Geordie Colin Plews is just one of more than 3,000 participants in the Manchester 10k next month – but one of very few who’ll be running the quarter marathon in a dress.

For one go-getting Salford University graduate it is all early nights and a hectic training schedule at the moment as he plans to take on two marathons and one mega marathon in just three months to raise £35,000 for children in Malawi.

A Salford student nurse who spent his childhood in care has raised almost £2,000 for the NSPCC – after taking on a series of the most gruelling obstacle courses in the country.

Manchester City Council has set up a joint-task force with the city’s fire-hit Dog’s Home to ensure the centre is back up-and-running as quickly as possible.

Former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is believed to be the mystery man behind a five-figure donation to Manchester Dogs’ Home.

Manchester showed its generous side after the blaze that ripped through Manchester Dogs’ Home on Thursday night – raising more than £1.4million.

Pop music mogul Simon Cowell believes the arsonist behind the fire that killed 60 dogs at Manchester Dogs’ Home should receive double the prison time.

Staff from St Mary’s Hospital braved snow-covered peaks and rubble-strewn paths to ascend the 3,407metres of the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales