News

Featured

• Social prescribing helping Bury patients rebuild their lives

  Patients across Bury say social prescribing has played a vital role in improving their mental and physical health, as NHS leaders encourage more people to seek support through talking therapies and community based help.

• EXCLUSIVE first look inside the transformed Heywood Civic

  Roch Valley Radio has been given an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Heywood Civic ahead of the official launch, offering the first look at a landmark redevelopment that will see the venue reopen as a fully accessible cultural and community hub.

• More than 100 volunteers power Roch Valley Radio as World Radio Day 2026 is marked

  World Radio Day is today, 13 February 2026, and is a moment to celebrate the impact of broadcasting across the globe, it is also a chance to recognise the people behind the microphone who keep local radio alive every single week.

• 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.

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Local News

• Together for Bury selects Greg Keeley as Tottington by election candidate

  Together for Bury has confirmed that former councillor Greg Keeley will stand for the party in the forthcoming Tottington by election.

• Hannah Spencer elected new MP for Gorton and Denton

  Hannah Spencer has been elected the new Green MP for the constituency of Gorton and Denton. Spencer succeeds former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who resigned on health grounds earlier this year.

• Observers report high levels of family voting in Gorton and Denton by election

  Accredited election observers have reported what they describe as unusually high levels of family voting during the Gorton and Denton Westminster Parliamentary by election.

• By-election called in Tottington

  An April by-election will take place in Bury after the shock departure of a Tottington councillor, the local authority has confirmed.

• Tottington voters to choose new councillor in April by election

  Voters in Tottington will go to the polls on Thursday 2nd April 2026, following the resignation of Councillor Luis McBriar.

• Bury Council sets budget to protect services amid ongoing financial pressures

  Bury Council has approved its budget for the year 2026 to 2027, setting out plans to safeguard key public services while managing a reduced but still significant funding shortfall.

• People in Rochdale will see council tax bills go up – but it’s not all bad news

  People in Rochdale will see their council tax bills go up from April. But it’s not all bad news. 

• Middleton man jailed after CCTV shows axe attack that left victim with collapsed lung

  A 38 year old man has been jailed for more than 12 years after carrying out a planned axe attack on a man in Middleton, leaving him with life threatening injuries.

• Three teenage boys charged after knifepoint robbery in Prestwich

  Three teenage boys have been charged with a series of offences following a knifepoint robbery on Bury New Road in Prestwich on Tuesday evening.

• Dancing to She’s Electric and waving banners from a bus, Labour make one final push to stop the unthinkable

  As ‘She’s Electric’ blared from an open top bus, Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell started dancing to gee her up activists one final time. It’s the Labour Party’s last day of campaigning ahead of the Gorton and Denton by-election, and the mood has been surprisingly jolly.

• Three-way fight goes to the wire in Gorton & Denton

  As polling day draws closer, the contest in Gorton & Denton appears to be a tight three-way race. Polling by Opinium Research, released on Tuesday evening, shows the Greens and Labour with a narrow lead, both sitting on 28%, with Reform just a point behind on 27%. Some will have already cast their vote through postal voting, but many will be heading to one of the 45 polling stations that are in the constituency.

• Bury councillor Glyn Marsden defects to Reform UK

  A serving Bury councillor has defected to Reform UK, becoming the party’s second representative on the local authority.

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Local Sports

• Rochdale Hornets beaten by Hunslet as Faraimo scores five at Crown Oil Arena

  Rochdale Hornets suffered their first league defeat of the 2026 Betfred Championship season as Hunslet ran in eight tries in a 42 to 6 win at the Crown Oil Arena.

• Rochdale extend unbeaten run with comfortable win over Woking

  Rochdale remain top of the Enterprise National League after a 3 to 0 home victory against Woking on Saturday, extending their unbeaten start to 2026.

• Bury cruise past Sporting Khalsa as Stepans and Touray record fifth straight win

  First half goals from Rustam Stepans and Mo Touray were enough to complete a comfortable victory for Bury over Sporting Khalsa at Gigg Lane.

• Managing director Andy Duff to step down at end of 2025 to 2026 season

  Rochdale AFC has confirmed that managing director Andy Duff will leave his role at the end of the current 2025 to 2026 campaign.

• Hornets fight back to maintain unbeaten start with win over Keighley

  Rochdale Hornets came from behind to secure a 24 to 10 victory over Keighley Cougars and preserve their 100 per cent start to the new Betfred Championship season.

• Bury Council approves £4.5 million investment in leisure centres

  Bury Council has approved £4.5 million of investment to improve its leisure centres in Ramsbottom and Bury town centre.

• Rochdale and York MPs back campaign for extra National League promotion place

  The MPs for Rochdale and York have joined forces to support a national campaign calling for two automatic promotion places from the National League, as they joked about which of their clubs will finish top this season.

• Anthony Johnson named Bury FC first team manager in statement move

  Anthony Johnson has been appointed as Bury Football Club’s new First Team Manager with immediate effect, marking what the club has described as a ‘clear statement of intent’ for its future.

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Lifestyle

• REVIEW: Sequins, sass and survival as Priscilla struts into Manchester

  The 30th anniversary tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert has arrived at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, bringing disco anthems, striking costumes and a story rooted in love and resilience to the city until 28 February 2026.

• Whitefield women’s-only gym helping community cohesion

  It’s an experience that will be familiar to many women. You’re at the gym, minding your own business, maybe belatedly trying to put some of those new year’s resolutions into action.

• Beloved community and cafe to be broken up by Prestwich demolition

  It’s the end of the morning rush at You & Me cafe in Prestwich’s condemned Longfield Centre.

• Rochdale Culture Awards finalists revealed ahead of Town Hall ceremony

  Nineteen individuals, creatives and organisations have been shortlisted for this year’s Rochdale Culture Awards, with winners set to be announced at Rochdale Town Hall on Friday 27 March.

• Heywood 1940s Day is at risk without urgent call for volunteers

  Organisers of Heywood 1940s Day have warned the popular event may not go ahead this year unless more volunteers come forward within the next five days.

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Greater Manchester

• Hannah Spencer elected new MP for Gorton and Denton

  Hannah Spencer has been elected the new Green MP for the constituency of Gorton and Denton. Spencer succeeds former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who resigned on health grounds earlier this year.

• Lucy Powell appears to concede defeat in Gorton and Denton by-election

  Labour’s Deputy leader Lucy Powell has appeared to concede defeat in the Gorton and Denton by-election. 

• 🟥 LIVE: Updates from the Gorton and Denton by election count

  Voters in Gorton and Denton will decide their next Member of Parliament tonight, with the result expected in the early hours of Friday morning.

• Dancing to She’s Electric and waving banners from a bus, Labour make one final push to stop the unthinkable

  As ‘She’s Electric’ blared from an open top bus, Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell started dancing to gee her up activists one final time. It’s the Labour Party’s last day of campaigning ahead of the Gorton and Denton by-election, and the mood has been surprisingly jolly.

• REVIEW: Sequins, sass and survival as Priscilla struts into Manchester

  The 30th anniversary tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert has arrived at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, bringing disco anthems, striking costumes and a story rooted in love and resilience to the city until 28 February 2026.

• "I want to earn trust back in Politics": Hannah Spencer talking about the upcoming By-Election

  The Green Party candidate, Hannah Spencer, has spoken to Roch Valley Radio about the By-Election and her ambitions if she was to be elected on the 26th February, saying the election will be decided by "a handful of votes".

• Cafe near Old Trafford fined more than £10,000 after rat infestation and allergen breach

  A cafe close to Old Trafford has been fined more than £10,000 after environmental health officers found evidence of rats and uncovered a serious allergen failure during separate inspections.

• Gorton and Denton voters are ‘fed up’ with the by-election and so much more

  A biting wind howled through Haughton Green as anxious faces watched for an expected bus.

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Local Entertainment

• REVIEW: Sequins, sass and survival as Priscilla struts into Manchester

  The 30th anniversary tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert has arrived at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, bringing disco anthems, striking costumes and a story rooted in love and resilience to the city until 28 February 2026.

• Review: Operation Mincemeat turns wartime deception into a five star musical

  Just as the real Operation Mincemeat was a plan that shouldn’t have worked, the idea of turning it into a musical feels equally improbable.

• Rochdale Culture Awards finalists revealed ahead of Town Hall ceremony

  Nineteen individuals, creatives and organisations have been shortlisted for this year’s Rochdale Culture Awards, with winners set to be announced at Rochdale Town Hall on Friday 27 March.

• Heywood 1940s Day is at risk without urgent call for volunteers

  Organisers of Heywood 1940s Day have warned the popular event may not go ahead this year unless more volunteers come forward within the next five days.

• EXCLUSIVE first look inside the transformed Heywood Civic

  Roch Valley Radio has been given an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Heywood Civic ahead of the official launch, offering the first look at a landmark redevelopment that will see the venue reopen as a fully accessible cultural and community hub.

• Crowdfunder launched to create mural honouring Stone Roses and Primal Scream legend Mani

  A community crowdfunder has been launched to create a large scale mural in Failsworth honouring Gary Mani Mounfield, the former bassist of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, while raising money for Maggie’s Centre in Manchester.

• More than 100 volunteers power Roch Valley Radio as World Radio Day 2026 is marked

  World Radio Day is today, 13 February 2026, and is a moment to celebrate the impact of broadcasting across the globe, it is also a chance to recognise the people behind the microphone who keep local radio alive every single week.

• Review: Single White Female, Manchester Opera House

  Single White Female is one of those films loads of people remember from the 90s, the kind of thriller you’d stick on with friends and end up shouting at the screen by the end.

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Elections

• Together for Bury selects Greg Keeley as Tottington by election candidate

  Together for Bury has confirmed that former councillor Greg Keeley will stand for the party in the forthcoming Tottington by election.

• Hannah Spencer elected new MP for Gorton and Denton

  Hannah Spencer has been elected the new Green MP for the constituency of Gorton and Denton. Spencer succeeds former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who resigned on health grounds earlier this year.

• Lucy Powell appears to concede defeat in Gorton and Denton by-election

  Labour’s Deputy leader Lucy Powell has appeared to concede defeat in the Gorton and Denton by-election. 

• Observers report high levels of family voting in Gorton and Denton by election

  Accredited election observers have reported what they describe as unusually high levels of family voting during the Gorton and Denton Westminster Parliamentary by election.

• The count begins as polls close in Gorton and Denton by-election

  The polls have officially closed in the Gorton and Denton by-election. It follows a dramatic campaign, full of twists and turns. 

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UK

• Gorton and Denton by-election result proves Polanski surge is real and the Greens are a serious threat to Labour

  At the wedding venue in Gorton and Denton the Green Party chose for the news conference to mark a seismic by-election victory on national television, it was clear that Zack Polanski and his team were new to all of this.

• Man who left his partner paralysed after she told him she was leaving is jailed for 16 years

  A man who left his partner paralysed in a "brutal assault" after she told him she was leaving him has been jailed.

• Afghan migrant jailed for raping 'vulnerable' woman

  A migrant from Afghanistan has been jailed for 10 years for the rape of a "vulnerable, intoxicated" woman.

• Picture of 'rare' boot released as police try to identify woman's body found off Iona coast

  A picture of a "rare" boot has been released as police try to identify a woman whose body was found off the coast of Iona last year.

• New legal action planned over proposal to house 540 asylum seekers in Sussex town

  A residents' group has said it plans to launch a fresh legal challenge over plans to use a military training camp in Crowborough as accommodation for asylum seekers.

• UK issues travel warning as Middle East crisis worsens

  The UK government has issued a travel warning for Israel and Palestine and withdrawn its diplomatic staff from Iran, as the US advises embassy officials in Jerusalem they can leave.

• Murderer jailed for inflicting more than 100 injuries on partner after plying her with vodka

  A man has been jailed for killing his partner after trapping her in his home, restricting her diet to just vodka and ice lollies, and inflicting more than 100 injuries on her.

• Soham murderer Ian Huntley remains in a serious condition after prison attack

  Soham murderer Ian Huntley remains in a serious condition following a prison assault, police have said.

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Entertainment

• Ex-MasterChef host Gregg Wallace drops legal claim against BBC

  Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has dropped his High Court claim against the BBC and won't be receiving any damages, the corporation has said.  

• Netflix withdraws Warner Bros bid as Paramount offer declared 'superior'

  Paramount Skydance is on course to win the Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) takeover battle after rival Netflix stepped away.

• The UK's delicate deal to get the Bayeux Tapestry loaned from France - a diplomatic coup or cultural gamble?

  When the Bayeux Tapestry goes on show at the British Museum later this year it will be the culmination of one of the most impressive cultural exchanges this century.

• BBC investigating 'serious mistake' after racial slur shouted during BAFTAs broadcast

  The BBC says it is carrying out a "fast-tracked" investigation after failing to cut a racial slur shouted by a Tourette's campaigner, from its BAFTAs broadcast on Sunday.

• Rob Reiner's son Nick pleads not guilty to murder of his parents

  Rob Reiner's son Nick has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of the actor-director and his wife Michele Singer Reiner.

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Sport

• Champions League last 16 draw: Man City draw Real Madrid as Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Newcastle learn fate

  Manchester City will face Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, as Chelsea were drawn against holders Paris Saint-Germain.

• NRL investment in Super League? Peter V'Landys says clubs 'have to give up control because it is not working with self-interested model'

  Chairman of the ARLC Peter V'Landys has said that if the NRL are to invest in Super League, club owners need to give up control because it is "not working".

• Gallagher Prem shake-up: Promotion and relegation to be scrapped as English rugby's top tier heads for franchise league

  The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has confirmed a major overhaul of English rugby's top tier that will see the Gallagher Prem expanded but fundamentally changed.

• Diogo Dalot interview: Manchester United defender credits Michael Carrick, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens for team's improvement

  I remember being at Carrington last summer reporting on Deadline Day and, although it had been clear for a few weeks it was a move United had been exploring, it still seemed a surprise they completed the transfer of a young Belgian goalkeeper from Royal Antwerp called Senne Lammens.

• Anthony Gordon transfer news: Newcastle forward's contract length revealed amid Arsenal speculation

  Newcastle have added security surrounding the future of Anthony Gordon with his contract set to expire in 2030.

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Strange

• Police officer sacked and banned from profession for using WFH trick

  A police sergeant has been sacked for using a picture frame to weigh down her laptop keys and give the false impression she was working from home.

• The energy habits that cause the most family arguments

  On a day when energy bills are making headlines, we thought we'd share new research on the energy habits that lead to the most household arguments.

• Obama says aliens 'are real' - but he hasn't seen any

  Barack Obama has said aliens are "real" in an interview, before later taking to social media to clarify his comments.

• 'Britain's loneliest sheep', Fiona, gives birth for first time

  "Britain's loneliest sheep" has given birth for the first time.

• Fire-juggling unicyclist caught performing on crossing

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

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Videos

• 'I'm not the best father,' admits Volodymyr ​Zelenskyy as president says Ukraine hit by harshest winter for decades'

  Ukraine's president has spoken of personal challenges, after several years of conflict with Ukraine, admitting "I'm not the best father" in a Sky News interview.

• Gorton and Denton by-election result proves Polanski surge is real and the Greens are a serious threat to Labour

  At the wedding venue in Gorton and Denton the Green Party chose for the news conference to mark a seismic by-election victory on national television, it was clear that Zack Polanski and his team were new to all of this.

• Pakistan says it is in 'open war' with Afghanistan

  Pakistan's defence minister has said the ​country ‌is in an "open ​war" with neighbouring Afghanistan, after both nations launched strikes overnight.

• Man arrested after 'completely abhorrent' vandalism of Churchill statue

  The statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square in Westminster was defaced overnight with "Zionist war criminal" and other graffiti.

• Netflix withdraws Warner Bros bid as Paramount offer declared 'superior'

  Paramount Skydance is on course to win the Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) takeover battle after rival Netflix stepped away.

• Starmer says by-election loss 'very disappointing' - but vows to fight on

  Sir Keir Starmer has said the Greens' victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election is "very disappointing" - but he has vowed to fight on.

• BBC investigating 'serious mistake' after racial slur shouted during BAFTAs broadcast

  The BBC says it is carrying out a "fast-tracked" investigation after failing to cut a racial slur shouted by a Tourette's campaigner, from its BAFTAs broadcast on Sunday.

• We are in a new era of multi-party politics

  This is a parliamentary by-election result for the ages, one that sets the tone for its time.

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Politics

• Gorton and Denton by-election result proves Polanski surge is real and the Greens are a serious threat to Labour

  At the wedding venue in Gorton and Denton the Green Party chose for the news conference to mark a seismic by-election victory on national television, it was clear that Zack Polanski and his team were new to all of this.

• We are in a new era of multi-party politics

  This is a parliamentary by-election result for the ages, one that sets the tone for its time.

• Gorton and Denton by-election 'cheating' claim explained

  Record numbers of illegal 'family voting' have taken place at the Gorton and Denton by-election, official observers have reported.

• Starmer says by-election loss 'very disappointing' - but vows to fight on

  Sir Keir Starmer has said the Greens' victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election is "very disappointing" - but he has vowed to fight on.

• By-election result 'bruising' - but replacing Starmer 'won't solve the problem', says Harman

  Labour's loss at the Gorton and Denton by-election has been "very painful and bruising" - but replacing Sir Keir Starmer "won't solve the problem", Baroness Harriet Harman has said.

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Technology

• AI willing to 'go nuclear' in wargames, study finds - amid 'stand-off' between Pentagon and leading AI lab

  As the deadline looms for a leading AI lab to hand over its tech to the US military, a study has appeared suggesting AI models are more than willing to go nuclear in wargames.

• Collagen supplements 'may boost skin health' but they're not an 'anti-wrinkle quick fix', study suggests

  Collagen supplements should not be seen as a "quick fix" for wrinkles, experts have said, but they do have "legitimate" benefits.

• Vegetarian diet can slash risk of five cancers by up to 30%, study finds

  A vegetarian diet can reduce the risk of five types of cancer by as much as 30%, a study has found.

• 'Miracle' boy expected to be paralysed due to spina bifida able to walk after ground-breaking surgery in the womb

  A three-year-old boy who would almost certainly have been born paralysed because of a severe spinal abnormality is able to walk after having ground-breaking stem cell surgery while still in the womb.

• Sky News forms consortium to drive push for AI standards

  Sky News has formed a consortium with other major news organisations to develop industry standards for AI's fair use of their material.

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World

• Pakistan says it is in 'open war' with Afghanistan

  Pakistan's defence minister has said the ​country ‌is in an "open ​war" with neighbouring Afghanistan, after both nations launched strikes overnight.

• What Sky News has uncovered about Bill Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein's relationship

  Sky News has uncovered new details about the timings and locations of photographs featuring Bill Clinton and paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, forming a comprehensive timeline of their relationship.

• UK issues travel warning as Middle East crisis worsens

  The UK government has issued a travel warning for Israel and Palestine and withdrawn its diplomatic staff from Iran, as the US advises embassy officials in Jerusalem they can leave.

• Two Britons arrested in Benidorm for 'staging fake kidnapping to extort money'

  Two British men have been arrested in Benidorm for allegedly staging a kidnapping to demand a ransom of €830 (£728) from a relative.

• Iran and US compromise over nuclear stockpile - but Trump's window for action grows smaller by the day

  Iran has offered to never stockpile nuclear material and will reduce its current stockpile to "almost nothing", in return for elimination of sanctions,  according to sources close to the high-stakes talks which took place indirectly with the US in Geneva on Thursday.

• Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells Sky News he's ready to meet Putin for peace talks but won't give up territory

  In a wide-ranging interview, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Sky News he is ready to meet Vladimir Putin for talks and will do anything to bring about peace.

• 'I'm not the best father,' admits Volodymyr ​Zelenskyy as president says Ukraine hit by harshest winter for decades'

  Ukraine's president has spoken of personal challenges, after several years of conflict with Ukraine, admitting "I'm not the best father" in a Sky News interview.

• AI willing to 'go nuclear' in wargames, study finds - amid 'stand-off' between Pentagon and leading AI lab

  As the deadline looms for a leading AI lab to hand over its tech to the US military, a study has appeared suggesting AI models are more than willing to go nuclear in wargames.

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Business

• Mark Kleinman blog | See the latest stories from Sky News' City editor

• Netflix withdraws Warner Bros bid as Paramount offer declared 'superior'

  Paramount Skydance is on course to win the Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) takeover battle after rival Netflix stepped away.

• AI willing to 'go nuclear' in wargames, study finds - amid 'stand-off' between Pentagon and leading AI lab

  As the deadline looms for a leading AI lab to hand over its tech to the US military, a study has appeared suggesting AI models are more than willing to go nuclear in wargames.

• Ocado to cut 1,000 jobs under restructuring plan

  Ocado is to cut around 1,000 jobs as part of a plan to slash costs and restructure its operations.

• EU not doing enough to stop Russian shadow fleet, European Parliament president says

  European countries are continuing to fund Russia's war in Ukraine by buying oil and gas, the president of the European Parliament has admitted.

• Cheapest day of week to travel has changed - and it could save you 18% on flights | Money newsletter

  More than 160,000 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.

• AI bubble remains intact for now as Nvidia continues to defy expectations

  The world's most valuable company has reported another series of expectation-defying results, lessening fears, for now, of an AI bubble bursting.

• AI is developing so fast it is becoming hard to measure, experts say

  Some days it can seem as if the whole of the tech world is hanging on the latest update to one graph.

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Rochdale Council Leaders Column

• Council leader’s column: Why Middleton’s regeneration and this year’s budget matter for our borough

  When I became leader of the council in 2021, I set out my vision for the borough, key priorities and the services local residents want and expect the council to deliver.

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Rochdale Council Mayors Column

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