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Paul Britton

Paul Britton

Paul joined the MEN in 2004 and covers the Bury, Bolton and Wigan patches. He is experienced in crime and court reporting and also holds the defence portfolio.

Ilyas Ashar

Guilty: Man who raped deaf girl he trafficked into UK from Pakistan

The young victim, who couldn't speak, was brought from Pakistan to Salford where she suffered a decade of harrowing sexual abuse at the hands of Ilyas Ashar, who also forced her to work at his Eccles home

All Stories

Ilyas Ashar

Guilty: Man who raped deaf girl he trafficked into UK from Pakistan

The young victim, who couldn't speak, was brought from Pakistan to Salford where she suffered a decade of harrowing sexual abuse at the hands of Ilyas Ashar, who also forced her to work at his Eccles home

Teenage boy dies after car hits telephone pole in Denshaw

The 17-year-old boy, who has not been named, was a passenger in the Peugeot 307 when it crashed on Range Lane in Denshaw

A diamond ring seized from criminals and put up for auction on eBay

Jewels and £100k sports car seized from underworld criminals being auctioned on eBay

The online store of gangster bling is a new initiative from Titan, the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit – the first time a police unit has raised funds in this way

Funeral of Harry Goodwin

Pictures: Stars come out to bid farewell to celebrity snapper Harry Goodwin

Harry was resident photographer on the BBC’s Top Of The Pops from its launch in Manchester in 1964 and captured some of the biggest names in music and sport –  from the Beatles to Muhammad Ali – over a glittering career.

A century on: Proper farewell to three lost First World war heroes

Remains of Edgar Matthew Parkinson, James Rowan and Henry Pulford - discovered during a dig in Belgium - are to be buried with full military honours

Gary Norton of Salford Council as James Birch, inventor of the Eccles Cake, with Chris Sleigh, left, and Ross Malloy of Eccles Borough Band

Pictures: Festival honours the humble Eccles Cake

Fun-filled events were held in Eccles and Monton to mark the first ever Eccles Cake Week

updated

Police deny man was held in connection with Madeleine McCann inquiry as new images of suspect released

The man who was arrested reportedly made claims at a house party in Manchester that he had seen missing Madeleine earlier this summer.

Mystery of pre-war binoculars found in Middleton attic solved

The binoculars, in a beautifully preserved leather case, were marked ‘Jack B Castell – The Manchester Regiment’.

exclusive

Firefighters given specialist training to rescue obese people

The specialist search and rescue unit will learn how to move or release overweight members of the public following a rise in calls

Manchester is the UK's most vibrant place to live

An influx of young people into newly-built city centre homes over the last 15 years has transformed the standard of living, it was found.

Journalists

Neal Keeling
Chief Reporter, Crime, Salford, Fire Service
John Scheerhout
Crime
Alice McKeegan
Health, Airport
Yakub Qureshi
Education, Religion
Mike Keegan
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Dean Kirby
Transport, Technology, Environment
Deborah Linton
Politics, Manchester Council, Manchester city centre
Jennifer Williams
Local government, Trade unions
Paul Britton
Defence, Bury, Bolton, Wigan
Dan Thompson
Investigations
Chris Osuh
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Pete Bainbridge
Court, City Centre
Amanda Crook
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Richard Wheatstone
Blackley, Cheetham Hill, Crumpsall, Collyhurst, Harpurhey, Openshaw, Moston, Newton Heath, Ancoats, Clayton, Gorton, Ardwick
Amy Glendinning
Moss Side, Hulme, Whalley Range, Longsight, Rusholme, Levenshulme, Burnage
Tom Brooks-Pollock
Withington, Chorlton, Didsbury, Fallowfield
Todd Fitzgerald
General News