculate the grades.
The announcement comes with less than 24 hours to go until students are expecting to find out their results.
BTECs were not included in an announcement earlier in the week that revealed GCSE and A-Level students would be rewarded grades based on teacher assessments.
But now Pearson has said it will be regrading BTECs awarded last week – as well the grades that were due to be released tomorrow.
Feeling proud? Put your exams superstar on our front pages For just £3.99 you can turn your GCSE or A-level star into front page news. You can choose from our national titles including The Mirror, Star or OK! magazine, as well as your favourite local newspapers including the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo and the Bristol Post. Your cover will come as a JPEG file via email, meaning you can share it on social media with friends and family. What better way of celebrating this happy occasion than by making it front page news? Find out how here.
It comes after education unions and the Labour Party called on the government to provide clarity on why BTEC students had been left out of Monday’s grading U-turn.
A spokeswoman for Pearson, the provider of BTECs, said: “Following Ofqual’s announcement that A-level and GCSE students are to receive centre-assessed grades, we will be applying the same principles for students receiving BTEC results this summer.
“We will be regrading BTECs to address concerns about unfairness in relation to A-levels and GCSEs and ensure no BTEC student is disadvantaged.”
She added: “We know this could cause additional uncertainty for students and we are sorry about this.
“Our priority is to ensure fair outcomes for BTEC students and we will work around the clock to provide revised grades as soon as we can.”
(Image: PA)
Kate Green, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said: “This latest chaos is totally unacceptable.
“For some young people to find out less than a day in advance that they will not be receiving their grades tomorrow is utterly disgraceful.
“It’s appalling that thousands of young people should face further confusion and uncertainty because of the Government’s incompetence.
“This repeated chaos is simply no way to run a country. The Government must urgently set a clear deadline for every young person to receive their grades.”
On Tuesday, exams regulator Ofqual said its moderation algorithm used in A-levels and GCSEs was not used in the majority of vocational and technical qualifications (VTQ) – including BTECs.
But in a statement on Wednesday night – just hours before results were due to be published – England’s exams watchdog said some exam boards, including OCR and Pearson, will “need more time” to recalculate results.
It said: “OCR have said that their Cambridge National results will issue next week.
“Pearson, which initially did not think there would need to be significant changes made, has now decided to revise its arrangements to ensure that students’ qualification-level results better reflect the unit-level results that students have already secured through internally assessed units.”
Ofqual added: “Everyone is working as quickly as possible to confirm results as soon as possible, recognising the impact that delays are having on schools, colleges and students.
“No learner’s result will go down as a consequence of regrading.”


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Man City 'more interested in Grealish than Man Utd' and more rumours

Manchester City have moved ahead of Manchester United in the race for Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish , reports claim .
United had identified Grealish as a target this summer , but they continue to prioritise a move for former City youngster Jadon Sancho .
That has led to Grealish being linked to other clubs , now including , City , according to the Athletic .
Pep Guardiola praised Grealish when City came up against Aston Villa this season , with the City boss rarely making a point of publicly speaking about an opposition player in detail unless he really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Chapman Podcast , the Athletic 's David Ornstein said City are currently showing more interest than United in Grealish , and he would be happy to join a Champions League club .
However , he claims Villa understandably want to keep their best player and are hoping to tie him down with a new contract .
City are targeting a new central defender to join new signings Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres , with a midfielder lower down on the list of priorities in the shortened summer transfer window .
The fee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentioned as a factor that may prevent a deal from going ahead .
Meanwhile , Lionel Messi continues to be linked with City despite Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu naming the Argentine in his list of 'unsellable ' players .
Barcelona have acted quickly to overhaul their backroom staff , with Ronald Koeman replacing Quique Setien as manager and Eric Abidal also being replaced as Director of Football .
But Gazzetta dello Sport claim these changes have still not convinced Messi to remain at the Nou Camp , with City once again mentioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be open to signing him .

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Manchester City have moved ahead of Manchester United in the race for Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, reports claim.
United had identified Grealish as a target this summer, but they continue to prioritise a move for former City youngster Jadon Sancho.
That has led to Grealish being linked to other clubs, now including, City, according to the Athletic.
Pep Guardiola praised Grealish when City came up against Aston Villa this season, with the City boss rarely making a point of publicly speaking about an opposition player in detail unless he really is an admirer.
Speaking on Ornstein & Chapman Podcast, the Athletic's David Ornstein said City are currently showing more interest than United in Grealish, and he would be happy to join a Champions League club. However, he claims Villa understandably want to keep their best player and are hoping to tie him down with a new contract.
City are targeting a new central defender to join new signings Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres, with a midfielder lower down on the list of priorities in the shortened summer transfer window. The fee Villa would demand for Grealish is also mentioned as a factor that may prevent a deal from going ahead.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi continues to be linked with City despite Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu naming the Argentine in his list of 'unsellable' players.
Barcelona have acted quickly to overhaul their backroom staff, with Ronald Koeman replacing Quique Setien as manager and Eric Abidal also being replaced as Director of Football.
But Gazzetta dello Sport claim these changes have still not convinced Messi to remain at the Nou Camp, with City once again mentioned as one of the sides who would be open to signing him.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Man United evening headlines with Brooks on radar as Sancho alternative

Here are the latest Manchester United evening headlines for Wednesday August 19 .
Sancho salary demands and agent fee still a stumbling block in United negotiations United ’ s attempts to sign Jadon Sancho are being held up by the player ’ s contract demands and agent ’ s fees .
The MEN understands that no agreement has been reached between player and club , and discussions are still ongoing with agent Emeka Obasi and Borussia Dortmund representative Marco Lichtsteiner .
Despite the Bundesliga club ’ s reluctance to sell , and the ‘ obstacle ’ of Sancho ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United are determined not to give up on the 20-year-old .
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has insisted that the England international will remain at Dortmund after signing a new deal until 2023 .
If United fail in their attempts to sign Sancho , they are willing to consider other options , including Bournemouth ’ s David Brooks and Bayern Munich ’ s Kingsley Coman .
United yet to make official bid for Brooks David Brooks remains on United ’ s radar but the club have yet to make contact with Bournemouth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible alternative to Sancho , whose signature continues to elude the Reds .
Brooks would be significantly cheaper , too , expected to be available for around £40m this summer after Bournemouth ’ s relegation from the Premier League .
United are believed to have been tracking the Wales international for some time , and could make an offer over the next few weeks .
It remains to be seen , though , whether any move will depend on the outcome of the Sancho transfer saga .
Marc Jurado has all but revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United from Barcelona this summer .
The 16-year-old responded to a post from Bruno Fernandes with a comment that hinted at his involvement from next season onwards .
The Portuguese midfielder wrote : “ Unfortunately our journey in the Europa League ends here .
It was n't what we expected .
We wanted to be in the final and fight for the trophy we so desired .
Whilst we congratulate Sevilla for making it to the final , we still played well and we did n't deserve to stop here .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflect so that we come back even stronger and reach the goals we set ourselves for the next season !
“ Thank you to all my teammates and staff who welcomed me so well over these past months at the Red Devils .
I hope to continue to learn and grow everyday with you , and that we conquer many titles in the future !
“ Together we loose ( sic . )
, together we make mistakes and together we grow # MUFC.
” Jurado , in response , said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s signing has not been officially announced by United , though he is set to join for a minimal compensation fee after rejecting a contract offer from Barcelona .

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Here are the latest Manchester United evening headlines for Wednesday August 19.
Sancho salary demands and agent fee still a stumbling block in United negotiations
United’s attempts to sign Jadon Sancho are being held up by the player’s contract demands and agent’s fees .
The MEN understands that no agreement has been reached between player and club, and discussions are still ongoing with agent Emeka Obasi and Borussia Dortmund representative Marco Lichtsteiner.
Despite the Bundesliga club’s reluctance to sell, and the ‘obstacle’ of Sancho’s salary demands and potential agent fees, United are determined not to give up on the 20-year-old.
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has insisted that the England international will remain at Dortmund after signing a new deal until 2023.
If United fail in their attempts to sign Sancho, they are willing to consider other options, including Bournemouth’s David Brooks and Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman.
United yet to make official bid for Brooks
David Brooks remains on United’s radar but the club have yet to make contact with Bournemouth .
The 23-year-old winger is seen as a possible alternative to Sancho, whose signature continues to elude the Reds.
Brooks would be significantly cheaper, too, expected to be available for around £40m this summer after Bournemouth’s relegation from the Premier League.
United are believed to have been tracking the Wales international for some time, and could make an offer over the next few weeks.
It remains to be seen, though, whether any move will depend on the outcome of the Sancho transfer saga.
Barcelona youngster effectively confirms move to United on social media
Marc Jurado has all but revealed on Instagram that he will be joining United from Barcelona this summer.
The 16-year-old responded to a post from Bruno Fernandes with a comment that hinted at his involvement from next season onwards.
The Portuguese midfielder wrote: “Unfortunately our journey in the Europa League ends here. It wasn't what we expected. We wanted to be in the final and fight for the trophy we so desired. Whilst we congratulate Sevilla for making it to the final, we still played well and we didn't deserve to stop here.
“It is now time for rest and to reflect so that we come back even stronger and reach the goals we set ourselves for the next season!
Sign up to our free MUFC email newsletter Get the latest breaking Manchester United transfer news and analysis every day direct to your inbox with our free MUFC newsletter Sign up here - it only takes a few seconds.
“Thank you to all my teammates and staff who welcomed me so well over these past months at the Red Devils. I hope to continue to learn and grow everyday with you, and that we conquer many titles in the future!
“Together we loose (sic.), together we make mistakes and together we grow #MUFC.”
Jurado, in response, said: “We keep fighting.” The teenager’s signing has not been officially announced by United, though he is set to join for a minimal compensation fee after rejecting a contract offer from Barcelona.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Strictly star Natalie Lowe looks fabulous at 40 as she celebrates birthday

Strictly Come Dancing star Natalie Lowe was flooded with compliments after sharing an adorable family photo to celebrate her landmark 40th birthday .
The mum-of-one was the picture of happiness in a snap of herself with her husband James Knibbs and their son Jack on her big day .
To mark the occasion their home was decorated with cow balloons in a nod to her love of life in Cheshire , and baby James was dressed in a super-cute cow print outfit while holding a toy Friesian .
Natalie , who is originally from Sydney , Australia and now lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son and their pet cockapoo Cooper , previously told us that she 's been embracing country living .
`` I 'm always going on country walks with the two of them .
`` I love cows .
Jack is probably thinking 'mum 's an absolute basket case , ' '' she laughed .
The birthday girl looked stunning in a blue one-shoulder dress as she smiled for the camera .
`` And just like that , I ’ m 40 , '' she captioned the photo .
`` Looking fabulous at 40 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very young .
Happy birthday You look fantastic x '' said another .
`` No way you don ’ t look it , '' another fan told her .
`` 40 is the new 30 , '' commented another .
`` And looking unbelievable , '' another follower complimented .
Natalie , who left Strictly in 2017 to concentrate on starting a family , recently spoke of her anguish at suffering two miscarriages in the same year in the hope of helping other women .
She was used to turning on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven series of the flagship BBC One dance show , but the pain of her loss caused her to lose all self confidence .
After opening up to her mother-in-law Natalie went to a counselling session and felt 'the world had come off her shoulders ' by sharing her pain .
There was joy for Natalie and James when she fell pregnant for a third time in April 2019 and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy just a week before the 2019 Strictly final in December at Manchester 's St Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one day they can welcome a sibling for Jack .

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Strictly Come Dancing star Natalie Lowe was flooded with compliments after sharing an adorable family photo to celebrate her landmark 40th birthday.
The mum-of-one was the picture of happiness in a snap of herself with her husband James Knibbs and their son Jack on her big day.
To mark the occasion their home was decorated with cow balloons in a nod to her love of life in Cheshire, and baby James was dressed in a super-cute cow print outfit while holding a toy Friesian.
Natalie, who is originally from Sydney, Australia and now lives just outside Knutsford with her husband and son and their pet cockapoo Cooper, previously told us that she's been embracing country living.
(Image: Natalie Lowe/Instagram)
"I'm always going on country walks with the two of them.
"I love cows. Jack is probably thinking 'mum's an absolute basket case,'" she laughed.
The birthday girl looked stunning in a blue one-shoulder dress as she smiled for the camera.
"And just like that, I’m 40," she captioned the photo.
"Looking fabulous at 40," admired one follower.
"40 is very young. Happy birthday You look fantastic x" said another.
"No way you don’t look it," another fan told her.
"40 is the new 30," commented another.
(Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)
"And looking unbelievable," another follower complimented.
Sign up to the free MEN email newsletter Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletter You can sign up very simply by following the instructions here
Natalie, who left Strictly in 2017 to concentrate on starting a family, recently spoke of her anguish at suffering two miscarriages in the same year in the hope of helping other women.
She was used to turning on the confidence for the cameras after starring in seven series of the flagship BBC One dance show, but the pain of her loss caused her to lose all self confidence.
After opening up to her mother-in-law Natalie went to a counselling session and felt 'the world had come off her shoulders' by sharing her pain.
There was joy for Natalie and James when she fell pregnant for a third time in April 2019 and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy just a week before the 2019 Strictly final in December at Manchester's St Mary's Hospital.
And she's hoping one day they can welcome a sibling for Jack.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Why Kalidou Koulibaly is the solution that Pep Guardiola craves for Man City

Manchester City have n't been good enough over the course of the past year ; the attack of Pep Guardiola 's team has been as strong as ever but on the defensive side , the Etihad outfit have appeared fragile and vulnerable .
Despite scoring 102 Premier League goals , they accumulated just 81 points .
22 of the 28 winners of the competition since its rebrand in 1992 amassed more than City 's total , which indicates the need for dramatic improvement ahead of new season .
Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres have already been added to Guardiola 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong recent links emerging with Napoli 's Kalidou Koulibaly .
The Senegalese defender is rumoured to be on the verge of making the move to Manchester for over £60m , but is he what Guardiola requires to restore his team to the top of English football ?
The City boss is all about dominance ; his side typically average around 67 per cent of the ball , and they tend to outshoot their opponents by roughly 11 attempts per match .
However - despite the general control that 's exhibited most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thrive from moments against Guardiola 's team in recent times , particularly since Vincent Kompany left and Fernandinho was moved away from his customary defensive midfield role .
The centre-backs are tasked with managing wide open spaces as a consequence of the offensive brand of football that 's typically showcased , with an example below .
One error is all it takes for City to concede .
Expected Goals per shot - which offers an insight into how clear-cut a team 's attempts tend to be on average - ranks City amongst the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to preventing opponents from generating shots that are n't difficult to finish .
They only face around seven shots per match on average but when they do materialise , they tend to be close to goal and relatively easy to convert .
The responsibility that Guardiola places on the shoulders of his defenders can prove to be too much .
Rather than highlighting the strengths of a player while masking his weaknesses , the demanding system at City is prone to doing the opposite at times .
In order to cope with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be complete .
They have to be all-round contributors with speed , power , presence , composure and technical ability .
Koulibaly is more in that mould than any of the current centre-backs at City , with the possible exception of Aymeric Laporte .
Standing 6ft 2in , he 's very strong and his assertive ways signal that he 's well-suited to playing for a proactive team .
Koulibaly is quick across the ground and should n't struggle with the prospect of executing his defensive actions 50 yards away from goal on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is mature and , because of his rounded game , he 's difficult to beat and does n't seem to have many weaknesses for opponents to target .
On the negative side , he 's now aged 29 and his aerial prowess is n't quite as advanced as many would expect .
Have your say in our Man City transfer survey : Some 57 centre-backs accumulated over 1,500 minutes in Serie A this season , with Koulibaly ranking 30th for aerial success .
Last season , 54 players formed the sample with Koulibaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he 's little more than average in the air but Guardiola will hope that his ability to manage situations when the ball is on the floor will make enough of a difference , with City conceding too frequently from counter-attacks of late .
Ultimately , as a consequence of Guardiola 's idealistic philosophy that he 's unwilling to deviate from , it 's vital that his centre-backs in particular are able to cope in isolation .
Koulibaly - although he 'll be expensive and could be past his peak - can offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's problem of suffering from moments despite general dominance over proceedings .
If he 's signed , the Napoli man could be the solution that Guardiola craves .

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Manchester City haven't been good enough over the course of the past year; the attack of Pep Guardiola's team has been as strong as ever but on the defensive side, the Etihad outfit have appeared fragile and vulnerable.
Despite scoring 102 Premier League goals, they accumulated just 81 points. 22 of the 28 winners of the competition since its rebrand in 1992 amassed more than City's total, which indicates the need for dramatic improvement ahead of new season.
Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres have already been added to Guardiola's ranks for the upcoming campaign, with strong recent links emerging with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly.
The Senegalese defender is rumoured to be on the verge of making the move to Manchester for over £60m, but is he what Guardiola requires to restore his team to the top of English football?
The City boss is all about dominance; his side typically average around 67 per cent of the ball, and they tend to outshoot their opponents by roughly 11 attempts per match.
However - despite the general control that's exhibited most of the time - opponents have been able to thrive from moments against Guardiola's team in recent times, particularly since Vincent Kompany left and Fernandinho was moved away from his customary defensive midfield role.
The centre-backs are tasked with managing wide open spaces as a consequence of the offensive brand of football that's typically showcased, with an example below. One error is all it takes for City to concede.
Expected Goals per shot - which offers an insight into how clear-cut a team's attempts tend to be on average - ranks City amongst the worst in the Premier League when it comes to preventing opponents from generating shots that aren't difficult to finish. They only face around seven shots per match on average but when they do materialise, they tend to be close to goal and relatively easy to convert.
The responsibility that Guardiola places on the shoulders of his defenders can prove to be too much. Rather than highlighting the strengths of a player while masking his weaknesses, the demanding system at City is prone to doing the opposite at times.
In order to cope with the burden, Guardiola's defenders have to be complete. They have to be all-round contributors with speed, power, presence, composure and technical ability.
Koulibaly is more in that mould than any of the current centre-backs at City, with the possible exception of Aymeric Laporte.
Standing 6ft 2in, he's very strong and his assertive ways signal that he's well-suited to playing for a proactive team. Koulibaly is quick across the ground and shouldn't struggle with the prospect of executing his defensive actions 50 yards away from goal on the halfway line.
His 1v1 defending is mature and, because of his rounded game, he's difficult to beat and doesn't seem to have many weaknesses for opponents to target.
On the negative side, he's now aged 29 and his aerial prowess isn't quite as advanced as many would expect.
Have your say in our Man City transfer survey:
Some 57 centre-backs accumulated over 1,500 minutes in Serie A this season, with Koulibaly ranking 30th for aerial success. Last season, 54 players formed the sample with Koulibaly placing 32nd.
Based on those numbers, he's little more than average in the air but Guardiola will hope that his ability to manage situations when the ball is on the floor will make enough of a difference, with City conceding too frequently from counter-attacks of late.
Ultimately, as a consequence of Guardiola's idealistic philosophy that he's unwilling to deviate from, it's vital that his centre-backs in particular are able to cope in isolation.
Koulibaly - although he'll be expensive and could be past his peak - can offer enough in the short-term to tackle City's problem of suffering from moments despite general dominance over proceedings.
If he's signed, the Napoli man could be the solution that Guardiola craves.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Man arrested on suspicion of violent disorder after disturbance and crash

A man has been arrested after major disturbance in Gorton at the weekend .
As reported in the Manchester Evening News two people were taken to hospital in ambulances after reports of a fight breaking out on Mount Road involving a number of men .
One man was seriously injured .
Pictures from the scene also showed two vehicles - a black Nissan X Trail and a white BMW badly damaged .
But police have now established a third vehicle - an Audi Q7 - was involved .
The Audi was left parked on nearby Sandringham Street after the Nissan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was dispute between people in the Nissan and Audi and the BMW , was damaged after getting caught up in the incident but was not involved .
The Audi was guarded by police before being removed on a trailer .
Police are still trying to establish how the man who was seriously hurt received his injuries .
But they confirmed he had not been stabbed or shot .
In a statement issued to the Manchester Evening News today Greater Manchester Police said : `` Police are appealing for information after a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At around 12.35pm on Sunday 16th August 2020 , police received a report of a disturbance on Mount Road , Gorton .
`` Officers attended and established that a number of people were involved as well as two vehicles – an Audi Q7 and a Nissan X Trail .
`` A 47-year-old man was taken to hospital .
His injuries are not believed to be life threatening .
`` A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and released under investigation .
Enquiries are ongoing . ''
Anyone with information should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1785 of 16/08/2020 or the independent charity – Crimestoppers , anonymously , on 0800 555 11 In a statement issued at the weekend GMP said patrols in the area would be increased after the incident .
They have described the disturbance as an `` isolated '' incident .

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A man has been arrested after major disturbance in Gorton at the weekend.
As reported in the Manchester Evening News two people were taken to hospital in ambulances after reports of a fight breaking out on Mount Road involving a number of men.
One man was seriously injured.
Pictures from the scene also showed two vehicles - a black Nissan X Trail and a white BMW badly damaged.
But police have now established a third vehicle - an Audi Q7 - was involved.
The Audi was left parked on nearby Sandringham Street after the Nissan crashed into the BMW.
(Image: Sean Hansford)
Police believe there was dispute between people in the Nissan and Audi and the BMW, was damaged after getting caught up in the incident but was not involved.
The Audi was guarded by police before being removed on a trailer.
Police are still trying to establish how the man who was seriously hurt received his injuries.
But they confirmed he had not been stabbed or shot.
In a statement issued to the Manchester Evening News today Greater Manchester Police said: "Police are appealing for information after a man was seriously injured in Manchester.
"At around 12.35pm on Sunday 16th August 2020, police received a report of a disturbance on Mount Road, Gorton.
"Officers attended and established that a number of people were involved as well as two vehicles – an Audi Q7 and a Nissan X Trail.
"A 47-year-old man was taken to hospital. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
"A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and released under investigation. Enquiries are ongoing."
Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 1146 quoting 1785 of 16/08/2020 or the independent charity – Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 11
In a statement issued at the weekend GMP said patrols in the area would be increased after the incident.
They have described the disturbance as an "isolated" incident.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Council leader warns Oldham lockdown would 'inflame community tensions'

A return to full lockdown restrictions across Oldham would be economically damaging and ‘ inflame community tensions ’ in the borough , its council leader has warned .
Leaders and residents are waiting with baited breath to find out whether the government intends on introducing a Leicester-style lockdown – which would force non-essential shops , businesses and pubs to close .
It is understood a decision will be made by Thursday on whether stricter measures are required to tackle Oldham ’ s infection rate , which is the second highest in the country .
While positive cases of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most of the cases that are being recorded are across central Oldham , particularly in the areas of Alexandra Park and Werneth .
Council leader Sean Fielding said that a major concern about lockdown measures being brought in was around its impact on ‘ social cohesion ’ .
“ There are examples of people in communities who are pointing the finger of blame at other communities , using that to justify their own non-compliance with the restrictions , ” he added .
“ We ’ ve had house parties in various parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking enforcement against several businesses that aren ’ t in the central Oldham areas .
“ We have got a particularly high incidence of cases in central Oldham areas , and those are areas where there are more people from the south Asian community .
“ However also in those communities you have high levels of poverty , high levels of cramped and overcrowded housing , high levels of people that work in public facing occupations that never shut down because they were essential workers .
“ To label it as an ethnicity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are many more underlying factors.
” He said that he had received a ‘ postbag ’ of letters about a possible lockdown containing ‘ really unpleasant language ’ .
“ Often in that correspondence I receive , people are using words that I thought had gone out of fashion in the 70s to describe people of other ethnic backgrounds , ” he said .
“ I do have concerns that if we were to have a local lockdown it would fuel even greater tensions in the town .
“ I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve made the case that any attempt to impose a local lockdown in the way that it was imposed in Leicester has the potential to inflame community tensions .
“ And we ’ re already seeing a bit of that even before it ’ s even happened.
” Coun Fielding added that bringing in lockdown measures that would force businesses that only reopened at the beginning of July to close again , would be devastating for the borough ’ s economy .
“ Oldham has barely recovered , not even just from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not recovered from the recessions of the mid 90s and the 80s , ” he said .
“ We ’ ve already got a really fragile economy .
If your pub , your bar , restaurant or non-essential shop shuts in Oldham it ’ s easier just to take that business elsewhere .
“ And the likelihood is , if that business had to close for a second time it just wouldn ’ t reopen.
” Coun Fielding , along with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Oldham ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matt Hancock for a further two week reprieve .
This they hope will give enough time for local measures to take effect , and to demonstrate people can abide by the restrictions on socialising with other households .
He said : “ To not give those measures time to bed in would be acting prematurely and we are already starting to see the infection rate fall .
“ Lockdown ‘ lite ’ is working , we just need more time .
“ I think the government would come to regret , probably quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they would find that it would not control the infection rate in the way that they wanted and they would also cause a whole set of other problems both economically and socially in this borough.
” According to figures released by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority , the seven day rate of positive tests per 100,000 people in Oldham has fallen from 109.7 to 83.1 in the week ending August 15 .
Chiefs also do not believe closing down businesses and hospitality venues would have a significant impact on the figures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been ‘ household transmission.
’ “ It ’ s not coming from people going to non-essential businesses and picking it up from buying a t-shirt in a shop that was previously closed , or drinking a pint down the pub , ” Coun Fielding said .
“ It ’ s coming from household spread and it seems to have been introduced into households by people who work in essential roles with high public contact .
“ You would be bringing in the wrong answer to a question and also causing another problem in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the damage to cohesion.
” There were 225 new Covid-19 cases in the week to August 14 , according to the government dashboard .

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A return to full lockdown restrictions across Oldham would be economically damaging and ‘inflame community tensions’ in the borough, its council leader has warned.
Leaders and residents are waiting with baited breath to find out whether the government intends on introducing a Leicester-style lockdown – which would force non-essential shops, businesses and pubs to close.
It is understood a decision will be made by Thursday on whether stricter measures are required to tackle Oldham’s infection rate, which is the second highest in the country.
While positive cases of the virus are being reported in almost all neighbourhoods, most of the cases that are being recorded are across central Oldham, particularly in the areas of Alexandra Park and Werneth.
Council leader Sean Fielding said that a major concern about lockdown measures being brought in was around its impact on ‘social cohesion’.
“There are examples of people in communities who are pointing the finger of blame at other communities, using that to justify their own non-compliance with the restrictions,” he added.
“We’ve had house parties in various parts of the borough. We’re taking enforcement against several businesses that aren’t in the central Oldham areas.
“We have got a particularly high incidence of cases in central Oldham areas, and those are areas where there are more people from the south Asian community.
(Image: STEVE ALLEN)
“However also in those communities you have high levels of poverty, high levels of cramped and overcrowded housing, high levels of people that work in public facing occupations that never shut down because they were essential workers.
“To label it as an ethnicity issue is quite crude and not accurate, there are many more underlying factors.”
He said that he had received a ‘postbag’ of letters about a possible lockdown containing ‘really unpleasant language’.
“Often in that correspondence I receive, people are using words that I thought had gone out of fashion in the 70s to describe people of other ethnic backgrounds,” he said.
“I do have concerns that if we were to have a local lockdown it would fuel even greater tensions in the town.
“I can’t emphasise enoughly how strongly we’ve made the case that any attempt to impose a local lockdown in the way that it was imposed in Leicester has the potential to inflame community tensions.
“And we’re already seeing a bit of that even before it’s even happened.”
Coun Fielding added that bringing in lockdown measures that would force businesses that only reopened at the beginning of July to close again, would be devastating for the borough’s economy.
“Oldham has barely recovered, not even just from the recession in the mid 2000s but it’s not recovered from the recessions of the mid 90s and the 80s,” he said.
“We’ve already got a really fragile economy. If your pub, your bar, restaurant or non-essential shop shuts in Oldham it’s easier just to take that business elsewhere.
“And the likelihood is, if that business had to close for a second time it just wouldn’t reopen.”
Coun Fielding, along with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Oldham’s three MPs, is petitioning health secretary Matt Hancock for a further two week reprieve.
This they hope will give enough time for local measures to take effect, and to demonstrate people can abide by the restrictions on socialising with other households.
He said: “To not give those measures time to bed in would be acting prematurely and we are already starting to see the infection rate fall.
“Lockdown ‘lite’ is working, we just need more time.
(Image: Mark Waugh)
“I think the government would come to regret, probably quite quickly introducing a local lockdown in Oldham because they would find that it would not control the infection rate in the way that they wanted and they would also cause a whole set of other problems both economically and socially in this borough.”
According to figures released by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the seven day rate of positive tests per 100,000 people in Oldham has fallen from 109.7 to 83.1 in the week ending August 15.
Chiefs also do not believe closing down businesses and hospitality venues would have a significant impact on the figures, as the cause of rising cases has been ‘household transmission.’
“It’s not coming from people going to non-essential businesses and picking it up from buying a t-shirt in a shop that was previously closed, or drinking a pint down the pub,” Coun Fielding said.
“It’s coming from household spread and it seems to have been introduced into households by people who work in essential roles with high public contact.
“You would be bringing in the wrong answer to a question and also causing another problem in terms of both the economic damage and the damage to cohesion.”
There were 225 new Covid-19 cases in the week to August 14, according to the government dashboard.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--M61 lane closed after 'multi-vehicle' crash near East Lancs Road

One lane on the M61 heading northbound is closed after a multi-vehicle crash .
The motorway lane is closed between @ @ @ @ @ Lancashire Road and junction 4 for the A6 , Atherton and Farnworth .
Traffic police @ @ @ @ @ the way to the scene , Highways England has confirmed .
The crash is causing @ @ @ @ @ at junction 14 for East Lancashire Road .
Drivers are being urged to proceed with @ @ @ @ @ in the area .
The closure spanned two lanes for a short period and traffic @ @ @ @ @ 6.35pm to clean a spillage and to reopen the second lane .
In a tweet @ @ @ @ @ said : `` The # M61 northbound # J3 ( # Kearsley , # Bolton @ @ @ @ @ # J4 ( # Atherton , # Leigh , # A6 ) 1 lane has @ @ @ @ @ collision .
`` Traffic Officers Recovery & @ NWAmbulance are on their way to the @ @ @

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One lane on the M61 heading northbound is closed after a multi-vehicle crash.
The motorway lane is closed between junction two for the East Lancashire Road and junction 4 for the A6, Atherton and Farnworth.
Traffic police officers and ambulances are on the way to the scene, Highways England has confirmed.
The crash is causing congestion to the M60 clockwise at junction 14 for East Lancashire Road.
Drivers are being urged to proceed with caution as delays are building in the area.
The closure spanned two lanes for a short period and traffic was briefly stopped at around 6.35pm to clean a spillage and to reopen the second lane.
In a tweet at 6.11pm, Highways England said: "The #M61 northbound #J3 (#Kearsley,#Bolton, #A666) to #J4 (#Atherton, #Leigh, #A6) 1 lane has been closed due to a collision.
"Traffic Officers Recovery & @NWAmbulance are on their way to the area."


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Man left wheelchair bound after driver ran him over following 'pointless' row

A man will be wheelchair bound for the rest of his life after he was ran over following a 'pointless ' argument outside a petrol station in the early hours of New Year 's Day .
Connor Cartwright , 22 , drove at the victim after the man had earlier been left unconscious following a 'savage ' beating during the incident in Rochdale .
Two of his friends who were tending to him had to take evasive action , as Cartwright drove towards them .
A court heard that the man has suffered paralysis to his lower limbs , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his life in a wheelchair .
The shocking incident unfolded at a petrol station in Slattocks , just before 2am on New Year 's Day .
Now Cartwright has been jailed for 11 years .
Qasim Hafeez and Zeeshan Ali , both 23 , who were involved in the earlier incident , have also been locked up .
Minshull Street Crown Court heard that the two groups met by chance at the petrol station .
The victim was with three other friends in a VW Passat , and the defendants were in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let into the shop at the petrol station , and the court heard the eventual victim made a comment about them being let in .
Judge Patrick Field QC described it as a 'petty and pointless argument ' .
`` There was plainly a heated exchange between you and the occupants of the Passat , '' he said .
`` It was sufficient to cause the three of you then to pursue him and his friends as they drove away and to block their passage . ''
Prosecuting , Paul Dockery told how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station towards Rochdale , with the Focus following .
It sped up and overtook the Passat , before performing a u-turn and stopping to block the Passat , with the two cars bonnet to bonnet .
The men started to get out of their cars and the victim was hit over the head , then being punched and kicked after falling to the ground .
He lost consciousness for a time , and lay in a pool of blood .
One of his friends was also hit over the head with a tree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the attack , but could n't prove which defendants used them .
Cartwright then got back in the Ford Focus and drove at the man , who had regained consciousness .
His condition was initially regarded as life threatening , and he was rushed to intensive care having suffered numerous fractures including to his spine .
He spent about six months at a rehabilitation facility before returning home , and has 50 per cent movement in his left leg but can only move his toes on his right side .
The court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on family to help him with tasks including washing himself .
Sentencing , Judge Field told Cartwright : `` Whereas you will in due course by released from your prison sentence , to resume your life with the use of all of your limbs , for the rest of his life he will be a wheelchair user , with limited use of his lower limbs and impairment of his bodily functions , and also having to endure the personal indignities that his disability entails .
`` All of that is a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kensington Street , Rochdale , pleaded guilty to violent disorder , causing grievous bodily harm with intent , causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while disqualified .
Hafeez , of Peakdale Avenue , Crumpsall , was jailed for two and a half years , and Ali , of King Street South , Rochdale , was sentenced to two years and nine months .
They both pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder .
The judge said he accepted that all three defendants were remorseful .
Dan Gaskell , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were 'in the heat of the moment rather than something more planned ' .
He said Cartwright is 'determined ' to never get behind the wheel again .
Hafeez 's barrister Joseph Hart said the defendant had been hit on the head with a bottle of vodka himself during the attack , and said he had been acting out of 'misplaced loyalty ' .
For Ali , who the judge said had an 'appalling ' criminal record for a 23-year-old , Brendan O'Leary said the defendant had experienced 'trauma ' and did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also banned from driving for 11 years and nine months .

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A man will be wheelchair bound for the rest of his life after he was ran over following a 'pointless' argument outside a petrol station in the early hours of New Year's Day.
Connor Cartwright, 22, drove at the victim after the man had earlier been left unconscious following a 'savage' beating during the incident in Rochdale.
Two of his friends who were tending to him had to take evasive action, as Cartwright drove towards them.
A court heard that the man has suffered paralysis to his lower limbs, and that he will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
The shocking incident unfolded at a petrol station in Slattocks, just before 2am on New Year's Day.
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Now Cartwright has been jailed for 11 years.
Qasim Hafeez and Zeeshan Ali, both 23, who were involved in the earlier incident, have also been locked up.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard that the two groups met by chance at the petrol station.
The victim was with three other friends in a VW Passat, and the defendants were in a Ford Focus.
Two women had been let into the shop at the petrol station, and the court heard the eventual victim made a comment about them being let in.
Judge Patrick Field QC described it as a 'petty and pointless argument'.
"There was plainly a heated exchange between you and the occupants of the Passat," he said.
(Image: GMP)
"It was sufficient to cause the three of you then to pursue him and his friends as they drove away and to block their passage."
Prosecuting, Paul Dockery told how the Passat turned out of the petrol station towards Rochdale, with the Focus following.
It sped up and overtook the Passat, before performing a u-turn and stopping to block the Passat, with the two cars bonnet to bonnet.
The men started to get out of their cars and the victim was hit over the head, then being punched and kicked after falling to the ground.
He lost consciousness for a time, and lay in a pool of blood.
One of his friends was also hit over the head with a tree saw.
Prosecutors said weapons were used in the attack, but couldn't prove which defendants used them.
Cartwright then got back in the Ford Focus and drove at the man, who had regained consciousness.
His condition was initially regarded as life threatening, and he was rushed to intensive care having suffered numerous fractures including to his spine.
He spent about six months at a rehabilitation facility before returning home, and has 50 per cent movement in his left leg but can only move his toes on his right side.
The court was told how he has to rely on family to help him with tasks including washing himself.
Sentencing, Judge Field told Cartwright: "Whereas you will in due course by released from your prison sentence, to resume your life with the use of all of your limbs, for the rest of his life he will be a wheelchair user, with limited use of his lower limbs and impairment of his bodily functions, and also having to endure the personal indignities that his disability entails.
"All of that is a result of what you did."
Cartwright, of Kensington Street, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to violent disorder, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.
Hafeez, of Peakdale Avenue, Crumpsall, was jailed for two and a half years, and Ali, of King Street South, Rochdale, was sentenced to two years and nine months.
They both pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder.
Greater Manchester court cases We have a dedicated Facebook group covering court cases across Greater Manchester. For all the latest trial coverage and sentencing join the group here. To download our app to get all the latest news visit here.
The judge said he accepted that all three defendants were remorseful.
Dan Gaskell, for Cartwright, said the defendant's actions were 'in the heat of the moment rather than something more planned'.
He said Cartwright is 'determined' to never get behind the wheel again.
Hafeez's barrister Joseph Hart said the defendant had been hit on the head with a bottle of vodka himself during the attack, and said he had been acting out of 'misplaced loyalty'.
For Ali, who the judge said had an 'appalling' criminal record for a 23-year-old, Brendan O'Leary said the defendant had experienced 'trauma' and didn't have stability in his life.
Cartwright was also banned from driving for 11 years and nine months.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--National Lottery results draw LIVE: Winning Lotto numbers on Wednesday August 19

It 's Wednesday night , which means it 's time for the first National Lottery Lotto draw of the week @ @ @ @ @ lucky night , you could win the whole thing - and just imagine what you @ @ @ @ @ of cash .
If you manage to match all six numbers on your card , @ @ @ @ @ yours to claim .
To be in with the chance of winning the cash you @ @ @ @ @ a ticket and pick your lucky numbers before 7.30pm tonight .
You can also play @ @ @ @ @ website for £2 a play .
Do n't worry if you have missed your chance @ @ @ @ @ will be another Lotto draw on Saturday .
We will be announcing the numbers for @ @ @ @ @ draws below as soon as the results are in , so stay tuned .

It's Wednesday night, which means it's time for the first National Lottery Lotto draw of the week.
Tonight's Lotto jackpot stands at £2 million.
If tonight is your lucky night, you could win the whole thing - and just imagine what you could do with that amount of cash.
If you manage to match all six numbers on your card, then that jackpot could be yours to claim.
To be in with the chance of winning the cash you will need to get yourself a ticket and pick your lucky numbers before 7.30pm tonight.
You can also play online on the National Lottery website for £2 a play.
Don't worry if you have missed your chance to play tonight because there will be another Lotto draw on Saturday.
We will be announcing the numbers for tonight's Lotto and Thunderball draws below as soon as the results are in, so stay tuned.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-08-19--Property manager sent home from work went onto commit shocking road rage attacks

A property manager who had been sent home went on to commit shocking road rage attacks , deliberately ramming his car into two separate vehicles .
Daanish Ghafoor , 29 , left two female drivers shaken following the 'terrifying ' incidents in Rochdale .
A judge said it was one of the worst cases of dangerous driving she 'd seen .
A court heard Ghafoor turned to alcohol and cocaine and had earlier been sent home by his boss at a Manchester property management firm .
Later that morning , he rammed his Seat Leon at the two cars and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a refuse worker who was driving a van and looking for flytipping on April 2 last year , Minshull Street Crown Court heard .
She had the right of way , but despite this Ghafoor continued and there was a standoff with the two vehicles unable to pass .
Ghafoor started 'revving ' his engine , and then proceeded to reverse before ramming into her car .
He did this three times .
He then threw part of a brick at the van , hitting the bonnet .
Ghafoor started shouting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 'stupid b**** ' and saying 'get out of my way ' .
He also threw a bottle of gin at her windscreen .
Then he mounted the curb and drove level to the window of the van , using what appeared to be a crowbar to hit out at the van , causing damage .
Prosecutor Rachel Widdicombe told how about 10 minutes later , another female driver came into contact with Ghafoor .
She gave way as there was n't enough space , but he deliberately rammed her vehicle twice .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ details , Ghafoor subjected her to a foul mouthed tirade and said ' I do n't f****** care ' and 'challenged ' her with a metal bar .
He drove off , but police were able to track Ghafoor and he was apprehended .
After being arrested , he subjected police officers to 'appalling ' abuse for over an hour , using offensive , racially aggravated terms .
One of the women said she had been left 'petrified ' by her ordeal , while the other said it had a 'huge effect ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October , Ghafoor assaulted his partner and admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm , and one of criminal damage .
The court heard the couple have since reconciled .
Defending , David Morton said Ghafoor , a graduate of Salford University , resorted to alcohol and cocaine after 'difficulties ' involving his brother .
His line manager sent him home on the morning of the dangerous driving incidents after noticing he was n't behaving normally , the court was told .
Mr Morton said Ghafoor took out his frustrations 'on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ghafoor , of Stamford Street , Rochdale , wants to apologise and has displayed 'huge regret ' , the court was told .
He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison .
Sentencing , Judge Angela Neild told him : `` You deliberately and without excuse rammed each of the two lady 's vehicles with your own .
`` Your behaviour towards each was uncannily and worryingly similar .
`` Having demanded a right of way , in circumstances when that was not yours to demand ... you drove into each of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` These were serious incidents .
They must have been quite terrifying for the two drivers concerned .
`` I do n't think I have seen a case of deliberate dangerous driving as bad as this . ''

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A property manager who had been sent home went on to commit shocking road rage attacks, deliberately ramming his car into two separate vehicles.
Daanish Ghafoor, 29, left two female drivers shaken following the 'terrifying' incidents in Rochdale.
A judge said it was one of the worst cases of dangerous driving she'd seen.
A court heard Ghafoor turned to alcohol and cocaine and had earlier been sent home by his boss at a Manchester property management firm.
Later that morning, he rammed his Seat Leon at the two cars and collided with them.
Sign up to the free MEN email newsletter Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletter You can sign up very simply by following the instructions here
His first victim was a refuse worker who was driving a van and looking for flytipping on April 2 last year, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
She had the right of way, but despite this Ghafoor continued and there was a standoff with the two vehicles unable to pass.
Ghafoor started 'revving' his engine, and then proceeded to reverse before ramming into her car. He did this three times.
He then threw part of a brick at the van, hitting the bonnet.
Ghafoor started shouting, calling her a 'stupid c***' and a 'stupid b****' and saying 'get out of my way'.
He also threw a bottle of gin at her windscreen.
Then he mounted the curb and drove level to the window of the van, using what appeared to be a crowbar to hit out at the van, causing damage.
Ghafoor then sped off.
Prosecutor Rachel Widdicombe told how about 10 minutes later, another female driver came into contact with Ghafoor.
She gave way as there wasn't enough space, but he deliberately rammed her vehicle twice.
When the woman asked for his insurance details, Ghafoor subjected her to a foul mouthed tirade and said 'I don't f****** care' and 'challenged' her with a metal bar.
He drove off, but police were able to track Ghafoor and he was apprehended.
After being arrested, he subjected police officers to 'appalling' abuse for over an hour, using offensive, racially aggravated terms.
One of the women said she had been left 'petrified' by her ordeal, while the other said it had a 'huge effect' on her.
Ghafoor admitted dangerous driving, a public order offence, racially aggravated harassment and criminal damage.
Months later, in October, Ghafoor assaulted his partner and admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and one of criminal damage.
The court heard the couple have since reconciled.
Defending, David Morton said Ghafoor, a graduate of Salford University, resorted to alcohol and cocaine after 'difficulties' involving his brother.
His line manager sent him home on the morning of the dangerous driving incidents after noticing he wasn't behaving normally, the court was told.
Greater Manchester court cases We have a dedicated Facebook group covering court cases across Greater Manchester. For all the latest trial coverage and sentencing join the group here. To download our app to get all the latest news visit here.
Mr Morton said Ghafoor took out his frustrations 'on innocent members of the public'.
Ghafoor, of Stamford Street, Rochdale, wants to apologise and has displayed 'huge regret', the court was told.
He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.
Sentencing, Judge Angela Neild told him: "You deliberately and without excuse rammed each of the two lady's vehicles with your own.
"Your behaviour towards each was uncannily and worryingly similar.
"Having demanded a right of way, in circumstances when that was not yours to demand...you drove into each of their vehicles on more than one occasion.
"These were serious incidents. They must have been quite terrifying for the two drivers concerned.
"I don't think I have seen a case of deliberate dangerous driving as bad as this."