The biggest deal of the window came when Barcelona’s forked out £142m to capture the Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho – the second most expensive transfer ever and the biggest deal to go through in a January window.

Figures obtained by a Freedom of Information request show that the number of men and women earning the higher wages at those councils which responded is more equal than the national picture.

A librarian at the university by day, he has coached Manchester’s quiz quartets for the past 21 years.

Cllr Sean Hornby, the leader of UKIP group on Bolton Council, called for Mr Bolton to step down, saying the party chief’s position was ‘untenable’.

This Is The Place, the poem that soundtracked the days of mourning after the Manchester Arena bombing, has now been turned into a book for charity.

Barriers have been erected in the area around Manchester Central convention centre, where the conference will begin on Sunday.