City News in 250 Words: Wednesday 19 October

MANCHESTER rock band The Stone Roses are to reform after a 15-year split. The influential outfit will play a series of gigs, including two dates at Heaton Park next June. There was also talk of a new record at the London press conference. The original line up of Ian Brown, John Squire, Mani (Gary Mounfield) and Reni (Alan Wren) formed in 1983 but recorded just two studio albums before they split in 1996. The four have previously squashed rumors of a comeback with Brown even saying: “There is more chance of me reforming Happy Mondays than The Stone Roses.”

POLICE investigating the Stepping Hill saline case have admitted that the culprit ‘may not be found.’ Three people died, and another fourteen were injured, following the contamination of saline drips at the Stockport Hospital. But now Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said it will be very difficult to charge anyone with the murders. About 700 people have been interviewed as part of the huge investigation.

TWO men, who were jailed for inciting rioting on Facebook, have had their appeals rejected. Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, and Jordan Blackshaw, 21, had argued that their four-year sentences were ‘manifestly excessive.’ But Lord Chief Justice upheld the jail terms at the Court of Appeal.

CUSTOMERS of the recently bankrupted Laundry Shop on Oxford Road have been reunited with their garments after nearly five months wait. The clothes had been locked inside the store since May, with shop owner Walter Stephenson having no access to the business.

Fact of the day:

This week in 1882 Salford Union Infirmary (later Hope Hospital, then Salford Royal) was formally opened.

Thanks @RevealMCR