News

Featured

• The immersive tour of Rochdale, revealing hidden secrets

  Culture, music, religion and the history of the town centre Wetherspoons. Only Rochdale could weave tales of these things together into a compelling intertwing web.

• EXCLUSIVE: Labour lays out their strategy for By-election, as Candidate supports Free Breakfast Clubs

  Audio

  In an exclusive to Roch Valley Radio, we talk to the Labour Candidate for the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, Angeliki Stogia and the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Philipson about the by-election, Breakfast Clubs being rolled out across the constituency and Labour's Chances in the By-election.

• More from Featured
• Feed

Local News

• ‘Have you farted?’ No, that’s just Heywood – the smell’s back

  Residents in parts of Heywood are once again reporting foul odours drifting from the Pilsworth landfill site, just months after the site was officially approved to expand operations.

• Saturday roundup as we Sing Hosanna first and then SKA later at Ramsbottom’s Come Together Festival

  Ramsbottom stayed lively into Saturday night, 7 February, as the volunteer run Ramsbottom Come Together Festival continued a full day of activity into the night.

• Ramsbottom Come Together Festival in full swing this weekend

  This weekend is the Ramsbottom Come Together Festival, a free community arts festival spanning across 12 venues.

• Bury Hospice awarded £46,000 as part of £25 million national hospice funding boost

  Bury Hospice is set to receive £46,591 as part of a nationwide £25 million uplift to support vital end-of-life care across the UK.

• Therme Manchester launches youth art competition to transform construction site into outdoor gallery

  A new art competition aimed at young people across Greater Manchester has been launched by Therme Manchester, with winning entries set to be displayed on a large-scale public gallery surrounding its TraffordCity site.

• Older entrepreneurs invited to launch their own businesses at Bury Library event

  Residents over 50 with ambitions to start their own business are being offered free expert support through a dedicated event at Bury Library next month.

• Tobacco dog Dora helps uncover £25,000 in illegal goods across Bury

  Dora the tobacco dog helped uncover illegal cigarettes, vapes, counterfeit toys and hand-rolling tobacco worth £25,000 during a joint operation between council officers and Greater Manchester Police.

• Rochdale marks Hate Crime Awareness Week with community outreach

  Rochdale has taken part in Hate Crime Awareness Week, with housing, council and police teams working together to engage local communities and support victims.

• The immersive tour of Rochdale, revealing hidden secrets

  Culture, music, religion and the history of the town centre Wetherspoons. Only Rochdale could weave tales of these things together into a compelling intertwing web.

• Andy Burnham to give homeless kids school bus passes

  Andy Burnham has committed to giving 8,000 homeless children in temporary accommodation free school travel in a win for Manchester Evening News and Roch Valley Radio readers.

• Call out to Falinge Park High School leavers from 1996

  Organisers are appealing for help in finding as many former pupils as possible who left Falinge Park High School in Rochdale in 1996, as plans take shape for a Class of ’96 reunion.

• Pupils 'not safe' at Royton school, DfE warns, as Ofsted safeguarding concerns trigger closure

  A Royton school has closed following serious safeguarding concerns, with the Department for Education (DfE) warning families that children are “not safe at the school”.

• More from Local News
• Feed
• X

Local Sports

• Dale edge past Carlisle to make it six wins in a row

  Rochdale AFC held onto top spot in the Enterprise National League with a narrow 1-0 home win over Carlisle United on Saturday afternoon.

• Rochdale voices add momentum to growing call for fairer National League promotion

  Calls from Rochdale and across Parliament to reform promotion from the National League have gathered pace after the English Football League chair said the current system is indefensible.

• Rochdale power back to first place after dominant display against Boreham Wood

  Rochdale went back top of the National League after an emphatic 4-1 win over Boreham Wood at the Crown Oil Arena.

• Rochdale RUFC pull clear of relegation rivals with commanding win over Manchester RFC

  Rochdale RUFC boosted their survival hopes with a 35–19 victory at home to Manchester RFC in a high-stakes North West League One clash on Saturday 31 January.

• Hornets fight back to beat Workington and stay unbeaten

  Late tries from Boyd and Nixon seal hard-earned win for Rochdale Hornets in home opener

• Ramsbottom United surrender two-goal cushion in dramatic 4–4 draw against Isle of Man

  Ramsbottom United hit back after two early Isle of Man strikes only to let a two goal lead slip late on.

• Bury edge past Chasetown to stay unbeaten in the league

  A first half strike by Leo Graham was all Bury needed to triumph away at Chasetown. The 1-0 victory sees the Shakers back to winning ways and maintains their unbeaten league record so far this year.

• Rochdale AFC kicks off football project to support people experiencing homelessness

  A new initiative aimed at tackling homelessness and boosting wellbeing has been launched by Rochdale AFC Community Trust.

• More from Local Sports
• Feed

Lifestyle

• Saturday roundup as we Sing Hosanna first and then SKA later at Ramsbottom’s Come Together Festival

  Ramsbottom stayed lively into Saturday night, 7 February, as the volunteer run Ramsbottom Come Together Festival continued a full day of activity into the night.

• Ramsbottom Come Together Festival in full swing this weekend

  This weekend is the Ramsbottom Come Together Festival, a free community arts festival spanning across 12 venues.

• Therme Manchester launches youth art competition to transform construction site into outdoor gallery

  A new art competition aimed at young people across Greater Manchester has been launched by Therme Manchester, with winning entries set to be displayed on a large-scale public gallery surrounding its TraffordCity site.

• Jeff Goldblum to play Manchester on first ever UK tour with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra

  Jeff Goldblum will bring his signature jazz stylings to Manchester for the first time this June as part of his debut UK tour with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.

• The immersive tour of Rochdale, revealing hidden secrets

  Culture, music, religion and the history of the town centre Wetherspoons. Only Rochdale could weave tales of these things together into a compelling intertwing web.

• More from Lifestyle
• Feed

Greater Manchester

• Therme Manchester launches youth art competition to transform construction site into outdoor gallery

  A new art competition aimed at young people across Greater Manchester has been launched by Therme Manchester, with winning entries set to be displayed on a large-scale public gallery surrounding its TraffordCity site.

• Jeff Goldblum to play Manchester on first ever UK tour with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra

  Jeff Goldblum will bring his signature jazz stylings to Manchester for the first time this June as part of his debut UK tour with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.

• Printing error blamed for missing imprint on Reform UK by election leaflets

  A printing company has accepted full responsibility for the removal of a legally required imprint from election leaflets distributed on behalf of Reform UK during the Gorton and Denton by election, saying the mistake occurred during its own production process.

• Andy Burnham to give homeless kids school bus passes

  Andy Burnham has committed to giving 8,000 homeless children in temporary accommodation free school travel in a win for Manchester Evening News and Roch Valley Radio readers.

• Pupils 'not safe' at Royton school, DfE warns, as Ofsted safeguarding concerns trigger closure

  A Royton school has closed following serious safeguarding concerns, with the Department for Education (DfE) warning families that children are “not safe at the school”.

• Passenger caught urinating in the middle of Rochdale Interchange as LiveChat reaches 500 reports

  A man was issued a fixed penalty notice within minutes after being spotted urinating at Rochdale Interchange, thanks to a rapid police response triggered through the TravelSafe LiveChat service.

• EXCLUSIVE: Labour lays out their strategy for By-election, as Candidate supports Free Breakfast Clubs

  Audio

  In an exclusive to Roch Valley Radio, we talk to the Labour Candidate for the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, Angeliki Stogia and the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Philipson about the by-election, Breakfast Clubs being rolled out across the constituency and Labour's Chances in the By-election.

• Workers Party of Britain will not stand a candidate in Gorton and Denton

  The Workers Party of Britain will not stand a candidate in the upcoming Gorton and Denton By-Election, after George Galloway said he would be on the ballot if Andy Burnham stood.

• More from Greater Manchester
• Feed

Local Entertainment

• Saturday roundup as we Sing Hosanna first and then SKA later at Ramsbottom’s Come Together Festival

  Ramsbottom stayed lively into Saturday night, 7 February, as the volunteer run Ramsbottom Come Together Festival continued a full day of activity into the night.

• Ramsbottom Come Together Festival in full swing this weekend

  This weekend is the Ramsbottom Come Together Festival, a free community arts festival spanning across 12 venues.

• Jeff Goldblum to play Manchester on first ever UK tour with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra

  Jeff Goldblum will bring his signature jazz stylings to Manchester for the first time this June as part of his debut UK tour with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.

• The immersive tour of Rochdale, revealing hidden secrets

  Culture, music, religion and the history of the town centre Wetherspoons. Only Rochdale could weave tales of these things together into a compelling intertwing web.

• Library hits the right note with ukulele loan launch in Middleton

  Dozens gather for musical morning as library scheme puts instruments in the hands of residents.

• Feature: Catherine O'Hara: Her wigs are in mourning and honestly so are we

  Catherine Anne O’Hara, a woman of devastating wit, transfixing facial elasticity, and wardrobe choices bold enough to end minor conflicts, has departed this mortal coil at the age of seventy-one.

• Rochdale streets lit up by powerful stories in immersive after-dark experience

  Rochdale’s town centre has been transformed into a night-time audio-visual journey, inviting residents and visitors to see the borough through the eyes and voices of its people.

• Early bird tickets are being released for 2026 Rochdale Feel Good Festival

  Rochdale’s Feel Good Festival will return on Saturday 8 August, with early bird tickets for the main stage set to go on sale at 10am on Friday 6 February.

• More from Local Entertainment
• Feed

Elections

• Printing error blamed for missing imprint on Reform UK by election leaflets

  A printing company has accepted full responsibility for the removal of a legally required imprint from election leaflets distributed on behalf of Reform UK during the Gorton and Denton by election, saying the mistake occurred during its own production process.

• EXCLUSIVE: Labour lays out their strategy for By-election, as Candidate supports Free Breakfast Clubs

  Audio

  In an exclusive to Roch Valley Radio, we talk to the Labour Candidate for the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, Angeliki Stogia and the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Philipson about the by-election, Breakfast Clubs being rolled out across the constituency and Labour's Chances in the By-election.

• Workers Party of Britain will not stand a candidate in Gorton and Denton

  The Workers Party of Britain will not stand a candidate in the upcoming Gorton and Denton By-Election, after George Galloway said he would be on the ballot if Andy Burnham stood.

• Rejoin EU Party confirms candidate for Gorton and Denton by election

  The Rejoin EU Party has announced it will contest the forthcoming Gorton and Denton by election with executive committee member Joseph O’Meachair selected as its candidate.

• Who is standing in the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by election?

  Voters in Gorton and Denton now have a confirmed list of candidates to choose from as the constituency prepares to elect a new Member of Parliament later this month.

• More from Elections
• Feed

UK

• Starmer 'must take responsibility' for Mandelson appointment, cabinet minister says

  Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff should not resign over the Mandelson scandal because the responsibility "lies with the prime minister", a cabinet minister has said.

• Fresh heavy rain warning issued amid hundreds of flood alerts

  The Met Office has issued a fresh weather warning for heavy rain, with more than 200 flood alerts still in place.

• 'Shocked, sad, angry, betrayed, let down': Gordon Brown on former ally Peter Mandelson

  Peter Mandelson committed a "betrayal of his country" by allegedly leaking government secrets to Jeffrey Epstein and putting Britain "at risk", former prime minister Gordon Brown has said.

• 'Kids do love reading, if you give them the right stuff': Campaign to get children back into books

  How to get children reading again has become one of the highly debated questions in education.

• The pension contribution trick most Britons don't know about | Money newsletter

  More than 145,000 people have now signed up to our free Money newsletter, which brings the kind of content you enjoy in the award-winning Money blog directly to your inbox every Friday.

• Man charged with string of sex offences

  A man has been charged with scores of sex offences, some dating as far back as 2003.

• Manhunt after convicted robber serving years-long sentence absconds from prison

  A convicted robber who absconded from prison is being sought by police.

• Liberal Democrat peer Lord Rennard suspended as new sexual harassment investigation launched

  Lord Rennard has been suspended from the Liberal Democrats as the party launched a new investigation into sexual harassment allegations.

• More from UK

Entertainment

• Nancy Guthrie: What we know about mysterious disappearance of TV host's mother

  Mystery surrounds the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of US TV host Savannah Guthrie.

• Savannah Guthrie tells mother's potential kidnappers 'we will pay' in video plea for her return

  US TV news host Savannah Guthrie has told the potential kidnappers of her 84-year-old mother that her family "will pay" for her safe return.

• Bad Bunny says fans should be prepared to dance during Super Bowl half-time performance

  Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny will give a highly anticipated Super Bowl half-time performance on Sunday, promising fans they should be prepared to dance.

• Singer Neil Young cancels tour of UK and other Europe dates

  Neil Young has cancelled his upcoming UK tour and other dates in Europe with rock band The Chrome Hearts.

• Julia Donaldson reveals new character for third Gruffalo

  The next Gruffalo book will introduce a new member to the monster's family, best selling children's author Julia Donaldson has revealed.

• More from Entertainment

Sport

• T20 World Cup: England beat Nepal in thriller as Sam Curran holds nerve in final over and Harry Brook's side avoid shock

  Two-time champions England dodged a huge shock at the T20 World Cup as they got their campaign under way with a nerve-jangling, four-run victory over a fearless Nepal in Mumbai.

• England 48-7 Wales: Henry Arundell scores hat-trick in seven-try mauling to launch Six Nations bid

  England launched their bid for Six Nations glory with an emphatic and chastening 48-7 mauling of a sorry Wales at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.

• Reckless Cristian Romero costs Spurs with Michael Carrick cracking it at Man Utd - Premier League hits and misses

• Lindsey Vonn crashes while competing with torn ACL at Winter Olympics with American skier treated on the slopes

  American skier Lindsey Vonn has crashed while competing with a torn ACL at the Winter Olympics.

• WM Phoenix Open: Hideki Matsuyama holds one-shot lead after third round with Matt Fitzpatrick poised for final day charge

  Hideki Matsuyama holds a one-shot lead at the Phoenix Open after the third round, but England's Matt Fitzpatrick is two behind and poised to mount a final day charge.

• More from Sport

Strange

• Fire-juggling unicyclist caught performing on crossing

  Police have caught a man juggling fire while riding a unicycle on a pedestrian crossing.

• Crotch enhancements: The latest controversy at the Winter Olympics

  Crotch enhancements. Banned helmets. Qualifying manipulation claims. And Russian hacking.

• Boxer loses hairpiece in the ring and blames mother's shampoo

  American boxer Jarrell Miller won his heavyweight bout in New York by a hair's breadth on Saturday - but lost his wig when the toupee started to came away.

• Climber Alex Honnold scales Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes

  American climber Alex Honnold ascended one of the world's tallest buildings on Sunday without a rope or protective equipment. 

• Oxford Dictionary publisher reveals Word of the Year 2025 - do you know it?

  Don't get too upset, but 'rage bait' has been named by Oxford University Press as this year's Word of the Year, beating other online terms.

• More from Strange

Videos

• 'The market's in seek and destroy mode': The new Anthropic AI model scaring lawyers and legal firms

  Anthropic, one of the biggest and most influential tech companies in the world, is launching a new model: Claude Opus 4.6.

• Starmer 'must take responsibility' for Mandelson appointment, cabinet minister says

  Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff should not resign over the Mandelson scandal because the responsibility "lies with the prime minister", a cabinet minister has said.

• Maybe you didn't hear the boos at home, but the Winter Olympics opening ceremony became an outlet for rage

  For a largely sedate and elegant spectacle, the Winter Olympics opening ceremony still became an outlet for rage in Milan.

• 'Shocked, sad, angry, betrayed, let down': Gordon Brown on former ally Peter Mandelson

  Peter Mandelson committed a "betrayal of his country" by allegedly leaking government secrets to Jeffrey Epstein and putting Britain "at risk", former prime minister Gordon Brown has said.

• Fire-juggling unicyclist caught performing on crossing

  Police have caught a man juggling fire while riding a unicycle on a pedestrian crossing.

• Savannah Guthrie tells mother's potential kidnappers 'we will pay' in video plea for her return

  US TV news host Savannah Guthrie has told the potential kidnappers of her 84-year-old mother that her family "will pay" for her safe return.

• Italian police fire tear gas at protesters near Olympics venue

  Italian police have fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters who threw firecrackers, smoke bombs and bottles at them near a Winter Olympics venue.

• Japan's ultra conservative prime minister set to seize more power, exit poll shows

  Japan's ultra conservative prime minister is set to seize more power after an exit poll suggested she has secured a big majority in the country's lower house.

• More from Videos

Politics

• Starmer 'must take responsibility' for Mandelson appointment, cabinet minister says

  Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff should not resign over the Mandelson scandal because the responsibility "lies with the prime minister", a cabinet minister has said.

• Starmer's top aide Morgan McSweeney resigns

  Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, has resigned.

• 'Shocked, sad, angry, betrayed, let down': Gordon Brown on former ally Peter Mandelson

  Peter Mandelson committed a "betrayal of his country" by allegedly leaking government secrets to Jeffrey Epstein and putting Britain "at risk", former prime minister Gordon Brown has said.

• Can Starmer survive the Mandelson scandal? 

  ?Tap here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app ?

• 'It's got to be time for change': Three months until crucial Welsh elections

  The Welsh Parliament stands in what was known as Tiger Bay - a multicultural melting pot during the 18-1900s, home to around 50 nationalities working the docks.

• More from Politics

Technology

• Two arrested for illegally dumping waste at six sites across England

  Two people have been arrested in Essex for allegedly illegally dumping waste at six different illegal spots across England, the Environment Agency has said.

• 'The market's in seek and destroy mode': The new Anthropic AI model scaring lawyers and legal firms

  Anthropic, one of the biggest and most influential tech companies in the world, is launching a new model: Claude Opus 4.6.

• Autism rates between girls and boys challenged by new study

  Autism rates are 'more or less equal for men and women', according to a study which challenges previous assumptions about its prevalence.

• Elon Musk's xAI chatbot Grok faces ICO probe after allegedly creating sexual imagery of children

  The UK's information watchdog will investigate reports that Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, has been used to generate sexual imagery of children.

• Everything to know about Artemis II - the NASA mission to send astronauts around the moon

  NASA is poised to send astronauts around the moon and back for the first time in more than 50 years.

• More from Technology

World

• Japan's ultra conservative prime minister set to seize more power, exit poll shows

  Japan's ultra conservative prime minister is set to seize more power after an exit poll had her securing a big majority in the country's lower house.

• Italian police fire tear gas at protesters near Olympics venue

  Italian police have fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters who threw firecrackers, smoke bombs and bottles at them near a Winter Olympics venue.

• Lindsey Vonn crashes in downhill skiing final at Winter Olympics

  Lindsey Vonn has suffered a devastating crash in the women's downhill skiing final at the Winter Olympics.

• Thousands forced to evacuate as Storm Marta batters Spain and Portugal

  A 'storm train' of consecutive winds and rains battering Spain and Portugal has already forced 11,000 people to flee their homes. 

• Trump and Netanyahu to meet for Iran discussions

  The US president and Israel's prime minister will meet on Wednesday in Washington to discuss negotiations with Iran, according to Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

• Sudan drone attack kills 24 people, including eight children

  A drone attack in Sudan has killed 24 people, including eight children, according to a doctors' group.

• Cristiano Ronaldo misses second straight Al Nassr game amid his ongoing strike

  Cristiano Ronaldo has missed a second straight game with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr as he continues his strike.

• Maybe you didn't hear the boos at home, but the Winter Olympics opening ceremony became an outlet for rage

  For a largely sedate and elegant spectacle, the Winter Olympics opening ceremony still became an outlet for rage in Milan.

• More from World

Business

• Investment giant KKR ditches Mandelson lobbying firm

  KKR, the American investment giant, has become the latest global corporation to sever ties with Global Counsel, the lobbying firm set up by Lord Mandelson, the disgraced former politician.

• Washington Post CEO Will Lewis steps down, days after a third of staff made redundant

  The chief executive and publisher of the Washington Post has stepped down, just days after a third of the paper's staff were made redundant.

• NatWest set to clinch £2.5bn takeover of wealth manager Evelyn

  NatWest Group is closing in on a £2.5bn takeover of Evelyn Partners, the wealth management group, in what would be its biggest corporate takeover since its taxpayer bailout in 2008.

• Supermarket giant Morrisons explores £1bn property deal

  Morrisons, the UK's fifth-largest supermarket chain, is exploring a £1bn property deal amid its battle to recapture the ground it has lost to rivals including Sainsbury's and Aldi.

• The pension contribution trick most Britons don't know about | Money newsletter

  More than 145,000 people have now signed up to our free Money newsletter, which brings the kind of content you enjoy in the award-winning Money blog directly to your inbox every Friday.

• 'The market's in seek and destroy mode': The new Anthropic AI model scaring lawyers and legal firms

  Anthropic, one of the biggest and most influential tech companies in the world, is launching a new model: Claude Opus 4.6.

• Bank of England chief Andrew Bailey 'shocked' by Peter Mandelson's alleged leaks to Jeffrey Epstein

  Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, is not given to emotional outbursts or shooting from the hip.

• Interest rate cuts 'likely' later this year - Bank of England

  The Bank of England has held interest rates at 3.75% but signalled that further cuts are now "likely" later in the year as inflation falls back to the Bank's 2% target faster than expected.

• More from Business

Rochdale Council Leaders Column

No stories to show.

• More from Rochdale Council Leaders Column
• Feed

Rochdale Council Mayors Column

• Mayor praises Rochdale firms and community spirit in New Year column

  This is my first column of 2026, so I would like to start by wishing everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.

• More from Rochdale Council Mayors Column
• Feed