It’s fast approaching midnight and I’m sitting outside a precinct bar in Royton
watching two men engaged in a somewhat homoerotic embrace
but they appear to be telling each other how much they love each other
but in this instance I have reasonable cause for concern: one of the men is my 25-year-old editor
and the other is a middle aged man who is struggling to stand unassisted
Two months ago the Oldham Chronicle published an article about Royton
and by undulating land at the foothills of the South Pennines
according to the town’s uncharacteristically florid Wikipedia entry
The news feature claimed that Royton is a great night out until it all kicks off
and it was titled as follows — Royton: It’s a great night out - until it all kicks off
The Oldham Chronicle has long been my favourite of the medium-town North-West hyper-local rags that it's strongly suggested that I comb through on my commute
but with this article they’d really outdone themselves
they told the story of a town on the turn — a town slowly creeping with “artisan breweries” and “bougie cafe-bars”
where new nightclubs spell an influx of alcohol-fuelled glassing incidents
and where startled residents scuffle out the reach of journalists “before popping hurriedly into PoundBakery”
was in my eyes missing the sort of hard-hitting journalism that only someone with absolutely no respect for traditional office hours and/or work-life balance could possibly provide
it was missing someone actually going out in Royton and seeing what the fuss was about
And so I suggested to my editor Jack that I go on a Big Night Out in Royton
to find out whether the town was really the party mecca that the papers would have you believe
and whether its new-found nightlife — and the rising popularity of a particularly infamous club called Bono — was casting a shadow of violence
A quick Google search of the hedonistic bars and clubs of Royton — Rumours
to name a few — reveals them all to be either on or within a 10-metre radius of Rochdale Road
centering around the junction where the road meets the precinct
Right on the corner of the two sits the infamous Bono
which has recently made such headlines as “Man glassed inside bar” in December of last year
and “Ugly brawl erupts outside popular nightspot as woman ‘dragged down street screaming’” as recently as February
The latter prompted the Oldham Chronicle piece
Bono has released a series of increasingly defensive statements on Facebook
claiming that they have been the victims of “misinformation”
stating that coverage of the violence was “one-sided”
and uploading a photo of seven bouncers outside the club with the caption “#safety #first”
Whether the news reports were accurate representations of Royton town centre or otherwise
Jack and I decide that we’re better off starting our night a few minutes further Rochdale-ward along the high street
at a Sam Smiths pub called the Junction Inn
A group sat directly at the entrance takes an immediate interest in us
their infant child who is strapped to a carrier about a metre away from the dart board
a drunk man in his 40s that we come to know as Shaun Reading
and an even drunker man in his 70s known only to us as ‘Mr Royton’
Shaun takes great pride in telling me he was born in Royton
His mother was so loyal to the town that she birthed him in her bedroom to avoid the indignity of an Oldham-born son
The group informs us that Oldham has recently “passed the baton” to Royton as the place-to-be — in fact
everyone at the table agrees they’d even rather a night out in Rochdale over Oldham these days
I speak for everyone here,” interrupts Mr Royton
“Do you know where’s the best place to go on a night out
Mr Royton drinks pints of Taddy Lager that he refers to only as pints of “full fat”
and between them he tells me about the history of Royton — how the town once consisted entirely of five council estates
a thriving nightlife in the town – and the violence that accompanies it – is far from unfamiliar
Royton once worked as the bouncer at the local nightclub
and he laughs while describing how during his tenure there he had his earlobe bitten off
he doesn’t deny that the nature of the aggression has changed in recent times
Mr Royton is referring to an incident in the town that occurred in May 2023
when a bouncer of a town-centre bar spotted two men covered in blood walking down the high street
one of them with a machete behind his back
Everyone at our table at the Junction Inn has a different theory from the other
Shaun claims that bars and clubs in Oldham are closing down — over six in 2023 alone — leaving Royton as the next best option
Mr Royton claims that Royton has always been the place to go
The men at the table complain loudly that the influx of cocktail and wine bars has tainted the town’s pub culture
while the women at the table whisper secretly to me about nice spots for prosecco when the men aren’t listening
I ask Mr Royton what his favourite cocktail is and he doesn’t dignify me with a response — instead opting for a series of invasive questions about my life
my hair and whether or not Jack and I are siblings
After a few pints and a challenge to a game of darts that I turn down even after they reluctantly agree to move the baby away from the board
Jack and I decide to head 100 or so metres down the road to the town centre
a bar that the Oldham Chronicle refers to as “a veteran Royton pub” — not one of the new and flashy bars that have recently invaded the high street
We find Rumours in the middle of an otherwise quiet precinct
packed to the brim with 30-to-50-somethings screaming Meatloaf lyrics and drinking pints out of plastics
and then pop out again to chat with the man on the door
and has been the bouncer at Rumours for two years now
Ralph chalks the reaction of newcomers down to their surprise at just how good Royton is
for a small bar in the precinct of a small town
currently playing famously creepy 2013 chart-topper ‘Blurred Lines’ by famously creepy singer Robin Thicke
Everyone in Rumours is quite evidently delighted to be there
Ralph agrees that Royton has become more popular
looking suspiciously at the four or five bouncers patrolling outside the still-quiet Bono
I pre-empt it.” Ralph had previously asked me and Jack for our IDs when we’d come in
Outside Rumours we get chatting to a man in his 40s called Mark
and he tells us that his go-to track is ‘Gold’ by Spandau Ballet
Mark points out the various options available to us
“There’s the pub where you can get cocktails or whatever,” he says pointing to Arumba — a rum bar
“My pub there is the dodgy one,” he says proudly
pointing further down the precinct at the Duke of Edinburgh
“and you’ve got your restaurants,” he adds
“which is nice for the girls.” Like many of the locals we speak to
Mark makes sure to add that Oldham is a “shithole”
insisting that the entire town is “badly run” and that “no one’s going and getting a taxi there
He is partial to the occasional night out in Rochdale however
“Royton’s a nice place to go with your mrs,” he says
“but Rochdale’s a nice place to go…” he trails off and eyes us both suspiciously
“not at all!” Shall me and him have a fight
but when Mark begins his eighth rendition of Chas and Dave’s Margate (made famous by Mark’s favourite show: Only Fools and Horses)
In stark contrast to the Junction Inn and Rumours where Jack and I were bringing the average age down by a decade or two
in Bono it seems that if I offer anyone a drink and start asking where they live
and the music consists entirely of house remixes of pop songs which you can’t dance to because your shoes have stuck to the floor
both because of the noise and because I would need their parents' consent
so I will simply tell you in short: the place does not appear
As it’s considerably past our bedtime at this point
and because I can only take so much Sean Paul
Jack and I decide it might be time to end our Big Night Out in Royton here
Conservative councillor Lewis Quigg said that more needed to be done to keep violent behaviour in Royton in check — specifically suggesting that the GMP “get a grip”
The bouncer at Rumours told me that he hadn’t seen violence in Royton for at least six weeks
Perhaps the most interesting thing about our visit to the town is that
while evidently new clubs have brought an influx of youngsters
the existing bars remain essentially unaffected
The Junction Inn drinkers — only a few hundred yards from the bacchanalia of Bono — tell me the changes haven’t reached that far
And rather than feeling an atmosphere of violence
everywhere we went in Royton was unusually welcoming — they didn’t even seem to mind about Jack being a southerner or anything like that
between calling my hometown of Todmorden both “posh” and “shit” and telling me my fringe makes me look like a child: “You don’t come to Royton
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You are Here: Home » News » Main News » Royal British Legion branch mark VE Day at Royton Cricket Club
Royton Cricket Club welcomed the Royton branch of the Royal British Legion
Royton Cricket Club welcomed the Royton branch of the Royal British Legion yesterday (Saturday) to hold a short service before a cricket match
Ahead of with Royton CC first XI's game with Flowery Field
the band and everyone inside the ground commemorated Victory in Europe Day
with Major Edward Hardacker presenting the match ball
Bar Chairman and local councillor Lewis Quigg
said: "It was an incredibly poignant day and extremely special occasion to mark the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe
"The Tame Valley Brass band also played a selection of music from the era as well as the British Grenadiers
"A special thanks must go to the Royton Branch of the Royal British Legion
as this is a first for a local cricket club locally outside of Remembrance week."
© Oldham Chronicle - all rights reserved
RESIDENTS are being encouraged to give their backing to a new banking hub in Royton
The town has lost all of its high street banks
meaning a trip to Oldham town centre for customers to access banking services
so Royton Post Office and a local councillor are clubbing together to seek community support for a hub which sees representatives from different banks in the same place on different days
together with Royton North’s councillor Lewis Quigg
have been collecting as many survey signatures as possible to help make it happen
“If you don’t want to fill in a survey straight away or are pushed for time
then you can collect one from the Post Office in Royton and drop it off at your convenience,” said Cllr Quigg
Royton has lost all its high street banks and we are now attempting to get a review to see if we can get a banking hub in Royton
Banking hubs – which have opened across the country – are a shared space on the high street that can be used by customers of different major banks
They offer a counter service where people and businesses can withdraw and deposit cash
as well as talk about more complex issues on the day their bank is in the hub
Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon has previously expressed his support for the return of local banking services
as a way of sustaining high streets and town centres
Between five and six million adults are estimated to rely on cash in their daily lives
The Government has set a target to roll out 350 banking hubs by 2029
with 230 expected to be open by the end of this year
You are Here: Home » News » Main News » Residents urged to sign up and support Royton banking hub bid
his team at Royton Post Office and Royton North Councillor Lewis Quigg are collecting as many surveys as possible to get a review of banking services in Royton
with the aim of bringing a banking hub to the area.
Shared banking services are opening across the country
On High Streets where bank branches have closed
they are helping people and businesses deposit and withdraw cash
spent a morning collecting several surveys and need as many people as possible to sign up
Councillor Quigg said: "If you don't want to fill in a survey straight away or are pushed for time then you can collect one from the Post Office in Royton and drop it off at your convenience
and we are now attempting to get a review to see if we can get a banking hub in Royton
A PARK in Royton will close over a couple of days to enable ITV crews to film scenes for a drama series
Oldham Council has confirmed that the closure will impact Tandle Hill Park
for filming of the second season of ‘After the Flood’
the car park at Tandle Hill Road will be closed from 7am on the Monday until filming is complete
all access routes to the park will be shut off
Signs will be placed at park entrances in advance to notify visitors
The local authority is warning local residents that some filming will involve fire effects and quad bikes
which is part of the production and will be carefully managed with security in place
You are Here: Home » News » Main News » New bar coming to Royton with glass pavilion-style seating
The Latte Lounge Coffee House on Rochdale Road will be transformed into a nightlife venue after receiving the greenlight from Oldham Council
A new bar with a conservatory-style seating area is coming to Royton
The Latte Lounge Coffee House on Rochdale Road will be transformed into a nightlife venue after receiving the greenlight from Oldham Council.
The former cafe was taken over by Mr Cemal Budak and Mr Veysi Ugur earlier this year
who also own popular food and drinks venue Istanblue on the same road
As part of a refurbishment of the old venue
the new owners will be adding a new glazed extension to the rear of the building
which will become the ‘real selling point’ of the venue
“It’s going to spice things up in the local area,” Mr Ugur went on
it’ll be a chilled-out place to socialise
"We’ll be able to open and close the roof of the outdoor area in the summer
so people can enjoy their food and coffee out there.”
Though the bar will have to close the conservatory from 9pm due to fears of noise disturbances
The ‘bistro and lounge’ is in a ‘sustainable location’ with ‘excellent public transport links’ and a nearby public car park
The venue neighbours two businesses and backs on to a car park
meaning there is a buffer between the building and residential homes backing onto Park Street.
An officer report notes that a consultation letter was sent out to neighbours and no objections were received.
Speculation has been swirling around the site since the cafe’s sudden closure earlier this year
Some took to social media to complain Royton was turning into a ‘mini Vegas’ after spotting the consultation documents posted in the cafe window.
“I’d rather have a hundred bars than boarded up empty properties,” one resident commented
and trade for the other businesses in Royton
The venue will also provide new employment for the area
You are Here: Home » News » Main News » Royton man selling ultra rare set of coins for £20,000
Some of Eric Thompson's coins from the sale listing
A man from Royton is selling his 'ultra rare' collection of 50p's
£2 coins and 10p coins on eBay for £20,000
Eric Thompson's sale listing - described as 'a once in a lifetime opportunity' for a potential new owner - includes a complete set of Olympic Games 50p pieces that are rare individually
which has the lowest amount minted making it the most sort after coins in circulation
A full set of Paddington Bear and Beatrix Potter 50p coins is being sold
as are an ultra rare £2 coin collection
which includes four Commonwealth Games coins and a full set of rare RAF James Cook and Wedgewood uncirculated £2 coins
Also there is a complete set of uncirculated 10p coins with the alphabet on
more than 300 individual coins are listed - there are no duplicates and they are described as 'an absolute must for collectors or investors'
The collection is now on sale for £20,000
You can take a look for yourself by clicking the eBay link here
Eric has been collecting coins for over 10 years
© Oldham Chronicle - all rights reserved.
families and members of the community gathered to pay their respects.A memorial service has taken place to remember almost 500 babies and adults found buried in two unmarked graves
The "horrendous" burial site, in Royton Cemetery, Oldham
contained the bodies of 303 babies - many who had been stillborn - alongside 27 adults
It was discovered in the summer by a woman looking for the final resting place of her twin brothers who died 62 years ago
The "heartfelt" celebration took place at the town's St Paul's Church and was organised by independent councillor Maggie Hurley
"The fact that these babies were taken from these mothers - many of them never ever held them - they were taken
just forget about it and then put into mass graves like this is a social injustice on a level I can never imagine," she said
that other local authorities will do the same
"The question has been asked in Westminster and it will be asked again
as previous governments to recognise and accept this horrible social injustice
"No one is pointing the finger at anybody
but what these relatives and mothers need is acceptance
they need to know where their babies are."
The babies buried in the graves had not been registered by authorities
and it was only when a ledger was uncovered by Oldham Council
following work by Ms Hurley and her fellow councillor Jade Hughes
they were able to publish the records and inform families
Amanda Cawdron was one of the first to uncover the site while looking for her twin brothers
"I want to come together with the community and those parents and siblings who recently found their babies in the grave," she said
and it's taken until this last couple of months to actually find them and I think this is a great opportunity to take some time
think about these babies and those that lie with them and to hold close our families."
some transparency and some compassion and sensitivity about how we share the process of what took place and how we reassure people they're there and they're listening and how we find those babies."
She echoed calls for the government to formally recognise "this practice took place" and urged them to consider a national memorial
"I'd like an apology for those parents
and then I'd like some transparency for what took place
why did my mother and all those parents have babies taken away from them," she said
"One of my brothers live for five hours
and what's really sad is the grief process around that was taken away."
She added: "I was relieved at first when I found the twins
and then that quickly turned into anger because they're in a local cemetery which is a stone's throw away from where I live
my parents are buried in that cemetery and we've walked through the cemetery many
"But I think you have to turn that into something positive and look at how we can improve the process for people to find their babies and make sure we have got people there that can advise and help and show people how to find them."
Sands is a stillbirth and neonatal death charity. Founded in 1978, Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it, wherever they are in the UK.
Call: 0808 164 3332Email: helpline@sands.org.uk
Back to topTommy's Tommy’s funds research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, and provides pregnancy health information to parents.
Back to topThe Lullaby Trust The Lullaby Trust raises awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), provides expert advice on safer sleep for babies and offers emotional support for bereaved families.
Call:0808 802 6868Email: support@lullabytrust.org.uk
Back to topChild Bereavement UK Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, and also when a child is facing bereavement.
Call: 0800 02 888 40Email: helpline@childbereavementuk.org
Back to topPetals Petals is a baby loss counselling charity, which provides specialist counselling for parents who have experienced baby loss across the UK.
Call: 0300 688 0068Email: counselling@petalscharity.org
Back to topAching Arms Aching Arms helps and supports people when they’ve experienced the heartbreak of losing a baby during pregnancy, at birth or soon after.
Call: 07464 508994 Email: support@achingarms.co.uk
Back to topMemorial benches and plinths are being placed in Oldham cemeteries to remember babies
children and adults who were buried in unmarked graves
Plinths – each inscribed with a poignant verse – and benches where relatives and friends can sit peacefully with their thoughts
will be installed at seven council burial sites
stillborns were taken away from families and not given any details of where they were buried
Medical staff would tell bereaved parents their children would be buried alongside "a nice person"
but instead the babies were laid to rest in mass graves
Oldham Council is also offering emotional support to relatives who have recently found out loved ones were buried without tributes
which brought this issue to public attention
have been available to research for some time and Council staff have supported many families to locate their loved ones over the years
Anyone can search for their deceased relative by using the link on the council website
was first opened in 1924 and the last burial took place in 1972
the records for the Royton public graves have now all been digitalised
and work is ongoing for the other records to also be put on line
Families searching for their relatives will need to know the surname and approximate date of death
Families can also find this information by contacting the Cemetery Office at Hollinwood on 0161 681 1312 or via env.cemeteries@oldham.gov.uk where the records are held in written burial books
When stillborn babies were buried in Oldham the surname of the parent/s were used to record the burial
You are Here: Home » News » Main News » Council newspaper 'nobody wanted' is slammed
A Royton Councillor has slammed Oldham Council for spending £48,180 a year on a Council newspaper 'nobody wanted'
dubbing it 'Have I Got Arooj For You'
Royton North Councillor Lewis Quigg said: "With Council tax going up it is utterly scandalous that the Council is wasting taxpayers money on a newspaper."
The Councillor noted in a Facebook post that 'the same cash equivalent could
cleaned 3,212 gullies/grids and employed two bin men'
Councillor Quigg added: "Local news brands face greater market pressures and competition
yet the Council produce a vanity newspaper - or 'Have I Got Arooj For You'
"It features the Leader of the Council eight times in photos and nine times in quotes out of a total of eight pages
Then find out more at a special Open Day at Royton Town Hall
March 27 runs from 11am to 7pm to promote the local services and support available from Oldham Council and partner agencies
get answers to your questions and discover ways to succeed and feel supported in your journey
Whether you are seeking support or just curious about what is available in the area
this event is the perfect opportunity to get involved and discover everything you need
The event is also a chance to see the restored Royton Town Hall
which was recently renovated to breathe new life into the building and create a welcoming
It now has an improved library area and better community rooms
as well as a space for a local business to launch
You are Here: Home » News » Main News » Controversial AirBnB plans rejected after ‘comments war’ and fears hotel would ‘completely decimate’ Royton neighbourhood
Oldham Council decided the new use would lead to an ‘unacceptable’ loss of privacy
increased noise and loss of parking amenities for residents
after receiving a total of 24 objections on their online portal
Plans to turn a house in Royton into a controversial Airbnb have been rejected after the application sparked a ‘comments war’ online
Mohammed Mahmood asked for retrospective planning permission to lease out his four-bed property on Rochdale Road.
But neighbours complained the ‘quiet
well-thought-of area’ near Tandle Hill Country Park would be ‘decimated’ by the holiday let business due to noise and parking concerns.
which is still being advertised as a ‘whole property let’ for up to 12 people on Airbnb.co.uk despite the decision
has already been subject to a number of noise complaints according to council officers.
Oldham Council decided the new use would lead to an ‘unacceptable’ loss of privacy
after receiving a total of 24 objections on their online portal.
was ‘dismayed and upset’ by the plans
claiming they had ‘never felt unsafe [in the area] until now’ and were worried about anti-social behaviour by guests.
“This domestic dwelling is not set in a tourist hot-spot,” wrote another
claiming that neighbours had already had ‘abusive run-ins’ with tradespeople renovating the home.
But the proposal also received 12 comments of support
including one submitted by Mr Mahmood himself
which sparked a back-and-forth on Oldham’s planning portal
Supporters claimed the project ‘would be one of the best things to come to the area’ and took aim at ‘saddening hate comments’.
Mr Mahmood himself claimed he was being ‘targeted’ and other commenters were ‘lying’.
He said: “I have been nothing but respectful
loving and kind and in return you’ve made it clear that you do not want me there.”
all submitted over the span of three days after Mr Mahmood’s comment
prompted suspicion by locals who suspected there was ‘something strange’ going on.
A number of claims made in Mr Mahmood’s comment
such as that he would only ever be renting out to two tenants at a time and would be present at the property – at odds with his listing on AirBnB – were questioned by the council
But the homeowner ‘gave no further information’
Under new HMO rules brought in by the last government
AirBnBs that let out for more than 90 days a year now require planning permission from local councils
You are Here: Home » News » Main News » Air cadets light up annual opening of Royton bowling green
The evening was made perfect by the 1855 Royton Air Cadets and their brass band performance
Bowling and Running Club held its annual opening of the bowling green
which was this year graced by the 1855 Royton Air Cadets.
Despite the heavy rain they performed and marched impeccably to a full house of spectators
A huge thanks must go to our Lady President
for opening the bowling green for 2025 and providing some fantastic food
What a great start to the season and volunteers hope to see you all at the club this year
A mass grave containing the bodies of almost 300 children and babies has been uncovered in a town's cemetery
The unmarked burial site in Royton Cemetery, Oldham
128 babies and young children and 29 adults
Royton Independent councillors Ms Hurley and Ms Hughes said they were "profoundly affected" by the "heartbreaking revelation"
The discovery was made by a woman from the local area who was searching for the last resting place of her twin brothers
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the councillors said: "It's a stark injustice that parents were denied the fundamental right to bury their babies
a right that should be inherent and unquestionable
"This situation should stir our collective sense of fairness and empathy."
It is also believed the burying place may not be the only one in Royton Cemetery
The councillors say there was one in the Catholic area
It is also believed the burying place may not be the only one in Royton Cemetery. Credit: Google MapsThe Royton Independents are urging Oldham Borough Council to "recognise the loss and suffering in the past and present"
has called for the council to erect a memorial at the site where the children
It also suggests records and documents about the burials should be made more accessible and digitalised
"We cannot change what has happened," the councillors added
"But we can ensure that the babies born sleeping are named
said they will be "consider the suggestion being made" with a "matter of urgency"
adding the grave is not "newly discovered"
“Our staff are here to support any families who think they may be affected," he said
in unmarked graves happened in graveyards all around the country years ago
things have changed and improved over the years
The Government now pay for the funerals of stillborn babies and anyone up to the age of 18 if necessary
when a request is made for burial in a public grave
the arrangements are usually made by the relevant hospital via a funeral director
"Often the hospital chaplaincy organises the burial or cremation of the individual
“The council cemeteries staff also works with the funeral director and carry out the expressed wishes
"The hospital and ourselves keep records of the burial
which can be located by families whenever they want
the family can make their own arrangements for burial in an individual grave plot via a funeral director and would install their own memorial.”
said it could offer advice and support to anyone trying to find out where their baby was
Sands' Director of Bereavement Support
said: "The discovery of the mass grave in Oldham is absolutely heartbreaking and especially so for anyone who thinks that their baby may be buried there
"Sands is here to offer emotional support to anyone in Oldham and across the UK who has been affected by this upsetting news
We are thinking of all bereaved parents and families and their babies at this very sad time
"We know that parents never forget their babies
We are often contacted by bereaved parents whose baby died many years ago and who now want to find out what happened to their baby’s body
"Although Sands cannot trace babies' graves we can offer advice and support to anyone who is trying to find out where their baby or the baby of a family member may be buried
Please don't hesitate to get in touch with Sands."
OUTDOOR learning will take on a whole new dimension for a Royton primary school which has had a welcome makeover
St Paul’s Primary has opened two new outdoor areas which it says will help children flourish and enhance their learning
These are the Genesis play area – where children with special educational needs can play and socialise alongside mainstream pupils – and The Ark outdoor classroom
Among the special guests at a celebration attended by 250 children in the winter sunshine were Oldham Athletic footballer Mike Fondop
Deputy Mayoress Kath Moores and Councillor Mohon Ali
“These are absolutely brilliant additions to the school that will enhance children’s learning,” said Cllr Ali
“It is great to see that all the work that has gone into developing these outdoor areas has paid off and I’m sure that the children at St Paul’s will receive a lot of enjoyment from using them to learn and play together.”
The Genesis area was built on a formerly overgrown area
with capital funding allocated by the Government
to help maintain and improve the condition of school buildings and grounds
It will be used to help boost gross motor skills in a safe environment for children in the Hindle Drive school’s additional resource provision
named The Vine because all classes at St Paul’s are named after plants and flowers with an ethos of growing together
“They needed somewhere safe where they’ve got supportive staff and mixing with mainstream children,” said headteacher Hilary Henderson
“We’re very pleased that we’re able to have this for these children
We applied last year and had the area cleared over summer holidays
We named it Genesis because it is the start of where inclusion can really flourish
for learning and for social interaction and the types of physical activity they may not otherwise get.”
The school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) have fundraised for The Ark over six years
raising £11,000 with events including discos
The Ark has been built on the school grounds as a sheltered area for children to use at break and lunch times
said: “It’s an outdoor classroom and also a safe place for the children to shelter and sit and socialise together
It is something that we have wanted for a long time.”
You are Here: Home » News » Main News » String of Royton burglaries - man charged and handed court date
The charges are a result of an investigation into several burglaries of outbuildings and properties in Royton between August and September
A male has been charged in connection with burglaries across the Royton area of Oldham
Shane Mills (aged 31) of Travis Court has been charged with two counts of burglary in dwelling with intent to steal and two counts of burglary other than a dwelling with intent to steal
He has been remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court on Friday
These charges are a result of an investigation into several burglaries of outbuildings and properties between August and September 2024
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The discovery was made by a woman who was looking for her twin brothers who died in 1962
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A mass grave containing more than 300 bodies has been uncovered in an Oldham cemetery.
The majority of the bodies belonged to stillborn babies and children and were found in a 12x12ft grave in Royton Cemetery in the Greater Manchester town.
Local councillors said they were discovered by a woman looking for her twin brothers who died in 1962, with one stillborn and the other dying within five hours of birth.
Cllr Maggie Hurley said she was told to meet by the grave with a caretaker carrying a big gold ledger with the names of the deceased.
She has since found another four mass graves with hundreds more dead children. One in a Catholic area, another in a non-conformist area, and one in the Church of England section leaving the question how many other unnamed babies remain in unmarked graves across the country.
The unnamed woman looking for her brothers was told one of them was definitely in the first mass grave but “was not alone”. She is still looking for her other brother.
She was told they were probably “top and tailed them in the box” when they were buried in the 1960s.
Cllr Hurley told The Independent: “This is the biggest thing I have ever faced as a councillor. I’ve gone through every emotion from anger to hate – to absolute devastation.
“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. There was a ‘glitch in the system’ as to why the records hadn’t been put up online. Hearing about what happened to these people is just harrowing.
“I went down with three sisters yesterday who had found their brother. They were told by their parents he was buried in a coffin with a ‘nice lady’. But he was in a mass grave with 303 bodies.
“There are no dividers between boxes, they weren’t given coffins. They just butted up next to each other. When that level was filled, there was a piece of wood put over the top of a load of soil ready for the next level. All the way to the top. The last stillborn child that was put in the mass grave was in 1987.”
“They [the sisters] came yesterday to put flowers down, they were absolutely devastated,” she added. “They said they haven’t been able to sleep or process what is happening.”
She said she had been contacted by “countless” families looking for their relatives since raising the issue and is asking for commemorative plaques to be put up.
In a statement, Ms Hurley and fellow Royton Independent councillor Jade Hughes said: “It’s a stark injustice that parents were denied the fundamental right to bury their babies, a right that should be inherent and unquestionable. This situation should stir our collective sense of fairness and empathy.”
Further checks found the mass grave contained 303 bodies made up of 146 stillborn babies, 128 babies and young children, and 29 adults.
They said the woman who found the grave was left “in tears” following the discovery and left her “feeling a profound sense of loss and injustice”.
“Imagine the shock and disbelief when our resident discovered that her brothers shared a mass grave with 303 bodies in Royton Cemetery,” they said, adding she needed emotional and practical help to cope with the trauma.
They added: “Only 147 names were online, and 156 names were missing; since we brought this to the attention of the staff at Hollinwood Cemetery, this has now been rectified, and all information for Royton Cemetery is up to date.”
The statement concluded: “We cannot change what has happened, but we can ensure that the babies born sleeping are named, recognised, and never forgotten.”
Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said councillors would “consider the suggestion being made” with a “matter of urgency”, adding the grave is not “newly discovered”.
“Sadly, the burying of people, including babies and children, in unmarked graves happened in graveyards all around the country years ago,” Cllr Shah added.
“Thankfully, things have changed and improved over the years. The government now pay for the funerals of stillborn babies and anyone up to the age of 18 if necessary. Public graves are no longer used.
“The council cemeteries staff also works with the funeral director and carry out the expressed wishes. The hospital and ourselves keep records of the burial, which can be located by families whenever they want.
“Alternatively, the family can make their own arrangements for burial in an individual grave plot via a funeral director and would install their own memorial.”
According to stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands, parents of stillborn babies and those who died in childbirth were not traditionally consulted about funeral arrangements until the mid-1980s.
“Before then, parents were not usually involved and many were not told what happened to their baby’s body,” the charity said.
In many cases, it added, stillborn babies were buried in a shared grave with other babies.
“Some parents who have tried to trace the grave or cremation record of a baby who died some time ago have been successful,” the charity said.
Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it, wherever they are in the UK. Call 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@sands.org.uk for more information or support
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Stillborn babies were found in unmarked graves at Royton Cemetery in Oldham, Greater Manchester