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.

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Local News

• 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.

• Silver Street offices approved as temporary housing

  A building in the middle of Bury’s bar strip will soon become emergency housing for families facing homelessness. Vacant floors above The Monkey House bar on Silver Street will be refurbished into temporary accommodation, after a planning application was approved by Bury council.

• All the major projects Rochdale can expect from capital funding

  Hundreds of new homes; a manufacturing centre; and regeneration projects around five railway stations in Rochdale have been touted in a cash rollout worth almost £200m.

• Emergency services respond after people report illness at Bury premises

  Emergency services were called to a premises on Silver Street in Bury shortly before 2.30am this morning after several people became unwell.

• 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.

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Local Sports

• 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.

• 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.

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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

• 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. 

• 🟥 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".

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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

• 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.

• 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.

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UK

• RAF base in Cyprus hit by drone strike, Ministry of Defence says

  The RAF base Akrotiri in Cyprus has been hit by a one-way attack drone, amid a fresh conflict in the Middle East that started on Saturday.

• UK plans mass evacuation as Iran strikes close Middle East airports

  The Foreign Office has mounted an unprecedented operation to support British citizens in the Middle East, as airstrikes throw travel in the region into chaos.

• Starmer denies U-turn claims after giving go-ahead for US to use UK military for strikes on Iran

  Critics will accuse him of yet another U-turn, but Sir Keir Starmer insists circumstances have changed and British lives are now at risk from attacks by Iran.

• Fresh concerns at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital as mould and water ingress closes parts of cancer ward

  There are fresh concerns at one of Britain's biggest hospitals after a Sky News investigation discovered mould and dirty water ingress have forced the partial closure of a cancer ward - despite Scotland's first minister insisting the scandal-hit building is safe.

• Public told to avoid Calder in Edinburgh as armed police respond to reports of man 'with bladed weapon'

  Armed police have locked down an Edinburgh neighbourhood amid reports of a "man with a bladed weapon".

• Do you want to ban kids from social media? The government is asking

  The government wants to know if you want to ban young people from social media.

• Marine biologist on salaries, tears and the one thing everyone could do to save the planet

  If you've ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you.

• UK terror threat 'absolutely' under review after Iran strikes, defence secretary says

  The UK's terror threat level is "absolutely" under review following US and Israel strikes on Iran, the defence secretary told Sky News.

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Entertainment

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Sport

• Important goals and big saves: Jordan Pickford, Hugo Ekitike and Bruno Fernandes among those to deliver key Premier League moments

  Matchweek 28 gave us heroics by the bucketload. Sky Sports picks out the peak Premier League performers who produced the standout moments.

• Jose Mourinho: Benfica boss says Gianluca Prestianni's career at Portuguese club over if guilty of racially abusing Vinicius Jr

  Jose Mourinho says Gianluca Prestianni will no longer play for Benfica if he is found guilty of racially abusing Vinicius Junior.

• F1 2026: New rules era starts at Australian GP with unpredictability expected for Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull fight

  Formula 1's new era of regulations finally gets under way for real in Melbourne from Friday as the Australian Grand Prix opens a 24-race season in which no one yet seems quite sure what to expect.

• Mitchell Lawrie, 15, hits nine-darter on JDC advanced tour after being crowned youngest ever WDF world no 1

  Fifteen-year-old Mitchell Lawrie hit a nine-darter on the JDC Advanced Tour after recently being crowned the youngest ever WDF world no 1.

• Benjamin Sesko's form is symbolic of Manchester United's revival under Michael Carrick - Hits and misses

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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

• 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.

• Actors Awards: Sinners shakes up Oscars race as Jessie Buckley remains undefeated

  Sinners triumphed at this year's Actors Awards, with the vampire horror winning best ensemble and best actor for Michael B Jordan.

• Do you want to ban kids from social media? The government is asking

  The government wants to know if you want to ban young people from social media.

• Starmer denies U-turn claims after giving go-ahead for US to use UK military for strikes on Iran

  Critics will accuse him of yet another U-turn, but Sir Keir Starmer insists circumstances have changed and British lives are now at risk from attacks by Iran.

• What's the plan, Mr President? Why Donald Trump's publicly stated strategy in Iran is unconvincing

  What's the plan Mr President? The clamour for an explanation for what comes next is building. Anxious allies across the region are demanding the Trump team shows it has a strategy.

• Trump's furious response to Anthropic is as much about power as it is about AI safety

  In the most clear and consequential policy move on AI safety yet, the Trump administration has announced it will blacklist a leading AI lab over its refusal to allow unfettered access to its technology for military purposes.

• Flight delayed or cancelled? These are your rights to care and compensation

  Joint US-Israel strikes on Iran - and a subsequent retaliation from Tehran - has caused widespread disruption on air travel.

• UK plans mass evacuation as Iran strikes close Middle East airports

  The Foreign Office has mounted an unprecedented operation to support British citizens in the Middle East, as airstrikes throw travel in the region into chaos.

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Politics

• Starmer denies U-turn claims after giving go-ahead for US to use UK military for strikes on Iran

  Critics will accuse him of yet another U-turn, but Sir Keir Starmer insists circumstances have changed and British lives are now at risk from attacks by Iran.

• UK terror threat 'absolutely' under review after Iran strikes, defence secretary says

  The UK's terror threat level is "absolutely" under review following US and Israel strikes on Iran, the defence secretary told Sky News.

• Defence secretary reveals details of UK's Middle East operations - including taking down Iran drones

  Defence Secretary John Healey has revealed details of the UK's operations in the Middle East - including taking down Iranian drones - after the US and Israel targeted Iran.

• Starmer is cautious on Iran because he knows the chaos Trump's strikes could trigger

  Sir Keir Starmer is treading a characteristically cautious diplomatic path in his response to the attacks on Iran by the US and Israel.

• Minister resigns after row over 'reprehensible material' gathered on journalists

  Josh Simons has resigned as a Cabinet Office minister amid a controversy over a thinktank he used to run, which was accused to paying a PR firm to investigate journalists.

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Technology

• Do you want to ban kids from social media? The government is asking

  The government wants to know if you want to ban young people from social media.

• Trump's furious response to Anthropic is as much about power as it is about AI safety

  In the most clear and consequential policy move on AI safety yet, the Trump administration has announced it will blacklist a leading AI lab over its refusal to allow unfettered access to its technology for military purposes.

• 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.

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World

• What's the plan, Mr President? Why Donald Trump's publicly stated strategy in Iran is unconvincing

  What's the plan Mr President? The clamour for an explanation for what comes next is building. Anxious allies across the region are demanding the Trump team shows it has a strategy.

• Iran's regime looks vulnerable - but clerics and their supporters still control the streets

  A formal declaration of war has not been made but it looks and sounds like war in central Tehran.

• A single Iranian missile penetrating US defences could throw Trump off course

  Vows by Iran to punish the US and Israel for killing its supreme leader and starting a war have yet to translate into decisive military action despite the first American casualties.

• American deaths will dictate political cost of Donald Trump's strikes on Iran

  The first American flag-draped coffin to arrive home will land with greater force than any Iranian missile.

• Ayatollah Khamenei killed: What next for The Middle East? Q&A with Richard Engel

  ?Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim on your podcast app?

• Which Iranian officials have been killed, who's in charge now - and who will be its new leader?

  The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israel strikes on Saturday marks a major transition for Iran - having been in power for almost 37 years, he was only the second leader of Iran's Islamic Republic.

• Ship tracking reveals tankers and millions of barrels of oil stuck in the Gulf

  Sky's Data and Forensics team has been monitoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - a strategically vital waterway for Iran and other oil producers in the Middle East. 

• RAF base in Cyprus hit by drone strike, Ministry of Defence says

  The RAF base Akrotiri in Cyprus has been hit by a one-way attack drone, amid a fresh conflict in the Middle East that started on Saturday.

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Business

• Oil prices spike as key shipping route disrupted by Iran attacks

  Global oil prices have risen sharply after Iran's response to the bid for regime change by the US and Israel disrupted shipping, raising the prospect of a new energy-led surge in inflation.

• Ship tracking reveals tankers and millions of barrels of oil stuck in the Gulf

  Sky's Data and Forensics team has been monitoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - a strategically vital waterway for Iran and other oil producers in the Middle East. 

• Mark Kleinman blog | WH Smith buyer Modella draws up plan for store closures and rent cuts at TG Jones

• Marine biologist on salaries, tears and the one thing everyone could do to save the planet

  If you've ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you.

• Flight delayed or cancelled? These are your rights to care and compensation

  Joint US-Israel strikes on Iran - and a subsequent retaliation from Tehran - has caused widespread disruption on air travel.

• Paramount strikes deal to buy Warner Bros Discovery for $110bn

  Paramount has struck a $110bn deal to buy Warner Bros Discovery.

• Thinking of paying off student loan early? You should know about expert's £60,000 rule | Money newsletter

  More than 165,000 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.

• Trump's furious response to Anthropic is as much about power as it is about AI safety

  In the most clear and consequential policy move on AI safety yet, the Trump administration has announced it will blacklist a leading AI lab over its refusal to allow unfettered access to its technology for military purposes.

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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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