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Manchester park announces major change for visitors next month
‘We’re a city of firsts, so I know that together Mancunians can and will deliver this ambition’
A Manchester park has announced it will be making a major change for its visitors from next month.
Manchester’s newest park, Mayfield, will ‘ban’ smoking cigarettes, cigars and vaping from a date next month.
The move — announced on World No Tobacco Day (May 31st) — is an effort to protect residents from the harmful effects on health caused by smoking.
From June 26th, Mayfield — which opened last September — will become a smoke-free zone, making the six-and-a-half acre park the most notable open garden in the city centre to ban people from lighting-up.
The new rules will also help protect the burgeoning wildlife that have begun to call the area home after it was transformed into a green oasis from former industrial wasteland, sandwiched between Mancunian Way and a railway line.
Park users who smoke will be asked to extinguish their cigarettes or cigars, and if they refuse to do so, will be asked to leave.
However, no fines will be issued for people who don’t abide by the new rules, as the change is not a law that can be enforced by public officials.
This is partly because Mayfield is not a council park, but instead a space the public can use, which has been built by joint public-sector and private business partnership.
As reported in The Manchester Evening News, staff who work on site will have a ‘friendly chat’ with smokers to ask them to ‘put it out’.
The decision has been brought in for the benefit of everyone using the park, and to protect the wildlife in the area, according to Laura Percy, Development Director, for LandsecU+I, which is leading the regeneration of Mayfield on behalf of the Mayfield Partnership.
“The park offers a beautiful space in the heart of the city for people to enjoy with many benefits to their health and wellbeing,” she said.
“Becoming a smoke-free park is a natural step that will only create a more enjoyable experience for many of our visitors and staff, as well as protect the park’s wildlife, waterways, and biodiversity.
“We will be working closely with Manchester City Council and NHS Greater Manchester to encourage and support people to refrain from smoking within the park when we go smoke-free next month.”
NHS chiefs have commended the decision, describing tobacco as one of the major drivers of Manchester’s dire health inequality problem.
Sarah Price, from NHS Greater Manchester, added: “As one of the greatest drivers of health inequalities, Greater Manchester has made enormous progress over the past few years to tackle tobacco harm and the impact of smoking across our most disadvantaged communities.
“As part of our commitment to achieving a smoke-free Greater Manchester by 2030, we continue to advocate for healthier, smoke-free environments, and welcome Mayfield Park as the most recent example of a cleaner, greener, healthier city region.”
Councillor Thomas Robinson, Executive Member for Health and Social Care, believes the move will also improve the health of other creatures nearby. “We hope that this is the first of many smoke-free public spaces for people to enjoy in the city,” he said.
“We’re a city of firsts, so I know that together Mancunians can and will deliver this ambition – because we know it’s the right thing to do.
“Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable disease in Manchester and cigarette litter causes significant damage to the environment, so it is brilliant news that visitors will be able to enjoy this wonderful, outdoor green space in a smoke-free setting.”
The park is just one element of a wave of development set to come to the area, with plans announced last November for a £400 million project to build two office buildings with 320,000 sq ft and a 581-space multi-storey car park, and further works expected.
News
Man arrested after mum pushing pram stabbed and killed in broad daylight
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder
Police have arrested a 25-year-old man wanted for the fatal stabbing of a woman while she was pushing her baby in a pram in Bradford.
Police have arrested a suspect, following the murder of Kulsuma Akter, 27. Akter was stabbed several times in the Westgate area of Bradford city centre on Saturday afternoon.
The mother was rushed to hospital, where despite the best efforts of medics, she sadly succumbed to her injuries. Her baby was unharmed in the incident.
It has also emerged that suspect, Habibur Masum, was on bail for assaulting and threatening to kill her at the time of the attack.
Masum was conditionally bailed by Manchester Magistrates’ Court in November, despite prosecutors objecting to his release, it is understood.
Court documents show Masum, whose address was listed as Oldham, Greater Manchester, was charged with assaulting Ms Akter on November 23rd and threatening to kill her on November 24th.
Both incidents are alleged to have happened in Greater Manchester. Police had previously confirmed the couple were known to each other but have not confirmed their relationship.
Masum attended a hearing on November, 27th 2023, where he pleaded not guilty to both offences and was ordered not to contact Ms Akter, it is understood.
His bail conditions also prevented him from contacting a second person, or visiting a particular address.
Greater Manchester Police has said it is supporting West Yorkshire Police with the ongoing murder investigation.
Both forces have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog over previous contact with Masum and Ms Akter.
Detective Superintendent Jude Holmes, from GMP Oldham district, said: “We share the shock and concern that our communities feel in the wake of this tragic incident, and our thoughts are with Kulsuma Akter’s family at this truly distressing time.
“Habibur Masum is wanted by West Yorkshire Police on suspicion of murder. Due to his links to Greater Manchester, we have our specialist officers following several lines of enquiry to locate him.
“I urge members of the public to remain vigilant, and if you have any information on his whereabouts, call 999 as a matter of urgency.
“Due to previous police contact with Habibur Masum and Kulsuma Akter, Greater Manchester Police has made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
Police have arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of murder. A 23-year-old man was also arrested in Cheshire on suspicion of assisting an offender.
News
Hunt for murder suspect after mum pushing pram killed in broad daylight
It is not clear whether is Masum is armed as police warn not to approach him
Police are searching for a man from Oldham after a mum was stabbed to death in Bradford while pushing her baby in a pram.
Habibur Masum, 25, is wanted over the attack which took place in the Westgate area of Bradford at 3.21pm on Saturday (April 6th).
The victim, a 27-year-old woman, suffered multiple stab wounds and was taken to hospital where she sadly died of her injuries, West Yorkshire Police said.
The force also confirmed the baby was not harmed in the attack as the public is warned not to approach Masum.
It is understood Masum was known to the victim although police have not confirmed their relationship at this time. A knife was found at the scene but it is unclear if he is armed.
Masum was pictured on CCTV wearing a grey hooded, zip-up coat with three large horizontal lines of grey, white and black on it, grey tracksuit bottoms with a black logo and burgundy trainers.
A witness also reported seeing him wearing a grey hoodie with the hood up shortly after the incident on Westgate, at the junction with Drewton Road.
Masum is from Oldham and is believed to have links to Burnley and Chester. He is described as an Asian man, of slim build.
Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson said: “We have had significant resources following up a number of lines of inquiry to locate Habibur Masum but at this time his whereabouts are unknown.
“I would urge anyone who does see him not to approach him but to call 999 immediately.”
She said the death of such a young woman in the ‘most awful circumstances’ will ‘understandably cause concern in the local community’.
Detective Chief Inspector Atkinson Added: “I would like to reassure the wider public that we are working tirelessly to investigate this horrendous crime and bring the person responsible to justice.
“To help us with this we are urging anyone who was in the area who may have dashcam footage or seen or heard something, however small it may seem, to please come forward.
“A scene remains in place which includes some road closures and I thank the public for their patience while we conduct our enquiries.”
News
Man arrested in murder investigation after human torso found in Salford nature reserve
A man in his 20s is being questioned by police
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a human torso was found wrapped in plastic in a nature reserve in Salford.
As detectives continue to investigate the discovery of human remains found by a passerby on Thursday, April 4th, a man in his 20s from Salford was taken into custody on Saturday evening for questioning, Greater Manchester Police say.
DNA testing is being carried out to determine the identity of the victim, who is believed to be a male ‘likely to be aged older than 40’ and ‘has only been deceased for a matter of days’, officers say.
GMP says it is conducting a thorough search of the area by utilising local officers and specialist branches including search dogs and assistance from underwater search teams, to help comb the site.
The force says although it has ‘not found anything else that is of interest to the investigation’, ‘work will not stop’ until it is certain the area has been thoroughly searched.
Chief Superintendent Tony Creely, of GMP’s Salford district, said: “The arrest we made yesterday evening is an important step for our investigation, but we must keep an open mind and a big part of this is speaking to anyone who may have crucial information.
“As we continue to work in the area, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their concern and cooperation so far, and we are mindful this is a disturbing incident for the local community, but I can assure you that since we were made aware, we’ve been pursuing every single line of enquiry to help us find out what has happened.
“I cannot stress the importance of people contacting us with information if they know anything at all. You may have information that you don’t feel is of importance, but it could be to us, please pass it on, it could be the key piece of information we need to progress this investigation.”
Anyone who thinks they may have witnessed something suspicious in the Kersal Dale area over the last few days is urged to call GMP on 101 and quoting log number 2695 of April, 4th 2024.
A dedicated portal for anyone to submit images or video footage which could help police can be found HERE.
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