The warning comes after police confirmed that the body of a teenage boy had been recovered from Salford Quays on Saturday 16 July, after emergency services were called to reports of a person getting into difficulty in the water at around 6:15pm.
GMP explained that emergency service colleagues from GMFRS and the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) attended the scene, and the body was sadly located in the water later that evening, was recovered by specialist partners overnight.
Although formal identification has not yet taken place, GMP has stated that the body is believed to be that of a 16-year-old boy.
The boy was last seen struggling in the water after swimming with friends.
GMP has confirmed that the boy’s family are continuing to be kept updated, and are being supported by specially-trained officers at what it has called an “extremely distressing time”.
Enquiries are currently ongoing, but GMP said detectives are “confident” at this moment in time that there aren’t any suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident, and a file is currently being prepared for the coroner.
“Yesterday evening’s events are nothing short of devastating and my thoughts are with the friends and family of the young boy who lost his life in such awful circumstances,” said Detective Inspector Joanne Johnston, from GMP’s Swinton CID.
“We are doing all we can to support the boy’s family at this incredibly difficult time, and we are focused on ensuring they get the answers they deserve as to how this tragedy occurred.”
GMP is now joining its fellow emergency services and authorities in urging the public to “avoid being tempted to cool off in reservoirs, rivers, canals or ponds”.
“This is such a sad reminder of the dangers of entering open water, whatever the weather,” Ms Johnston added.
“We all want to enjoy the warm weather – but please make sure you do so in a safe way.”
Firefighters from Salford’s GMFRS division were also at Salford Quays on Saturday to speak to members of the public about staying safe in warmer weather, and took to Twitter to remind people: “Never be tempted to cool off by swimming in open water, or encourage your mates to jump into reservoirs, rivers, canals, ponds, or any other open water.”
Reflecting on the situation as a whole, and raising awareness of the dangers of open water swimming, Area Manager and Head of Prevention at GMFRS, Billy Fenwick, said: “Unfortunately we see tragic incidents of accidental drownings when the weather is warmer, as people attempt to cool off in open water.
“We are urging people to never be tempted to jump into any open water or swim in open water where it is not an organised event.
“It may be warm outside, but the water is not.
“Cold Water Shock can kill even strong swimmers and there is also the risk of dangers lurking beneath the surface which may cause drowning.”
The fire service also said that banners have been put up in locations of accidental drownings across Greater Manchester to both pay tribute to those who’ve died, and remind people to not enter the water.
GMFRS officers have also been visiting schools to talk to young people about staying safe around water.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
Emily Sergeant -
18th July 2022 
