Local News

A serious house fire in Whitefield on Sunday evening has left five people in hospital, with emergency services remaining at the scene.

A 20-year-old man is in custody after women and girls were reportedly exposed to in Rochdale earlier this week.

More than 40 students, staff and former pupils are making music together every week at Whitworth Community High School, as the school’s wind band grows from strength to strength.

Government local growth minister Alex Norris MP visited Heywood this week to praise the town’s rapid progress and successful community engagement on a major neighbourhood investment plan.

Mental health professionals, advocates and leaders came together in Bury on Wednesday, 18 June for the town’s first ever Suicide Prevention Conference, a powerful event focused on saving lives through support, collaboration and compassion.

A 14 year old from Rochdale has made his mark on the international stage after winning gold at a major Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament in Italy.

Rochdale AFC is looking for more supporters to become advocates for its Her Game Too campaign ahead of the 2025–26 football season.

Middleton Arena remains closed after a major fire broke out at a neighbouring commercial warehouse on Wednesday afternoon, forcing emergency services to cordon off the area.

A commercial storage facility in Middleton is being demolished as fire crews work to extinguish a major blaze that broke out on Wednesday afternoon.

Hopwood Hall College is set to have a huge campus overhaul after revealing plans to replace a teaching block.

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Firefighters remain on scene for second day as smoke billows and structure is left severely damaged

Storage unit users in Middleton have been left fearing the worst as a major fire involving lithium ion batteries continues to burn through a commercial building, with thick smoke, water, and fire damage expected to have affected much of the site.

A Middleton man caught growing and supplying drugs has been ordered to repay over £218,000 after a dramatic court turnaround revealed the true scale of his criminal wealth.

Two landmark projects in Rochdale and Littleborough have been hailed as examples of successful community-led regeneration during a ministerial visit this week.

Two members of the Rochdale child sex grooming gang cannot be deported after renouncing their Pakistani citizenship, a development that has stalled their removal from the UK, it has emerged.

Locals of all ages invited to join free archaeological dig and discover the town’s industrial roots.

Residents warned to stay indoors with windows shut as emergency crews battle massive fire in Townley Street.

Hopwood Hall College is celebrating after staff were honoured in the Pearson National Teaching Awards, one of the biggest accolades in the education world.

Bury celebrates a decade of Purple Flag accreditation as new measures are introduced to boost town centre safety and nightlife

A man from Bury is among four suspects facing court today after being charged with cocaine smuggling at Manchester Airport, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency.

Rotary Middleton and the Friends of Alkrington Woods joined up for a community cleanup, clearing litter and invasive plants from the local beauty spot.

A 13 year old footballer from Whitworth has returned from the Barcelona Girls’ Cup in Spain with a standout performance and hopes of one day representing England.

A major boost from TfGM and VolkerRail has taken the historic Heaton Park Tramway a step nearer to welcoming passengers again after over a year out of service.

A new pedestrian crossing has opened on one of Middleton’s busiest roads in a major win for safety and local schoolchildren.

Littleborough Brass Band brought rhythm and revelry to Saddleworth’s streets with a crowd pleasing twist at the 2025 Whit Friday March Contests, bagging a string of fourth section prizes while donning cowboy hats and playing a pop hit.

A man who ran a large scale drug operation from his Rochdale home and violently assaulted an associate has been jailed for more than six years

Rochdale Pride is making a vibrant return this Sunday, 22nd June, with a community celebration and colourful parade.

Comic Con returns to Bury with dinosaurs, dancing stormtroopers and Doctor Who stars in an all day, free family event on Sunday 29 June.

Mizkan’s £17 million investment will boost jobs, innovation and sustainability at its Middleton site

Shoppers at The Rock could win a £1,500 spending spree as part of birthday celebrations

The sudden death of an ‘ultra-fit’ father-of-three while running on Holcombe hill has led to lifesaving cardiac equipment being installed at the Peel monument.

A man who stole from the tip jar of a local Rochdale cafe has been charged and remanded in custody following a wave of public support that helped identify him.

It has been revealed that Bury Council issued 456 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) over one busy weekend, as music fans attending the Parklife Festival and a Catfish and the Bottlemen concert parked illegally in residential areas.

A Rochdale mother has shared her harrowing story of surviving bacterial meningitis, after what began as a simple earache left her in a coma and fighting for her life.

DJs axed and fans evacuated after 'overcrowding' prompts emergency response at Heaton Park

A charity has issued an alert after dangerous 'Dior' and 'Pop Smoke' ecstasy tablets were tested at the Heaton Park event.

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.

Rochdale MP Paul Waugh and Bury North MP James Frith have launched opposition to the parliamentary process surrounding the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, calling for urgent reform to how private members' bills are debated in Westminster.

A plan to build a playground in Alkrington has been delayed once again.

Trams have been promised to Heywood for years and now it’s finally happening – but locals have curbed enthusiasm.

Rochdale’s MP, Paul Waugh, speaks out after convictions in latest grooming gang case, calls for tougher inquiries and full accountability.

Just north of Rochdale town centre sits an abandoned asbestos factory that was once the world’s largest.

Police are appealing for information following the theft of a mobile phone from a shop in Heywood.

Parklife is back at Heaton Park this weekend with a buzzing crowd, booming stages, and bars and street vendors offering a huge range of drinks to suit every taste, whether you’re after a refreshing lager or a cocktail.

Tens of thousands of music fans are pouring into Parklife, as the day one of the festival gets underway.

The head of a Greater Manchester mental health charity has been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours List for her decades-long dedication to improving lives.

A 31 year old critical care nurse and Army reservist from Bury has been named in the King’s Birthday Honours for his extraordinary unpaid work supporting the ex-service community at state events.

Couple’s six day walk supports end-of-life care in memory driven challenge.

Norden’s Paul Ellison has been made an MBE after more than three decades of dedicated service to his local community.

Once set for demolition, the century old Champness Hall is now back in action and preparing to mark its milestone birthday in style.

Roch Valley Radio visited the Maccabi Community Centre in Prestwich, where the Community Impact Team is operating from to support local residents during Parklife and Oasis

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson QPM has received a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours.

A Rochdale pub best known for its award winning beer garden and standout events is going one step further this weekend with its first ever international food festival, promising a mouth watering lineup of street food, tapas and sweet treats from across the world.

One of the seven men convicted for child sex offences in Rochdale has gone on the run after failing to attend court, prompting a nationwide manhunt led by Greater Manchester Police.

Seven men who subjected two vulnerable girls to years of horrific sexual abuse in Rochdale have been found guilty of 50 offences, following a dedicated Greater Manchester Police investigation into non-recent child sexual exploitation.

Greater Manchester Police have officially launched a dedicated Motorbike Unit aimed at clamping down on illegal and anti-social vehicle use across all ten boroughs, including Rochdale.

Drivers heading to festivals like Parklife this summer are being warned that giving friends a lift could land them with hefty fines, if they ask for more than just petrol money.

More than 2,000 pupils at schools close to Heaton Park are set to enjoy additional time away from the classroom next month due to the Oasis shows.

A special event celebrating positive ageing and tackling ageism brought people together from across Rochdale and Greater Manchester this week.

Two young writers will help celebrate Rochdale’s identity through poetry after being named poets in residence as part of the borough’s Greater Manchester Town of Culture celebrations.

An independent investigation is underway after the death of a 64 year old man at HMP Buckley Hall in Rochdale, just one day after his birthday.

Local councillors in Besses have launched a community campaign to secure official nature reserve status for Boz Park in Whitefield, aiming to preserve the green space for future generations and boost investment in biodiversity.

A milestone in outdoor education was celebrated as schools, sailing staff and community leaders marked 20 years of the OnBoard programme at Hollingworth Lake in Rochdale.

Bury Pride returned in vibrant form on Saturday 7 June, with hundreds of LGBTQI+ people and allies gathering in the town centre to celebrate visibility, inclusion and acceptance, despite grey skies and scattered showers.

Littleborough’s popular Food and Drink Festival returns this Saturday, 14 June, with a full day of food, music and family fun to mark its tenth anniversary. The free event runs from 11am to 4pm across the town centre.

Bury Council has responded to online ‘speculation’ about the sale of Whitefield Library.

More than 40 bags of litter have been cleared from the streets of Bury during the first of a series of community clean-up days organised to bring people together and improve neighbourhoods.

Rochdale AFC co-chairman Cameron Ogden says fans have strong reasons to be optimistic ahead of the 2025/26 season, after a year of big improvements on and off the pitch.

Heywood’s popular 1940s Day is back on Saturday 21 June, with a full day of live music, vintage vehicles and a special flypast from a historic Dakota plane.

A kaleidoscope of colour is returning to Rochdale this summer as Colourscape returns for a second year, promising a vibrant and immersive experience for all ages.

Dozens of community groups gathered at Rochdale's Number One Riverside today, Wednesday 11th June as Action Together hosted a Volunteer Fair to connect residents with vital local causes.

A controversial landfill site plagued by complaints about a ‘rotten stink’ is set to expand its operations – despite concerns of those living nearby.

A local dance school is celebrating major success after students took home championship trophies at the Endeavour Championships in Boston, Lincolnshire.

Major road closures, Metrolink changes and travel advice as Parklife returns.

Charli xcx, 50 Cent and Jorja Smith headline Parklife 2025 as the festival marks its 15th anniversary at Heaton Park.

A former Rochdale based police officer has been placed on the national barred list after gross misconduct findings and a criminal conviction.

A police cordon was set up in Middleton today, Tuesday 10 June, after a gunshot was fired through the window of a house, triggering a forensic investigation in a residential area.

An MP has called for medically unfit people to be prevented from driving following the tragic death of a pensioner.

A cricket match sparked by a chance meeting in Vatican City will see Elton Cricket Club host its first ever international fixture this Fathers’ Day.

Police have charged a woman with murder following the death of an 84-year-old man, whose body was found in Prestwich earlier this year.

A funeral director’s in Rochdale could soon be transformed into a new ‘high-quality’ apartment block, complete with a gym and concierge service.

Bury Conservatives have confirmed four prospective candidates for next year's local elections in the borough.

A man has been arrested and suspected drugs and high-value items seized in Rochdale following a warrant targeting serious criminal activity.

One of the East Lancashire Railway’s most devoted figures, Bob Johnson, has died peacefully aged 93, after dedicating over three decades to the heritage railway.

James Frith unveils campaign aimed at tackling distraction and improving wellbeing in local classrooms

Greater Manchester gears up for one of its busiest weekends of the year with travel advice issued for Parklife, Co-op Live and Soccer Aid

Rochdale MP Paul Waugh joins push for new laws after a pensioner with poor eyesight killed a woman in a crash

Police and Councillors in Middleton say crime is falling and residents are getting more help with benefits and debt, but residents believe that a promised township hub still hasn’t been delivered, three years after Labour pledged it in their local election manifesto.

A teenager has been arrested after a police chase through Rochdale ended in a crash that left one passenger fighting for their life.

Bury town centre will be a sea of colour this weekend, Saturday 7th June as Bury Pride returns for its annual celebration of LGBTQI+ inclusion and visibility.

A major emergency operation is underway in Rochdale this evening following a serious crash involving multiple vehicles on Drake Street.

A teenage rugby player from Whitworth is aiming to be scouted by a professional club after impressing during an overseas tour with his Saddleworth Rangers teammates.

A shop on Drake Street has been forced to close for three months after council officers found counterfeit cigarettes, illegal vapes and unsafe goods hidden inside, including under a toilet.

A Bury cricket club has launched its first ever girls only team, and it’s already winning matches and attracting fresh talent to the sport.

Work to restore Middleton’s grade II listed Hopwood Hall has entered a significant new phase with the launch of a £466,000 roof repair scheme jointly funded by the council and Historic England.

Rochdale is set to benefit from a revolutionary new transport investment announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves during a visit to Mellor’s bus factory this morning, as part of a £15.6 billion national package.

Greater Manchester is set for a bumper transport deal with £2.5bn coming to the city in the next seven years — with 1,000 buses, new tram stops, tram-trains, revamped interchanges, and a Metrolink extension in the offing.

Up to 120 taxi drivers operating in Bury face ‘immediate suspension’ as they have not agreed to enhanced criminal record checks.

A project to restore a long-missing link in Radcliffe’s local infrastructure is about to get underway.

A battery energy storage plant could be built on green belt farmland.

The following statement is attributable to Assistant Chief Constable Wasim Chaudhry:

Bury Business Improvement District have begun hosting the Knife Angel in partnership with Bury Council and GMP and several organisations and partners.

An old empty mill is to be transformed into much-needed housing for people with mental health issues.

The National Poppy Appeal has been launched in Bury today (Thursday 26 October) as we remember the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives and livelihoods during past and current conflicts.

On Tuesday 19 September 2023, Greater Manchester Police were called to reports of a burglary on Brandlesholme Road, Bury.

Asian Community Radio Station in Moorgate, Bury Sparks Controversy with Anti-LGBT Education Signs

The charitable organisation known as the LGBTQI+ Forum in Bury, has issued a statement.

On Tuesday 29 August 2023 at around 11:55pm, officers were called to reports of a man who had been attacked with a knife on Haworth Walk in Radcliffe, Bury.

Housing association Onward Homes and construction firm John Southworth will be working in partnership on a new development of 30 affordable homes in Whitefield, Bury.