City news in 250 words: Monday 7 March

A TRAVELLERS’ camp in Salford that featured in the Channel 4 show ‘Big Fat Gypsy Weddings’ is under investigation for the way rent is collected. The site on Duchy Road is managed by Paddy Doherty, who featured in the show. The council owns the land and Doherty acts as caretaker. Councillor John Merry said: “Concerns have recently been expressed that the scrutiny of the management arrangements for this site has not been as thorough as it should have been.”

RUMOURS are rife that a Manchester-born fashion designer will make Kate Middleton’s dress for the wedding to Prince William. The Royal Family is tight-lipped over speculation that Sarah Burton, a former pupil of Withington Girls’ School, has been hired to look after the April 29 wedding dress. Burton is currently creative director of fashion house Alexander McQueen.

AROUND 2,000 campaigners marched through Manchester city centre to protest against spending cuts across the city over the weekend. They marched down Oxford Road to Albert Square and ended with a rally outside the town hall. Organiser, Tina Purcell, said: “Everyone recognises this is not a crisis of our own making in Manchester but its hitting some of the most vulnerable.”

GREATER Manchester Police has cancelled its contract with interpreter agency Applied Language Solutions (ALS) amid claims it was hampering investigations. But many of its interpreters later refused to work for ALS and set up a new group called the Professional Interpreters’ Alliance, which successfully applied for a judicial review of the ALS contract.

Out the window weather forecast: Despite appearances, it’s not shorts and t-shirt weather yet.