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Local News

• Rochdale council invests £900000 to expand children’s homes for young people with complex needs

  Rochdale Borough Council has approved £900000 to create four new solo children’s homes in the borough. The move aims to help more cared for children and young people live closer to home.

• Community Iftar brings Rochdale organisations and residents together at Unity House

  A community Iftar in Rochdale brought together residents, civic leaders and local organisations to mark the holy month of Ramadan and share the breaking of the fast.

• Tony Walsh to host Rochdale poetry event celebrating town’s cultural year

  Performance poet Tony Walsh will host an afternoon of live poetry in Rochdale as part of the town’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. The event will take place at Number One Riverside on Saturday 21 March and will also launch two poetry anthologies created by local writers.

• Rochdale theatre company tours schools programme tackling child criminal exploitation

  A Rochdale production company is touring a theatre programme designed to help primary school pupils recognise the signs of grooming and child criminal exploitation.

• All seven dogs recovered after van theft

  The final dog taken when a dog walker’s van was stolen in Oldham has now been found, bringing the total number of recovered animals to seven. Police said the dogs were abandoned after the vehicle was taken from Medlock Road in Failsworth.

• Creative messages for mums go on display at The Rock for Mother’s Day

  More than 100 people entered a Mother’s Day competition at The Rock Shopping and Leisure Centre, with ten winners seeing their messages displayed on floral themed boards in the centre.

• Rochdale Music Stories presents Kenion Street at Heywood Civic

  Manchester is known by many for its historically renowned music scene; however, the scenes and sounds of Madchester, Oasis and the likes commonly overshadow the notable influence of surrounding towns within Greater Manchester. Rochdale, Greater Manchester Town of Culture for 2026, is one of those towns whose musical influence is understated and a lot of the time, unknown.

• Six-bed HMO approved despite local anger

  A six-bed HMO in Royton has been given the greenlight by councillors, despite ‘anger and upset’ in the local community. Property owner Footlong (UK) Ltd can extend a house at 3 Kevin Avenue to create a six-person house of multiple occupation.

• Councillor Ashley Dearnley looks back on his 44 years of service

  Rochdale’s longest serving councillor is due to step aside in May after 44 years in the job. Coun Ashley Dearnley’s cheeky smile has been a constant in the council chamber since 1982, when he was elected at the age of 21.

• Two men jailed after masked burglary at Radcliffe home while mother and child were inside

  Two men have been jailed after breaking into a Radcliffe home in the early hours of the morning while a woman was inside caring for her young child. The pair stole a BMW from the driveway before being stopped by police minutes later.

• Major police operation in Rochdale leads to 41 arrests and large drug seizures

  Police made 41 arrests and uncovered three cannabis farms during a major day of action across Rochdale.

• New Littleborough family hub planned as work on £2.9m project progresses

  An old primary school in Littleborough will be revamped in a £2.9m project to convert it into a family hub. This will provide a dedicated resource for young people, offer health checks and cater for general community use for families in the Rochdalian town.

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Local Sports

• Sheffield Eagles score eight tries to defeat Rochdale Hornets in Championship clash

  Rochdale Hornets suffered a 44 to 20 defeat against Sheffield Eagles as the visitors maintained their unbeaten start to the Betfred Championship season. The South Yorkshire side ran in eight tries in an entertaining contest.

• Bury’s unbeaten run ends with 2–0 home defeat to Vauxhall Motors

  Bury’s long unbeaten run came to a sudden and underwhelming end defeated 2-0 at home to playoff chasing Vauxhall Motors.

• Whitehaven score four first half tries to beat Rochdale Hornets 20 0

  Rochdale Hornets were beaten 20 0 by Whitehaven in Cumbria after four first half tries secured the home side’s first win of the Betfred Championship season.

• Shakers maintain perfect run with emphatic win in top-of-the-table clash

  In a Friday night top of the table clash Bury emerged victorious over Lower Breck. A storming second half saw the Shakers score three goal casting off their demons and beating the Merseyside club for the first time in Liverpool.

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Lifestyle

• Tony Walsh to host Rochdale poetry event celebrating town’s cultural year

  Performance poet Tony Walsh will host an afternoon of live poetry in Rochdale as part of the town’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. The event will take place at Number One Riverside on Saturday 21 March and will also launch two poetry anthologies created by local writers.

• Creative messages for mums go on display at The Rock for Mother’s Day

  More than 100 people entered a Mother’s Day competition at The Rock Shopping and Leisure Centre, with ten winners seeing their messages displayed on floral themed boards in the centre.

• Rochdale Music Stories presents Kenion Street at Heywood Civic

  Manchester is known by many for its historically renowned music scene; however, the scenes and sounds of Madchester, Oasis and the likes commonly overshadow the notable influence of surrounding towns within Greater Manchester. Rochdale, Greater Manchester Town of Culture for 2026, is one of those towns whose musical influence is understated and a lot of the time, unknown.

• OMD to play first ever Rochdale show at Town Hall Square this summer

  Synth pop pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will perform their first ever live show in Rochdale this August at Town Hall Square.

• Prestwich Library to relocate to Phoenix Centre during regeneration works

  Prestwich Library will temporarily move to the Phoenix Centre while demolition work begins at the Longfield Centre as part of the wider regeneration of Prestwich Village.

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Greater Manchester

• Green MP Hannah Spencer delivers maiden speech in Parliament during International Women’s Day debate

  Green Party MP Hannah Spencer has delivered her first speech in the House of Commons, reflecting on her journey from training as a plumber to representing her community in Parliament.

• Oldham manufacturer accelerates shift to automated production with regional support

  An Oldham manufacturer is expanding its use of robotics and digital systems as part of a major transformation aimed at boosting productivity and opening new markets.

• Greater Manchester businesses invited to join June trade mission to Shenzhen and Hong Kong

  Businesses across Greater Manchester are being invited to join an official trade mission to Shenzhen and Hong Kong this summer aimed at building new international partnerships.

• Bernard Manning’s World Famous Embassy Club set to be demolished for health centre

  The World Famous Embassy Club in Harpurhey is set to close down this month and be demolished, Manchester council says.

• Civil war erupts as Labour activists in Gorton and Denton say party is ‘not willing to change’

  Civil war has erupted within Labour as activists in Gorton and Denton accused the party of ‘not being willing to change’ during its by-election campaign. It comes as Labour suffered a bruising defeat in the race which saw it lose the seat to the Green Party despite having a 13,000-vote majority in the 2024 general election.

• Greater Manchester Police prepare for Brit Awards debut in Manchester

  Greater Manchester Police have confirmed a comprehensive policing operation is in place as the Brit Awards take place in Manchester for the first time. The ceremony will be held tonight at the Co Op Live arena.

• 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. 

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Local Entertainment

• Tony Walsh to host Rochdale poetry event celebrating town’s cultural year

  Performance poet Tony Walsh will host an afternoon of live poetry in Rochdale as part of the town’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture. The event will take place at Number One Riverside on Saturday 21 March and will also launch two poetry anthologies created by local writers.

• Rochdale Music Stories presents Kenion Street at Heywood Civic

  Manchester is known by many for its historically renowned music scene; however, the scenes and sounds of Madchester, Oasis and the likes commonly overshadow the notable influence of surrounding towns within Greater Manchester. Rochdale, Greater Manchester Town of Culture for 2026, is one of those towns whose musical influence is understated and a lot of the time, unknown.

• OMD to play first ever Rochdale show at Town Hall Square this summer

  Synth pop pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will perform their first ever live show in Rochdale this August at Town Hall Square.

• Inside the major refurbishment transforming Tenpin Rochdale

  Tenpin Rochdale has a brand new look following the major refurbishment due completion on 13 March 2026, bringing new attractions and upgraded facilities to the town.

• Local performers to take centre stage at BBS on Tour 2.0 in Bury

  An evening of live music and performance will bring together visually impaired performers, volunteers and students in Bury this month. BBS on Tour 2.0 takes place at The Met on Market Street on 12 March at 7.30pm.

• Cancer choir calls for new members as rehearsals resume in Bolton

  A Bolton choir for people affected by cancer is inviting new singers to join as it begins rehearsals for the new year.

• 🟥 RECAP: Glaston-BURY live updates, photos, interviews and more

  Thousands of music lovers descended on Bury during Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August 2025, for Glaston-Bury, the annual one day music festival in aid of Bury Hospice and other local causes. Since it began in 2008, the event has raised over £300,000 and has become one of the town’s biggest highlights of the year.

• RECAP: Parklife 2025 Day Two - updates, photos & travel news

  Day One at Parklife 2025 is done, and what a day it was. Over 50,000 people packed into Heaton Park for a massive Saturday, with sets from FLO, Rudimental and a huge headline performance by 50 Cent.

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Elections

• Green Party selects Tottington resident Chloe King as candidate for Bury by election

  The Green Party has selected Tottington resident Chloe King to stand as its candidate in the upcoming Tottington ward by election in Bury.

• Conservatives select Emma Lee as candidate for Tottington by election

  The Conservative Party has selected Walshaw resident and business owner Emma Lee as its candidate for the Tottington by election on Thursday 2nd April. The party said protecting the local Green Belt and strengthening community representation would be central to her campaign.

• Civil war erupts as Labour activists in Gorton and Denton say party is ‘not willing to change’

  Civil war has erupted within Labour as activists in Gorton and Denton accused the party of ‘not being willing to change’ during its by-election campaign. It comes as Labour suffered a bruising defeat in the race which saw it lose the seat to the Green Party despite having a 13,000-vote majority in the 2024 general election.

• 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.

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UK

• 'My daughter thought she was talking to a boy online and sent nude pics - but it was someone else'

  Warning: This article addresses child sexual abuse that readers may find distressing

• Meningitis outbreak being treated as national incident - as health secretary warns spread is 'unprecedented'

  An outbreak of meningitis is being treated as a national incident after the deaths of a sixth-form pupil and a university student.

• Trump says he's 'disappointed in Starmer' - and repeats Churchill jibe

  Donald Trump has said he's "disappointed with Keir [Starmer]" over the prime minister's initial refusal to send aircraft carriers to the Middle East.

• Voters split over whether Starmer is handling Iran war well

  Voters are broadly split over whether Sir Keir Starmer is handling the Iran war well, exclusive polling by YouGov for Sky News shows.

• Graves over a century old could be reused amid shortage of burial space

  Graves which are more than a century old could be reused in cemeteries across England and Wales under new proposals - but relatives will be able to object and war graves will be protected. 

• Seven sentenced over series of smash-and-grab raids at luxury London shops

  Seven men have been sentenced for being part of a group that carried out a series of smash-and-grab raids at luxury stores across London.

• Polanski to warn Starmer 'hasn't done enough' to protect energy customers from bill hikes

  Zack Polanski is set to call on Sir Keir Starmer to step in and protect energy price cap customers from steep bill rises at the start of July.

• Government prepares to sue Roman Abramovich after he missed deadline to release £2.5bn from Chelsea sale

  Sanctioned former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been put on notice that legal action is coming from the UK government after failing "to do the right thing" and release the £2.5bn from the club's sale to help Ukraine.

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Entertainment

• Inside the Oscars winners' room: Standing ovations, party plans, and media bingo

  After Oscar winners collect their golden statuettes on stage at the Dolby Theatre, they are brought into rooms outside to have their photos taken and answer questions from journalists.

• Oscars 2026: Bridesmaids, Baby Yoda and ballet bites back - the bits of the Oscars you might have missed

  One Battle After Another led the night, taking six Oscars, including best picture, best director and best supporting actor.

• Oscars 2026: Full list of Academy Award winners

  One Battle After Another has taken the top prize at this year's Oscars, winning six gongs including best picture.

• The rise of Jessie Buckley - from reality TV to Hamnet and Oscars history

  In an unusually unpredictable Oscars race, there was only one moment experts agreed was a dead cert - Jessie Buckley, on stage once again, to collect the award for best actress.

• Oscars fashion: A look back at iconic looks that broke the rules

  The Oscars celebrate the craft and creative excellence behind the best movies of the year – but the red carpet ahead of the ceremony is quite a different matter.

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Sport

• Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc: Did 'feisty' battle at Chinese Grand Prix ignite Ferrari rivalry in 2026 F1 season?

  Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc delivered a thrilling battle for the podium at the Chinese Grand Prix, which the seven-time world champion called the "best racing I’ve ever experienced in Formula 1".

• Africa Cup of Nations: Morocco crowned AFCON champions after CAF strips Senegal of title for penalty protest

  Morocco have been crowned Africa Cup of Nations winners after a major ruling on Tuesday overturned Senegal’s victory two months after the final.

• Jack Draper takes confidence from Indian Wells performances into Miami Open, despite being demoted to British No 2

  Despite being freshly demoted to British No 2, Jack Draper has taken confidence from his Indian Wells performances which included a career first win over Novak Djokovic and hopes to continue his good form at the Miami Open.

• The Players: How the PGA Tour's flagship event delivered again at TPC Sawgrass as Cameron Young wins Sunday that 'had everything'

  What a fabulous Players Championship we enjoyed last week at TPC Sawgrass.

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Strange

• Masked fan unplugs VAR monitor during German football match

  A masked fan unplugged a VAR monitor during ‌a German second division football match.

• Elon Gust and Dame Judi Drench among storm names sent to Met Office

  Elon Gust and Dame Judi Drench are among the names that have been submitted to the Met Office for UK storms.

• 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.

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Videos

• Oscars 2026: Bridesmaids, Baby Yoda and ballet bites back - the bits of the Oscars you might have missed

  One Battle After Another led the night, taking six Oscars, including best picture, best director and best supporting actor.

• Meningitis outbreak being treated as national incident - as health secretary warns spread is 'unprecedented'

  An outbreak of meningitis is being treated as a national incident after the deaths of a sixth-form pupil and a university student.

• Inside Iran's children's wards: The painful human cost of US-Israel airstrikes

  The human cost of Israel and America's air campaign on Iran is mounting, nowhere more painfully felt than in the children's wards of its hospitals.

• What we know about Joe Kent - the top US counterterrorism official who has resigned over Trump's Iran war

  Donald Trump's most senior counterterrorism official has resigned, saying he "cannot in good conscience" support the Iran war and claiming the country posed "no imminent threat" to the United States.

• Voters split over whether Starmer is handling Iran war well

  Voters are broadly split over whether Sir Keir Starmer is handling the Iran war well, exclusive polling by YouGov for Sky News shows.

• Survivor of online child abuse shares story as 'deeply shocking' rise in crimes revealed

  Nellie was 14 and in a relationship when she was asked to send nude images over Snapchat. 

• Trump fooled by fake AI video - and three other takeaways from his latest appearances

  There are plenty of things that could be highlighted from Donald Trump's latest public appearances.

• Tehran is dotted with the scars of war - but Iran's government seems firmly in control

  It's our second day inside Iran - a country at war, and its capital Tehran is tense and subdued.  Many have fled, those left behind carry on as best they can.

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Politics

• Zelenskyy boasts about Ukrainian drone tech in more upbeat speech to MPs and peers

  We're used to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the war leader in his combat fatigues.

• Polanski to warn Starmer 'hasn't done enough' to protect energy customers from bill hikes

  Zack Polanski is set to call on Sir Keir Starmer to step in and protect energy price cap customers from steep bill rises at the start of July.

• Voters split over whether Starmer is handling Iran war well

  Voters are broadly split over whether Sir Keir Starmer is handling the Iran war well, exclusive polling by YouGov for Sky News shows.

• Government prepares to sue Roman Abramovich after he missed deadline to release £2.5bn from Chelsea sale

  Sanctioned former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been put on notice that legal action is coming from the UK government after failing "to do the right thing" and release the £2.5bn from the club's sale to help Ukraine.

• Trump says he's 'disappointed in Starmer' - and repeats Churchill jibe

  Donald Trump has said he's "disappointed with Keir [Starmer]" over the prime minister's initial refusal to send aircraft carriers to the Middle East.

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Technology

• 'My daughter thought she was talking to a boy online and sent nude pics - but it was someone else'

  Warning: This article addresses child sexual abuse that readers may find distressing

• Meningitis outbreak being treated as national incident - as health secretary warns spread is 'unprecedented'

  An outbreak of meningitis is being treated as a national incident after the deaths of a sixth-form pupil and a university student.

• Survivor of online child abuse shares story as 'deeply shocking' rise in crimes revealed

  Nellie was 14 and in a relationship when she was asked to send nude images over Snapchat. 

• Kent meningitis outbreak a cruel reminder young people are most at risk

  Meningitis is thankfully rare, but the outbreak in Kent is a cruel reminder that the disease is still with us, and that young people are most at risk.

• Meningitis: The symptoms, treatments and how to find out if you need the vaccine

  Students are being warned about the symptoms of meningitis after the deaths of two people in Kent.

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World

• Inside Iran's children's wards: The painful human cost of US-Israel airstrikes

  The human cost of Israel and America's air campaign on Iran is mounting, nowhere more painfully felt than in the children's wards of its hospitals.

• What we know about Joe Kent - the top US counterterrorism official who has resigned over Trump's Iran war

  Donald Trump's most senior counterterrorism official has resigned, saying he "cannot in good conscience" support the Iran war and claiming the country posed "no imminent threat" to the United States.

• Pakistani government wants to 'create anarchy' in Afghanistan, claims Hamid Karzai

  Hamid Karzai has claimed that the Pakistani government wants to promote "anarchy and weakness" in Afghanistan to ensure the country is "downtrodden".

• Senegal stripped of Africa Cup of Nations over misconduct in final

  Senegal has been stripped of the African Cup of Nations after misconduct in the tournament final, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has ruled.

• Trump fooled by fake AI video - and three other takeaways from his latest appearances

  There are plenty of things that could be highlighted from Donald Trump's latest public appearances.

• Tehran is dotted with the scars of war - but Iran's government seems firmly in control

  It's our second day inside Iran - a country at war, and its capital Tehran is tense and subdued.  Many have fled, those left behind carry on as best they can.

• Princess of Wales celebrates St Patrick's Day with Irish Guards

  The Princess of Wales wished the officers and guardsmen of the Irish Guards a happy St Patrick's Day as she presented them with traditional sprigs of shamrock.

• Russian 'shadow fleet' gas tanker adrift in Mediterranean poses 'imminent and serious' threat, EU states say

  A Russian natural gas tanker adrift in the Mediterranean Sea represents an "imminent and serious" ecological threat, several European nations have warned.

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Business

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

• Government prepares to sue Roman Abramovich after he missed deadline to release £2.5bn from Chelsea sale

  Sanctioned former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been put on notice that legal action is coming from the UK government after failing "to do the right thing" and release the £2.5bn from the club's sale to help Ukraine.

• How 'cruel' friendship fraudsters are scamming older people

  Older and vulnerable people are being targeted by "cruel" friendship fraudsters online, one of the UK's biggest banks has warned.

• Iran war: The outlook for your finances - whether hostilities end or not

  Donald Trump has raised hopes several times that the US-Israel military strikes on Iran may soon be over.

• Chelsea given record £10.75m fine and suspended transfer ban over secret payments

  Chelsea have been given a suspended one-year transfer ban, and fined a record £10.75m, after admitting historical breaches of Premier League rules.

• What high gilt yields mean for pensions | Money newsletter

  More than 175,000 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.

• Why an energy bailout will cost us long term

  ? Listen to This Is Why on your podcast app ?

• Businesses to get £3,000 state bonus for hiring unemployed young people

  Businesses will be given a £3,000 government bonus for hiring a young person who has been out of work for six months.

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Rochdale Council Leaders Column

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Rochdale Council Mayors Column

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