The Manchester Giants will take to the court for the first time since the end of the 2014/15 season with a pre-season friendly at the Lucozade Powerleague Trafford Sportsdome against a USA select touring side on Sunday.

So, the first day of Festival Number 6 in the beautiful North Welsh village of Portmeirion is over. Here are our favourites – new and undiscovered – from yesterday’s event.

A homeless shelter on Oxford Road is pleading for public support after it was ordered by Manchester City Council to disperse or prepare to be ‘torn apart’, claims a humanitarian leader.

Ambitious about Autism, who provide support to children in the UK, have again this year teamed up with cycling company Rapha to get 300 riders pedalling 220 miles from Manchester to London in aid of the charity on Sunday.

As Roy Hodgson’s England troops travel to Stadio Olimpico in Serravalle to face perennial whipping boys San Marino in Euro 2016 qualifying, the long-winded debate surrounding these David vs. Goliath matches reappears.

Wigan Warriors can confirm their place in the Super League play-offs on Saturday with a win over Catalans Dragons in London.

Selway is in the city tomorrow to take part in a special live edition of Elbow frontman Guy Garvey’s BBC 6 Music show, which will be broadcast from Manchester’s stunning Central Library.

Manchester’s bus and tram customers could be using the smart ticketing ‘get me there’ system before the end of the year, according to a new report released today.

Gary Caldwell’s Wigan Athletic travel to the Proact Stadium on Saturday (3pm) in a bid to earn their first points away from home this season.

Club development officer Paul Bailey admitted he had to pinch himself in amazement after Heaton Moor walked away with a top prize at the inaugural National Rugby Awards at Twickenham.

Bury face a tough task this weekend against League One’s early pacesetters, Walsall although manager Dean Smith thinks the north Manchester club have a lot more to come.