A section of Piccadilly has been taped off following reports of a ‘stabbing’.

Officers descended on the area late on Tuesday night.

The Manchester Evening News understands officers are investigating a suspected stabbing.

Armed police were seen in attendance following the incident.

Paramedics were also pictured at the scene, with medical debris on the ground.

Further details about the incident are yet to be confirmed.

Updates will be posted in this blog when they are available.

For many women with lipodoema, the diagnosis comes after years of being told the same thing: eat less, more more. The problem is that the fat accumulating around their hips and legs isn’t responding to diet or exercise, because it was never caused by them in the first place.

Lipoedema is a long-term condition that affects the way fat is stored in the body. It mainly affects women and usually develops or worsens at times of hormonal change, such as puberty, pregnancy or menopause. The link with these life stages is one reason researchers think hormones may play a role, although the exact cause is still not fully understood.

Lipoedema may also run in families, which suggests that genetic factors could be involved.

It usually appears as a symmetrical build-up of fatty tissue around the hips, buttocks and legs. In some people, it also affects the arms. The upper body may remain much smaller, which can make the body look noticeably out of proportion. A common feature is that the hands and feet are usually unaffected, so there may be a clear difference between the affected limbs and the unaffected hands or feet.

Lipoedema is often mistaken for general weight gain, obesity or lymphoedema. Lymphoedema is swelling caused by a build-up of fluid when the lymphatic system is not draining properly.

Lipoedema primarily involves abnormal fat distribution. This is why the name can be confusing: although “oedema” usually refers to fluid swelling, lipoedema is not caused by fluid build-up. Some people may develop swelling or lymphatic problems alongside lipoedema, particularly in very advanced cases, but these are not the defining feature.

Misunderstanding lipoedema can delay diagnosis and leave people feeling blamed for symptoms that are not simply a result of lifestyle. Many people with lipoedema describe pain, tenderness, heaviness in the affected areas and a tendency to bruise easily. In more severe cases, the size and weight of the affected limbs can make walking, exercising and everyday movement more difficult.

Lipoedema can also overlap with obesity. Someone can have lipoedema and obesity at the same time, which can make diagnosis and treatment more complicated. Obesity may increase strain on the body, worsen mobility and overload the lymphatic system. Where lipoedema is advanced, especially if body weight is also very high, this can contribute to secondary lymphoedema.

Because lipoedema is not a fluid condition, treatments designed for lymphoedema may not have the same effect. Manual lymphatic drainage is a specialist massage technique intended to encourage fluid to move through the lymphatic system, but evidence for its usefulness in lipoedema itself remains limited.

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Lipoedema is usually diagnosed through a person’s medical history and a physical examination. There is no single blood test or scan that can confirm it. A healthcare professional will look for typical signs, such as symmetrical fat distribution, tenderness, easy bruising and the sparing of the hands and feet.

They may also use a simple clinical check called Stemmer’s sign. This involves trying to pinch and lift the skin at the base of a toe or finger. If the skin cannot be lifted easily, this can suggest lymphoedema. In lipoedema, Stemmer’s sign is negative, meaning the skin can still be pinched.

Myths and management

There are still myths around lipoedema, partly because research is developing and because the condition has historically been under-recognised.

One common claim is that lipoedema fat never responds to diet or exercise. The reality is more nuanced. Healthy eating, physical activity and weight management can still improve health, pain, mobility and quality of life, particularly for people who also have obesity. The aim should be to support strength, movement, comfort and long-term health, without encouraging crash dieting or blaming the patient.

Low-impact exercise can be particularly helpful. Walking, cycling and water-based exercise can support mobility without placing too much strain on painful joints or heavy limbs.

Compression garments also help some people by reducing heaviness, discomfort and swelling. These are close-fitting medical garments that apply controlled pressure to the affected area. Good skin care is important too. This includes keeping the skin clean and moisturised, drying carefully between skin folds and treating cuts promptly, especially if swelling or reduced mobility makes the skin more vulnerable to irritation or infection.

Lipoedema can affect a person’s emotional wellbeing and quality of life. This does not mean it directly causes mental health disorders. But living with chronic pain, changes in body shape, reduced mobility and repeated medical dismissal can take a toll.

People may feel self-conscious, frustrated or isolated, especially if they have spent years being told their symptoms are simply a matter of weight. Some research suggests that many patients diagnosed with lipoedema report significant psychological distress before lipoedema-related symptoms begin. Psychological and social support is therefore an important part of care.

There is no cure for lipoedema, but symptoms can be managed. The best approach is usually holistic, meaning it looks at the whole person rather than treating one symptom in isolation. This may include movement, compression, pain management, weight support where appropriate, skin care and emotional support.

In some cases, surgery may be considered. Special liposuction techniques, designed to be gentler on the lymphatic system, may reduce pain and improve mobility for some people, although the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence notes that evidence is still developing.

For people with severe obesity, bariatric surgery, an umbrella term for procedures that modify the digestive system to help people lose weight, may also improve symptoms and daily functioning.

Because knowledge about lipoedema varies, it is important to seek advice from healthcare professionals who understand the condition. Organisations such as The International Lipoedema Association provide further information and support.

Good care should recognise both the physical symptoms and the emotional impact, without reducing lipoedema to either a cosmetic concern or a simple weight issue. Better recognition can help people get support earlier, manage symptoms more effectively and move away from years of confusion, blame and delayed care.

The petition was launched in Malton Market Place and online on Saturday by parents Caroline Garrod and Stuart Moss, alongside Cllr Keane Duncan.

Campaigners say the “phenomenal response” shows the strength of feeling across Ryedale, with residents urging North Yorkshire Council to protect the specialist facility for disabled adults with complex needs.

Families say the threatened centre, based in Old Malton Road, is a “lifeline” that offers safety, routine, trusted support, dignity and vital respite.

The petition follows an 11th-hour reprieve last month when North Yorkshire Council postponed its planned decision to close the centre after Cllr Duncan and families challenged the lack of consultation.

Cllr Duncan said the original approach had caused families “unimaginable hell”.

The council is now consulting on Cauwood’s future, but campaigners say they remain deeply concerned as they urge as many people as possible to sign the petition and respond to the consultation.

Cllr Duncan said: “The response to this petition has been phenomenal. More than 500 people have signed in just three days, and that number is growing quickly.

“This shows the strength of feeling not just in Malton, but across Ryedale and beyond. People understand that Cauwood is a vital facility that must be protected for current users and future generations.

“North Yorkshire Council initially planned to close this centre without any consultation whatsoever. We believed that was a deeply flawed, unfair and potentially unlawful approach.

“While we ultimately secured a welcome reprieve, the fight to save Cauwood is far from over.

“Parents have vowed to fight with their last breath to protect this centre, and I am supporting them every step of the way.”

Stuart Moss, dad of Matty Moss, said the petition response from local people had given families renewed determination: “Everyone has been so incredibly positive. As soon as we mention Cauwood, people instantly know about our fight.

“They say it is unthinkable that the council could consider closing such an important place, and that it needs to be stopped. There was no hesitation at all – everyone wanted to sign.

“Matty was excited every single time and gave his thumbs up. That really says everything. Cauwood means the world to him. It is a place where he is safe, happy and understood.

“Families like ours are not going to quietly accept this. We will fight on because our loved ones deserve the best.

“This campaign is growing by the day. We will keep going until North Yorkshire Council listens.”

Caroline Garrod said: “Cauwood gives people like my daughter Natasha the chance to spend time in a safe and supportive environment.

“The message from people across Ryedale is clear: we must save Cauwood.

“Thank you to everyone who has already supported our fight. Every signature makes our campaign stronger and shows the council just how much Cauwood matters.

“We will not give up on Cauwood or on the people who need it.”

Residents can sign the petition here: https://form.jotform.com/cllrkeaneduncan/save-cauwood

Residents can also respond to North Yorkshire Council’s consultation here: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/your-council/consultations-and-engagement/current-consultations/cauwood-day-service

Botanic Avenue prosecution follows one for Lisburn Road cafe earlier this month

A second cafe in a month has been fined in Belfast for allowing hookah smoking on its premises.

The owner of Sahara Shisha, a café on Botanic Avenue, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a failure to prevent people smoking shisha within his premises.

Mr Mesut Savcun was fined a total of £1350 plus costs of £79 for breaching smoke-free legislation under The Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

Belfast City Council brought the prosecution following repeated visits to the cafe by Tobacco Control Officers. On five occasions, officers witnessed people smoking shisha within the enclosed premises.

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Earlier in May, the owners of Lova Coffee, a Middle Eastern café on the Lisburn Road in Belfast, were also fined for breaching smoke-free legislation under The Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

Mayar Coffee Limited, registered at 133 Lisburn Road, were fined a total of £1100 plus costs of £128 at Belfast Magistrates Court on May 5 after pleading guilty to the charge of failure to prevent people smoking shisha within their premises.

Shisha is a form of flavoured tobacco heated by charcoal and smoked through a water pipe or hookah. Originating in the Middle East, it is a popular social activity involving a bowl, hose, and water-filled base that cools the smoke before inhalation. It is covered by smoking legislation and is allowed in areas which are open air, or in which at least 50 percent of the building or structure is permanently open.

A spokesperson for Belfast City Council said, “Under The Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, it is against the law to smoke in enclosed and substantially enclosed workplaces and in public places such as bars and offices, as well as work vehicles and public transport.”

“This legislation was introduced to protect workers and the public from exposure to second-hand smoke. It is enforced across the city by our Tobacco Control Officers, who seek to support businesses to operate good practice and to comply with the law. However, we will take action against illegal practice which puts people at risk.”

The council said: “The Belfast Agenda lays out Belfast City Council’s vision for all residents to experience improved health and wellbeing by 2035. Affirmative action to reduce smoking, and the danger of second-hand smoke inhalation, feeds into this strategy, and helps to create a healthier Belfast for everyone. Our Tobacco Control work is supported by the Public Health Agency and the Department of Health.”

Also on Tuesday, in a second prosecution success for the council, landlord Patrick Brady was fined £250 for illegally evicting a tenant from his rented accommodation. He was also ordered to pay £78 costs at Belfast Magistrates’ Court after unlawfully evicting his tenant from accommodation at Oranmore Street, West Belfast.

Local councils can investigate complaints about landlord harassment or illegal eviction of tenants and have powers to prosecute landlords for these offences.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has been selected to contest the Makerfield by-election for Labour. His announcement that he was putting himself forward forced others seeking to oust Keir Starmer as prime minister to slow their pace. And it now seems unlikely that anyone will fire the starting gun on a leadership contest until Burnham has at least had a chance to join the pack.

In UK politics right now, the only certainty is that nothing is certain. But what we do know is, as Labour politicians go, Burnham is unusually popular. His selection was well received among his colleagues, and he is regularly the only UK politician of any political stripe with a net-positive favourability rating.

Importantly, Burnham also enjoys strong popularity ratings across his own patch of Greater Manchester. In the borough of Wigan – where Makerfield sits – he won 66.1% of the vote in the last mayoral election in 2024.

But over the next few weeks, Burnham will face important questions on how well that popularity stands up in the face of devastating local election results for Labour, in which the party failed to win a single seat in Wigan.

Policy wins – and missteps

The single biggest policy win Burnham can point to is his work on the buses. As mayor, Burnham championed the foundation of the Bee Network. The centrepiece of this integrated transport scheme was the renationalisation of bus routes across Greater Manchester, as well as support to cap fares at £2 at a time when nationally they were rising.

The vibrant yellow buses have become ubiquitous in Manchester, and a visible reminder of Burnham’s policy presence. It seems that this approach has worked, with people in the street citing Burnham’s support for the bus network as a clear plus point.

Another winning card in Burnham’s hand is his building of “Brand Manchester”. He has cultivated a profile as a politician who cares deeply about his patch, and has consistently and publicly reinforced it. Burnham stood up to the Conservative government over what he felt was a weak and confusing support package during the COVID pandemic. This was what cemented his title as “king of the north”.

In broad terms, Burnham’s building of the brand coincides with Greater Manchester being at a particular zenith under his watch. It is the fastest-growing place in the UK, for example. But this growth is very heavily centred on Manchester city centre. Given concerns about who is actually benefiting from high-rise, high-value developments, this might not be something Burnham will shout too loudly about on the streets of Makerfield.

Of course, his nine years as mayor have included missteps. The development of the Greater Manchester spatial plan – a long-term blueprint for housing, jobs and infrastructure – has been a fraught process, with local authorities withdrawing their support over disputed housing allocations. The struggles of his administration on the thorny question of housing show that Burnham has no miraculous ability to reach consensus on the difficult issues.

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And in 2022, Burnham bowed to political pressure and retreated from plans to introduce a clean air zone in Manchester. This now appears to be a misstep – over a similar period as mayor of London, Sadiq Khan faced down similar pressures. But Khan can claim to have been vindicated, as London hit its air quality targets 184 years ahead of scientists’ predictions.

Ultimately, the English devolved mayors face a very different set of problems to national government. Equally, the powers afforded to them under devolution remain limited in scope, and reliant on whatever funding national government is prepared to release. Complex headaches like national debt and taxation, defence funding or managing geopolitics in an increasingly uncertain world are way beyond the remit of a metro mayor.

Having been outside of Westminster politics for nine years, Burnham is unattached to any preconceived agendas. This blank canvas is both an asset and a risk – although he has said that he would have no plans to change the government’s fiscal rules.

Makerfield is by no means a safe seat, and Burnham’s path is fraught with peril. However, it’s clear that he has been able to use his mayoralty to build a strong local and national profile, while also being sheltered from the crosswinds of national politics as a prince across the water.

Now, Burnham must see if he can realise his own promise or if he will find that he waited too long to make his move. One thing is for sure: his decision to leave Westminster and position himself as the outsider, and his track record as mayor of Greater Manchester, make him a formidable opponent in the by-election.

Arsenal are crowned champions of the Premier League for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City are held to a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, a result which secures European football for the home side for the first time in their history.

MATCH REPORT: Bournemouth 1 – 1 Manchester City

Available to UK users only.

The work is likely to cause delays

Overnight roadworks along a Cambridgeshire street are set to cause nearly four weeks of disruption for motorists. The roadworks will take place on Norwich Road in Wisbech from May 18 between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

The road will be closed to all motor vehicles so that resurfacing works can be carried out. The work is set to be completed by June 13. According to Cambridgeshire County Council’s notice of the closure, the roadworks are ‘likely’ to cause delays.

Motorists are advised to follow diversion routes and allow extra time for journeys during the closure period. Drivers are advised to take a diversion route via Lynn Road that takes you through to Churchill Road, according to traffic monitoring system one.network.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire County Council’s Traffic Management Centre said: “Norwich Road, Wisbech will be closed to all motor vehicles from the 18th May until the 13th June between the hours of 8pm and 6am nightly for works.”

For Arsenal fans, it has been a very, very long wait to celebrate winning the Premier League again. So they made sure Tuesday was a special night.

Supporters had gathered outside Emirates Stadium and nearby pubs while rivals Manchester City played Bournemouth, needing a win to keep the title race alive.

In the end, Pep Guardiola’s side could only draw – confirming Arsenal as champions for the first time in 22 years.

As the full-time whistle went on the south coast, there was an explosion of cheer in pubs across north London as Arsenal fans celebrated a moment they felt, after recent title near misses, might never come.

There were celebrations also at the Gunners’ training ground.

That is where the Arsenal squad had gathered for the evening and, much as in the pubs, the final whistle was greeted by huge celebrations. layers and staff danced and hugged while chanting: “Campeones, Campeones, Ole Ole Ole!”

Last month, Arsenal captain Declan Rice was seen insisting “it’s not done” after the Gunners lost to Manchester City. But on Tuesday, with the title race decided, he posted a picture on social media of players celebrating, captioned: “It’s done.”

The title win came in Mikel Arteta’s seventh year in charge, and underlined just what can be achieved if a manager is given time.

“Mikel Arteta’s been there a long period of time. The best gift you can give a good manager is time,” former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Yes you can give them hundreds of millions of pounds but you have to mould that money into a team, into a dressing room, a winning side.

“You give a good manager time? There’s the proof.”