City news in 250 words: Thursday 23 September

37,000 PEOPLE have signed a petition against the proposed closure of Salford Royal’s maternity unit. The petition will be handed to Downing Street today. Campaigners believe pregnant women living in the city, should not be forced to travel outside Salford to give birth.

LAST WORDS OF SOLDIER BECOME SONG LYRICS: Guardsman Neil Downes from Manchester, who was killed in Afghanistan, is to have his last words used as song lyrics by chart act The Soldiers. Two letters which were written to be opened in the event of his death, have been adapted for the song ‘Letters Home’. Lyrics include ‘I'm sorry to put you through all this, I'm sorry there was no last kiss.’

A KNIFE HAS BEEN SEIZED AT TRAFFORD COLLEGE by police involved in an ongoing operation to tackle robbery and drug-related crime in Altrincham. The owner of the knife was one of hundreds of students scanned on entry to the building on Tuesday. Sergeant Mike Sever said: “Students are now more aware than ever that possession of illegal weapons and drug related crime will simply not be tolerated.”

The Soldiers

MOSTON LANE AKA BOOZE ALLEY: A judge has rejected an appeal from store bosses who were previously banned from opening an off-licence on Moston Lane. The proposal came up against opposition from councillors, neighbours and police in the area. Coun Pat Karney branded Moston Lane ‘alcohol alley’ and Judge Taaffe concluded that the outlet would “inevitably mean more alcohol to fuel the flames of problems that blight the area”.

Out of the window weather forecast: Fair to middling.