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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Former police station in Manchester goes up for sale for £165,000 - but there's a VERY creepy catch
A chilling slice of British history is up for grabs as a 'creepy' former police station is up for sale for £165,000. The historic property dating back to 1887, which was formerly Marple's local police station in Stockport, Manchester, has been listed on Rightmove and is being sold via online auction. Steeped in history and brimming with character, the property, which currently has no electricity supply, benefits from approved planning permission to be transformed into a unique two-bedroom home. While the property has the potential to be a decent restoration project for the right person, it's not for the faint of heart. The disused station still features original cell doors, an interrogation room, barred windows, and questionable stains smeared across the walls. This eerie, timeworn building comes complete with what some believe is 'smeared poo' on the walls and chilling cells that could easily be 'haunted' according to one TikToker. Jack Bushrod, who runs the TikTok account @housinghorrors, found the whole layout 'really creepy'. In a clip, which racked up over 65,000 views, he claimed he has never seen a property 'quite like it'. He said: 'Safe to say I would never want to be locked up in this place. You would never bloody come out here. He went into some detail on what the property looks like, with a 'toilet in the background' and what 'looks like someone's smeared poo on the bloody wall'. However, as Jack went on to say that as you 'manoeuvre through the property, it gets worse and worse'. He added: 'Honestly, it looks bad when it's abandoned. That hasn't been touched in years. And no wonder it's going for just £165,000. 'I don't wanna know what kind of criminals have been inside that house. Honestly, it just feels really creepy, really eerie.' However many rushed to the comments and were impressed with the quirky property. One person said: 'Thing is, if you've got the time & money that could probably be a nice house.' Another added: 'Would make an interesting Airbnb!' However many rushed to the comments and were impressed with the quirky property Someone else said: 'I think its cute i like it, lots of potential for cute cottage vibes.' A fourth added: 'It's deffo haunted.' Despite its rather grim current condition, including stained walls and rusting bars, it offers a rare chance to own a piece of history- if you're willing to look past the creepy décor. The Rightmove listing states: 'The proposed floor plan includes converting the property into a two storey home with an entrance hall, an open-plan living kitchen area, a downstairs WC, and two generously sized bedrooms, both with en-suite bathrooms. 'Externally, the property enjoys a decorative garden that wraps around the front, side, and rear, with the added advantage of off-road parking at the back. 'Proposed layout includes entrance hall, open-plan kitchen/living area, and downstairs WC. Off-road parking space located at the rear.'
Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Nihal Arthanayake: The BBC is not fit for purpose, I'm quitting to do stand-up
Over the past decade Nihal Arthanayake has established himself as one of our best interviewers, his attentive, well-researched encounters with stars such as Billy Connolly, Elton John and Liam Gallagher making his BBC 5 Live shows and podcasts appointment listening. As a radio presenter he stayed cool in the hot seat during the 7/7 attacks and on the day the Queen died, and he has won two Sony awards, once the most prestigious in radio. Yet Arthanayake, 54, has just resigned from the BBC after 23 years and on Saturday he makes his debut as a stand-up comedian. As career changes go, that's some left turn. He says it's less the product of a midlife crisis, as he joked on social media, than boredom with the job and dissatisfaction with the BBC. 'I couldn't be happy there any more,' he says, having repeatedly criticised the corporation for its lack of diversity. 'I do feel that the BBC is in an existential crisis, especially BBC News.' More on that later. A bigger factor, Arthanayake says, speaking at his home in Stockport, Greater Manchester, is that 'I've spent most of my life in a radio studio in front of a microphone on my own. I no longer feel any challenge in broadcasting'. The thought of doing stand-up is 'terrifying', he admits, and 'saying goodbye to £145,000 a year' isn't far behind, 'but I've got this bizarre optimism that it will all be OK'. That's partly because all of his other career switches have turned out pretty well. Born and raised in Harlow, Essex, by Sri Lankan parents, he started out in the late Eighties as a rapper called MC Krayzee A, going on to work with the likes of Fun-Da-Mental and Panjabi MC. After that he was a publicist for musicians including his future interviewee Elton John and Mos Def, then a music journalist for The Face and Mixmag, and a television presenter on BBC2, Channel 4 and MTV. On BBC Radio he has moved from Radio 1 to the Asian Network to 5 Live. In 2022 he published a book, Let's Talk, a guide to having better conversations. 'It's a kind of creative ADHD,' he says. 'What's next, what's next, what's next?' Although his stand-up experience is limited to a few minutes on one of his radio shows, he says he is expected to be funny when he hosts events. At one he roasted Sadiq Khan, the London mayor. 'I said, 'There goes Sadiq Khan, the son of a bus driver — although you'd never know it because he never mentions it.'' Arthanayake's comedy heroes include David Letterman, Dave Chappelle and Romesh Ranganathan, whom he admires 'not just because he's a friend and Sri Lankan. To make his journey to the epicentre of mainstream consciousness is not to be underestimated'. Ranganathan has also proved that there are transferable skills between radio and stand-up. 'Radio does teach you to be very quick, especially the phone-ins,' Arthanayake says, so he hopes he can handle hecklers. Confidence is all. When he takes to the stage at the Battersea Arts Centre at the weekend he will do what he does when hosting corporate events: try to be like Jimmy Fallon and the other big American talk show hosts. 'Those guys come on stage and they're just like, 'Everybody loves me,'' he says. And if they don't love him, well, he's had far worse. 'I covered for Chris Moyles on Radio 1 Breakfast once over Christmas and the hatred on the text machine …' he recalls. More recently he has been 'at the centre of media storms. People have said they wanted to kill me, accused me of being anti-white and a race-baiter'. Having weathered that kind of abuse, he says: 'I can't think of many things that would make me crumble. Maybe I'm fooling myself and [comedy] will be hideous, but I almost want to know what that's like to die on stage, because I'll only get better.' Those media storms often stemmed from Arthanayake's criticism of the lack of diversity at BBC North in Manchester, where he moved to from London nine years ago with his Sri Lankan-American wife, Eesha, and their son and daughter, who are teenagers. 'I didn't see anyone who looked like me and it's as much about class as it is about colour — and faith,' he says. 'I've been told by a number of people of colour who work in production, even presenters, how marginalised they felt at BBC North.' He 'utterly concurs' with Gary Lineker's comment that the corporation 'tries to appease the people that hate the BBC … rather than worry about the people that love the BBC'. Arthanayake pauses. 'I'm going to get myself in trouble here,' he says. 'I don't think it can be solved with the current leadership — I don't think they're fit for purpose. BBC News is ultimately at the heart of the BBC's trust — no one's looking at impartiality with Traitors or Strictly. Its trust derives from its ability to communicate truth and hold power to account, and it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt when it comes to the BBC's coverage of Israel and Gaza it has failed to do that,' he believes. • Don't call the countryside racist, says presenter — it's for everyone He has never had a meeting with anyone at the top, he says. 'The impression given to me by people within 5 Live was almost as if colonial missives were sent from London.' If he could speak to Tim Davie, the director-general, he says he would ask him what programmes he's ever made. 'It would be remiss of me to shut up [about diversity] but it comes with a cost,' Arthanayake says. 'In some sections of the BBC I'm persona non grata and I'm comfortable with that because they're not my friends.' He won't have a leaving do, he says. 'What's the point?' Having made his feelings clear about the BBC management, 'I wouldn't want to have a drink with any of them'. There is plenty else on his plate, notably writing a book on integration, an important subject, he says, because 'I'm a minority and I fear that one day the majority will turn on me'. He is also interviewing musicians on a podcast for a record label. First, though, is that stand-up debut. It's part of the Sri Lankan Culture Collective Festival, so he will tailor his material to a diaspora audience. When he hosts the Asian Business awards he gets everyone to point at the richest person on their table, which always gets a 'massive laugh'. Has he invited Ranganathan? 'Hell no! He would be so supportive but I would spend the entire time on stage watching him taking selfies with people.' When he announced his career change on social media, the comedian Doc Brown wrote simply: 'Welcome to hell.' Yet Arthanayake's chutzpah is undented and he hopes this show is the first of many. 'At the risk of sounding like someone who sits on a football terrace and says, 'I could do better than that,' there are some stand-ups I've interviewed, or seen, who I don't think are very good. I think I'm funnier.' Judging by his last few careers, he may well be right. Nihal Arthanayake appears at the Sri Lankan Culture Collective Festival, Battersea Arts Centre, London, on July 26 (
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
England vs India: Cricket fans miss match start in 'shameful' queues
Crowds of frustrated cricket fans have described "shameful scenes" getting into Old Trafford for the start of England's test match clash with are currently 2-1 up in the five-test series, which resumed earlier and saw India surge to over spectators told how they had missed the start of play, with Andrew from Marple, Stockport, saying the match-day organisation needed a "radical overhaul", while Kevin Ticehurst said the queue to get in was "five miles long in either direction".Lancashire County Cricket Club has apologised and said it would be looking at increasing the number of gates for the rest of the match, but also pointed out thousands of fans had arrived "very late". A club representative said: "We are aware that some supporters experienced queues this morning, which we apologise for. "We saw nearly 9,000 supporters arrive at the ground very late despite encouraging early arrival, with all bags subject to searches on entry."The club will be looking at increasing the number of gates. "We strongly encourage ticket buyers to only bring bags if required, and if doing so to arrive as early as possible."Gates will be open at 9am for the rest of the game." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Sheff Utd sign Aston Villa forward Barry on loan
Sheffield United have signed Aston Villa forward Louie Barry on a season-long loan 22-year-old played under Blades boss Ruben Selles in an injury-curtailed loan spell with Hull City last started the 2024-25 campaign on loan in League One with Stockport and scored 15 goals in 23 league games for the Hatters."The first time I had conversations about it, I just couldn't wait to come here," he told the club website., external"The season is three weeks away, and I know we have a couple of friendlies before, but I am just buzzing to get started."Barry is the Championship side's second signing of the day after teenage Septemvri Sofia defender Anton Polendakov joined for an undisclosed 18-year-old has represented Bulgaria up to Under-21 Blades have not revealed the length of contract Polendakov has signed.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
World Matchplay Darts: Full Tuesday schedule as Gary Anderson and Stephen Bunting clash
James Wade and Luke Humphries' slayer are also on a tasty Tuesday card in Blackpool for the second biggest tournament in the sport In-form Gary Anderson is back and firing as he looks to win a second Betfred World Matchplay title. The Scottish star goes head-to-head with Stephen Bunting in a brilliant second-round tie which headlines Tuesday's darts action. Anderson has this week already hit out at the "boring" young darts stars who lack the banter of the big beasts from yesteryear. But back to the action. Blackpool has already seen some major names go out of the £800,000 event with Luke Humphries ' first-game exit a stunner. Seeds such as Rob Cross and Dave Chisnall have followed Cool Hand out of the door leaving Luke Littler as the strong title favourite. Tuesday four ties sees multiple World Champions take to the stage and Record Sport takes you through the quartet of crackerjack encounters. Sit back, strap yourselves in and enjoy! SCHEDULE OF PLAY (7PM) Gian Van Veen vs Danny Noppert Van Veen dethroned reigning champion Humphries on the opening night. The World No.1 was bidding to become the fourth player in World Matchplay history to retain the iconic Phil Taylor Trophy, but the young Dutchman had too many guns and an out a 10-8 winner to register his first victory at the venue. Noppert had an easier passage as he dispatched an out-of-sorts Cameron Menzies, racing into a 7-0 lead before wrapping up a comprehensive 10-2 success. The pair were partners for Netheherlands at last month's World Cup. Wessel Nijman v James Wade Nijman delivered a nerveless display on his World Matchplay debut fending off a valiant mid-game fightback from Nathan Aspinall. The Dutch kid's surprise win over the Stockport star set-up a huge clash with 2007 champion Wade, who reaffirmed his title credentials in a 10-3 demolition of 2023 semi-finalist Joe Cullen. Wade, featuring in his 20th consecutive World Matchplay campaign, recorded his highest ever average on the Winter Gardens stage averaging almost 105. Stephen Bunting vs Gary Anderson Anderson made a sprint for the finish in his clash against Luke Woodhouse rattling off five legs on the spin from 5-5 to set up a blockbuster showdown with fourth seed Bunting. The Scotsman struggled for fluency in the opening exchanges, although he produced a masterclass on the outer ring, pinning 67 percent of his attempts at double to get his title tilt underway. Bunting, who overcame a sluggish start to see off Ryan Joyce for the second straight year in round one. The Scouser required a tie-break to topple Joyce 12 months ago, but, despite surrendering an 8-4 cushion, the World No.4 responded with a brilliant 11-darter to advance. Jonny Clayton vs Mike De Decker Clayton, who was runner-up in 2023, defied a 103 average from Martin Schindler to extend the German's winless run in Blackpool, rounding off a clinical display to wrap up a 10-7 success. De Decker celebrated his first victory on the Winter Gardens stage converting back-to-back 104 and 148 checkouts to complete a 10-7 victory over five-time quarter-finalist Chisnall. The World Grand Prix champion trailed 7-6 at one stage before rattling off four successive legs to set up his meeting with fifth-seed Clayton. Remaining schedule Wednesday July 23 (7pm) Second Round x4 - Match Order TBC Littler v Wattimena Gilding v Van Duijvenbode Van Gerwen v Rock Dobey v Price Thursday July 24 (8pm) Quarter-Finals x2 Friday July 25 (8pm) Quarter-Finals x2 Saturday July 26 (8pm) Semi-Finals Sunday July 27 Afternoon Session (1pm) Betfred Women's World Matchplay Quarter-Finals Beau Greaves v Kirsi Viinikainen Lisa Ashton v Robyn Byrne Noa-Lynn van Leuven v Lorraine Winstanley Fallon Sherrock v Gemma Hayter Semi-Finals Greaves/Viinikainen v Ashton/Byrne Van Leuven/Winstanley v Sherrock/Hayter Final Evening Session (8pm) Betfred World Matchplay Final WHERE TO WATCH: The Betfred World Matchplay will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland based subscribers).
