The stories that got you talking in 2019
From the latest must-have toys to the motorway closure caused by thousands of litres of gin being spilled, these are stories you’ve been sharing online this year
THESE are the stories that got you talking in 2019.
From controversial talking points such as an ex-Apprentice candidate saying people over 70 shouldn’t be allowed to vote, to the release of the latest must-have toys, these stories were shared by thousands of Manchester Evening News readers.
Here we’ve taken a look back at the most shared stories over the last 12 months:
Build-A-Bear just released a Nightmare Before Christmas range
WRITING a Christmas story in October might seem a bit daft, but this story about children’s favourite Build-A-Bear Workshop releasing a Nightmare Before Christmas range of teddies struck a chord.
At the time of writing it had been shared an incredible 668,699 times.
The Jack Skellington and Sally bears came in pairs and cost £41.50.
But the good news for parents was they were only available online so you didn’t have to actually venture into the shop.
There are more food banks than McDonald’s in the UK
SHOCKING figures which emerged in the run-up to the General Election revealed there are 800 more food banks than branches of McDonald’s in the UK.
Official figures suggest there are now more than 2,000 food banks across the UK, the majority of which are run by the charity The Trussell Trust.
In the UK, there are 1,249 McDonald’s branches, with reportedly 500 Burger King branches and 2,000 branches of both Subway and Costa.
People over 70 ‘shouldn’t be allowed to vote in elections’
THAT’S according to ex-Apprentice star Joanna Jarjue, who ruffled a few feathers when she appeared on Good Morning Britain in October.
Joanna, who made the final five in 2017, clashed with the Prime Minister’s dad Stanley Johnson in the debate, by claiming that young people are dealing with issues ‘so much harder’ than the older generation - such as Brexit and climate change.
But Stanley, 79, said it was ‘insulting’ to the older generation and made the point that 70 is actually not that old these days, while host Adil Ray said that Sir David Attenborough and Jeremy Corbyn would not be able to vote if people over 70 were excluded.
M6 shut after 32,000 of litres of GIN spills onto carriageway
YOU shouldn’t cry over spilt milk, goes the old saying.
But what about gin? And what if that split gin means you’re struck in a two hour traffic jam on the motorway?
That’s exactly what happened to hundreds of unfortunate drivers when two lorries crashed on the M6 near Knutsford in September, spilling 32,000 litres of the spirit across the road.
Nurses ‘get high’ after grandad accidentally brings cannabis-laced cake to hospital as ‘thank-you’
NURSES were left ‘off their faces’ when a patient’s elderly relative accidentally gave them a cake laced with cannabis as a ‘thank you,’ a hospital worker claimed in July.
Police were called to Warrington Hospital after staff ate the red velvet cake and were reportedly left feeling ‘relaxed’ by the drugs it was spiked with.
The grandad wanted to show appreciation for the care nurses provided to his family member, but brought in a cake from his grandson’s 18th birthday - unaware of its Class B contents.
Hospital bosses at first denied that anyone consumed the cake but after cops confirmed it was eaten on the premises admitted ‘one member of staff’ tried it but ‘did not experience any effects.’
However a member of staff, who asked not to be identified, claimed that ‘three or four’ nurses ate the cake and were left ‘off their faces’ and ‘relaxed’ by it.
101 (yes, really) sausage dogs have been seized in a huge crackdown on illegal puppy breeders
THE internet loves cute dogs.
So it’s perhaps unsurprising that this story from November, reporting how 101 sausage dogs were seized from homes across Greater Manchester in a huge crackdown on illegal puppy breeding, was shared so widely.
The dachshunds were removed from breeders in Rochdale, Heywood, Oldham and Little Hulton in Salford who were suspected of selling dogs without a licence.
In total nine homes - seven of which were in Rochdale and Heywood - were raided by 30 police, trading standards and RSPCA officers in the culmination of a two month long investigation.
Little lad who drew ‘wanted’ posters after his dog Ralph was stolen is reunited with his best mate
ANOTHER dog story makes our top 10. And if this one doesn’t melt your heart you’re a cold, cold person. I mean, just look at the picture.
In October, seven-year-old Camron was left in tears after his beloved Boston terrier Ralph was snatched from his dad’s work van by thieves in Stockport.
Heartbroken, Camron struggled to sleep and spent hours lying on his bedroom floor drawing ‘wanted’ posters.
Family, friends and volunteers spent days searching the streets for Ralph, and a Facebook group was launched and joined by more than 2,400 people.
Remarkably their efforts paid off, with Ralph found in Salford and reunited with his best pal.
Single dad adopts baby with Down’s syndrome after she was rejected by 20 families
THERE’S a lot of terrible stuff happening in the world right now.
So it’s nice when a story like this comes along and helps reaffirm a bit of your faith in humanity.
And M.E.N. readers obviously felt the same because this report of single dad Luca Trapanese, who adopted a baby with Down’s syndrome who was rejected by 20 other families, was one of our most shared stories of 2019.
Luca, from Naples, Italy, adopted Alba at 13 days old after her biological mother gave her up for adoption as a result of her condition.
As soon as Luca met her, he said he knew instantly that she was his daughter.
“When I first held her in my arms, I was overcome with joy,” he said. “I felt she was my daughter straight away.”
Couple stopped at airport security after accidentally packing pet cat in hand luggage
A couple heading off on holiday were stopped at airport security for accidentally packing their pet cat in their hand luggage.
Nick and Voirrey Coole were astonished to find that Candy had managed to sneak into their suitcase while they were packing for a 40th birthday trip to New York in October.
The pair were ushered into a side room and questioned about the surprising discovery before airport staff organised for the curious cat to be picked up and taken home so the couple could get their flight.
Nick, from the Isle of Man, told the Manchester Evening News that Candy is always looking for bags, boxes and tight spaces to hide in.
“Our hand luggage didn’t have much in so we could bring shopping home,” Nick said. “But Candy, our cat, found a way in and off to the airport we all went.
“Airport security were all very puzzled and repeatedly asked if the bag was ours after it had been through the scanner.”
Noel Gallagher talks to the M.E.N. full interview
NOEL Gallagher told us what he thinks of Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn, Nigel Farage, his brother Liam and Morrissey.
Noel was in typically combative form when we caught up with him ahead of his massive Heaton Park concert in June.
Characters and topics as varied as his brother Liam, Brexit, Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn and Morrissey were all up for discussion.
Noel didn’t mince his words and ensured our reporter’s asterisk key got a good workout.