Boy, 8, injured by needle

A FOOTBRIDGE which will re-connect part of the Fallowfield Loop has been lifted into place.

It is the latest stage of the £5.9 million project to widen an infamous bottleneck on Hyde Road in Gorton and has replaced a 19th century railway bridge.

The pre-fabricated steel bridge, weighing 26 tonnes, was delivered in one piece before a crane lifted it into place. The bridge, for walkers and cyclists, will open in the next few weeks.

The eight-mile-long Fallowfield Loop is an off-road cycle and pedestrian path which follows the route of the old railway line from the city centre through south and east Manchester that closed in 1988.

It used to cross a steel bridge which once formed part of the approach to the old Hyde Road railway station.

A FOOTBALL coach has warned about the dangers of littering after a young player on his team was injured by a discarded needle after training.

An eight-year-old boy who plays for Salford Storm was taken to hospital after being pricked by a needle he found on a path leading to the team’s training pitch on Langworthy Park.

Team coach Michael Knox, 38, said: “It was a needle that had broken off a syringe. There wasn’t much blood, but it was quite scary for the parents.”

The child is said to be fine and is recovering at home following blood tests.

A council environment team was called out.

Michael added: “We just want people to think about the kids, we need the whole community to come together and help us with the work we’re doing.”