Margaret Carmichael’s a 93-year-old abseiler! She lowered herself down the side of
@ManCity
’s Etihad Stadium to raise thousands of pounds for
@citctweets
and their youth mental health programme. Go Margaret!
An all-too-familiar sign has appeared on the giant screen outside the Arndale. A city, which has gone through so much, is enduring another terrible day.
The flag at Manchester City is flying at half-mast in honour of club legend Colin Bell. One tearful fan, I met outside the Etihad and next to the stand bearing Bell’s name, told me that ‘The King’ was his boyhood hero.
#mcfc
A stunningly-gorgeous performance of ‘What a Wonderful World’ from
@ShawnMendes
and
@Camila_Cabello
. It’s one of my favourite songs; one that means so much. This whole show’s really lifting the mood in the Smith household.
#TogetherAtHome
What a wonderful way to lift a Saturday evening in lockdown and commend those working to save lives everywhere. The effortlessly beautiful voice of
@adamlambert
has made for my favourite performance so far. Thank you to everyone taking part in
#TogetherAtHome
BREAKING: Two teenagers have been found GUILTY of murdering Brianna Ghey. The 16-year-old was stabbed to death in a park near Warrington in February. The pair, who still can’t be ID’d for legal reasons, were obsessed with torture and killing. They thought it would be “fun.”
Lisa Roussos, the mum of Arena bomb victim Saffie Roussos, is walking the
#Manchester10K
today in memory of her daughter. Lisa’s injuries meant she had to learn to walk again. Firefighter
@aaronlp1
is running in full uniform and kit to honour Saffie too.
#SaffiesDay
An adorable newborn whose place of birth is the M62! Clarke Forti couldn't wait for mum Lisa to get to hospital early this morning. This photo was taken, moments after he arrived, in the family car near Rainhill, Merseyside.
Huge applause and massive cheers for those, from the BBC and beyond, running the
#Manchester10k
to raise money for
@TrustDianne
in memory of Dianne Oxberry.
Massive emergency service response to multiple stabbing at Manchester’s Arndale Centre. Paramedics have just brought two people out on stretchers. Armed police are everywhere.
I can’t believe such an amazing man, broadcaster and journalist is gone. It was my honour to know and work with Tony. I’ll forever miss hearing his incredible laugh down an earpiece over a live link, chewing over news stories and films, and his kindest words for a job well done.
Christmas Day’s being recreated for a desperately ill 10-year-old who couldn’t enjoy the big day because she was too poorly. Matilda Moffatt, from Leyland, has Batten Disease. Today she has Santa and a snow machine!
The Duke of Edinburgh is officially opening
@ShakespeareNP
in Prescot. Touring the space, he’s met those behind its creation and the first person to perform on the stage.
The silence in St Ann’s Square was observed perfectly. When it ended, it ended with applause. Remembrance, respect and resilience all in one.
#mcrtogether
The house where four children died in an arson attack, a year ago today, is bathed in light in their memory. Demi, Brandon, Lacie and Lia Pearson are being honoured by friends, family and more than 200 people from their community in Walkden.
This is wonderful! Residents on a street in Frodsham, Cheshire are making isolation a little less lonely for each other - every single morning - while keeping 2m apart. There's still light amid all the darkness. 👏👏👏
@Nmozz
@RebeccaMorris90
I’m so, so sorry for your loss Nat. Your Dad was an amazing man who was incredibly loved by all of us here. Every time he spoke about you and Becky it was always with such love and pride. He’ll be forever missed. x
The funeral of toddler Alfie Evans takes place in Liverpool this morning. The public, and press, have been invited to line the street near Everton’s Dixie Dean statue to pay respects as the cortège passes. The service itself is private.
Morecambe's
@kenyon03
can't quite decide whether he's "thankful" his wedding was postponed on the same weekend his club won their playoff final! See him talk about swapping one "best day" for another, amid the pandemic, on
@granadareports
right now.
The amazing Encore Youth Choir sing their hearts out to the crowd in St Ann’s Square. There is resilience here, as everyone remembers the 22 people who died in the Manchester Arena bombing.
#McrTogether
Origami roses are being handed out for free in Manchester’s St Ann’s Square. The names of the 22 people who died in the Arena bombing are written in the folds of each one.
#mcrtogether
The 200 firefighters who spent six weeks tackling the moorland fire on Winter Hill "know it better than their own homes," says
@Lancs_FireDCFO
. He's also told me he's asking the government to pay £1m towards the cost.
Two young cousins, who opened a garden stall to raise money for a hospice which helped their grandparents, brought a charity worker to tears with a letter apologising for raising only £4. Abbie Waters and Elouise O’Loughlin, 9, spent hours selling on a quiet street in Blackpool.
Hundreds of people have lined the road outside Goodison Park to say goodbye to toddler Alfie Evans. This is where the public and press have been asked to gather as the funeral cortège passes. It’s due here soon.
“Parliament should declare a homelessness emergency,” says Greater Manchester Mayor
@AndyBurnhamGM
. He wants the government to replicate his area’s “A Bed Every Night” scheme which has helped more than 1400 people off the streets into somewhere warm and safe.
Primary schools with washing machines to wash children's uniforms, where teachers charge parents phones who have no electricity, and give coats, shoes and food to their pupils. The GP who is treating kids for rickets. This is the poverty we have found in the North West in 2017.
Balloons, photos, cards and a bow have been placed in tribute to Alfie Evans outside Goodison Park. More than 100 people are here already - waiting to show his family how much they care, and to pay respects, as the funeral cortège passes by.
Charity fundraiser
@speedomick
stops off in Liverpool after a calf injury forces him to pause his 1000-mile walk. He’s going from John O’Groats to Land’s End to raise money for disadvantaged children - almost £90k so far.
The Duke, now bestowed with the title held by his late father, said he was “following in the footsteps of the most experienced plaque unveiler the planet has ever known.”
So sad to hear Dianne Oxberry has died. She was talented, kind, funny and always great to work alongside out on the road. My thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues.
Manchester’s first new public park for 100 years has opened in the city centre. Mayfield Park has turned an industrial wasteland of derelict buildings into a “green oasis” according to those who designed and built it.
Good morning from Media City. I’ll have the latest
@granadareports
news from across the North West on
@GMB
. If you’re up early this Good Friday, do join me.
The heavy snow and biting wind chill were hard to film in today; harder still to feed livestock in. Thanks to farmer Bill Mellor for letting
@GranadaReports
follow him as he worked through
#TheBeastFromTheEast
.
This is so important to watch. Veteran Hector Duff, 99, was among those who stormed the beaches on D-Day. 75 years on, his recollection of the day is horrific.
A Manchester Bee flower display arrives at the city’s St Ann’s Square. It’s a beautiful tribute to those who died, and those whose lives were changed forever, in the Manchester Arena bombing.
#mcrtogether
Back in the
@GranadaReports
studio for the last time this week with the one and only
@victoriagITV
. Join us for the latest news, from across the North West, at 6pm on ITV.
Hundreds of former Thomas Cook workers are looking for new jobs in the shadow of Concorde at Manchester Airport. This jobs fair includes airlines, travel firms, utility companies and shops.
Hundreds of people applaud in tribute to toddler Alfie Evans as his funeral cortège passes Goodison Park. There are flowers, and floods of tears, from the crowd too.
Congratulations to two amazing people, immortalised in Manchester, for a project creating statues of inspirational living women. I spoke to
@MsIbegbuna
and
@teamhighsheriff
live on
@ITV
after theirs were unveiled.
#putherforward
The atrium of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is filled with former patients, their families and staff to watch a filmed poem celebrating its 10th anniversary. Poet Tony Walsh has written “Every Child Counts.”
@RMCHcharity
@LongfellaPoet
What a star Aneeshwar Kunchala is! The seven-year-old
@BGT
contestant was live on
@GranadaReports
this evening and instantly became one of my favourite interviewees. Check out his amazing environmental knowledge right here:
The ‘Trees of Hope’ in Manchester’s St Ann’s Square are already covered in tributes to the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena bombing. Passers-by are stopping to write their own.
#McrTogether
Young poet
@onelovekatie
recited her beautiful work 'The Day' for the first time today. It's about how she was caught-up in the Manchester Arena bombing. She read it, bravely and eloquently, in the square where Mancunians remembered the victims.
The fans protest continues outside, and inside, Old Trafford. Manchester United are due to play Liverpool here in less than two hours. WARNING: Strong language
Thousands of people are gathered outside the Liver Building, waiting for a meeting of the three giants. This is where their paths cross. The atmosphere’s incredible.
#giantspectacular
#giantsliverpool
@GiantSpectacle
In lessons today; at the BAFTAs on Sunday! Actor Dylan Naden’s performance in the short film ‘Cowboy Dave’ helped secure it a Best British Short Film nomination. The 13-year-old’s mates now call him
#BAFTABoy
.
I still can’t believe Tony Morris is gone, despite having to read those very words on TV. Every moment of the past few days in our newsroom, so much of me has hoped he’ll just walk in - with his giant smile and…