Hardev's stolen memories

Hardev, a Stretford resident, was the victim of a break-in during which a safe was stolen containing some valuables. Most valuable among them were the birth certificate and other important memories of her late son Vijay, who died fourteen years prior.

Near darkness in Port Sunlight

Port Sunlight on the Wirral this year kicked off its Christmas fair with a lantern parade and some old fashioned yuletide chorus. Appropriate seasonal headwear all round, though my favourite is, as usual, the Peruvian.

Heads...

Headshots of clerks and barristers from a London-based firm of legal practitioners. The brief was 'make them all look the same, but different'.

Pictures of Jude..

A stab at the famous baby portrait. Jude is Dean and Jenny's young son - both good friends of mine, and wanted to capture his image before he'd learned to open cupboards, stand in front of the TV, and handle kitchen knives. As it turns out, Jude already has very sharp teeth, and Dean will be fishing around in nappies for his thumb in the next 8 hours.

Robbie Williams cameos at the Palace Theatre

'Panto's On Strike' is a uniquely foul-mouthed show currently on at the Palace Theatre and stars Jonathan Wilkes (constantly referred to in the show as 'you know, Robbie Williams's best friend') and Max & Paddy's Paddy McGuiness. Press night featured a surprise cameo by Ricky Hatton, and fortunately for Jonathan, Robbie Williams appeared during the singalong, where he sang the chorus of 'Angels' to a basically overwhelmed crowd. MEN cutting kindly forwarded by MEN.

Remembrance Sunday in Trafford

A service from North Trafford in Urmston, and South Trafford at the Hale War Memorial, with new content commemorating the fallen in the newer war theatres Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the old. The service in Hale contained a Christian, Muslim and Jewish element - but neither service attended today catered for the atheist or agnostic soldier! How old fashioned..

Vieira visits Man City training ground

Senegalese footballer Patrick Vieira visited the Manchester City football training ground at Platt Lane yesterday. At 34, still in very good shape, though following a brief Q & A with the young men training there it emerged that he's a little upset to be on the bench so much these days.

Karl Jenkins & Kazakhs at Abbey Road Studios

Hirsute welsh composer Karl Jenkins was down in Abbey Road Studios this week, recording a composition based on the works of a Kazakh musician and poet named Shakarim. Present on the day were three Kazakh folk singers, and former child prodigy violinist from Kazakhstan named Marat.

Also posted is me, entirely obscured by the back end of my camera, photographing the composer during an interview.

Two royal visits in one day

Gruff Scot Duncan Bannatyne visited Wellacre Technology College in Flixton today, seeming as socially adept as he does on Dragon's Den, and HRH Princess Anne was at Altrincham School for Girls to unveil a plaque while 1200 shivering schoolgirls looked on, rapt.

Cheri & Jamie in Priory Gardens

A young couple who live in Cardiff came to Manchester, to have pictures taken that illustrate their affection for each other. (Ahh). The first location was a small woodland area in Sale, but my fondness for industrial grunge later took us to a large yellow gate in Trafford Park.

United States of Wythenshawe

Greg Davis pictured, former bodybuilder and a respected local man, who runs the titular organisation which includes a dance studio, a gym and sound recording studio - all with a view to giving the young something to do, and building up community ties with it. Being a physically large man with strong views, photographing him with the unexpected gorilla statue in the lobby of the gym seemed to make sense.

Graduate Simon snags job selling Robotics

In an supplement for graduate careers, another graduate moving into HR or accounting isn't very interesting. However Simon Rose works for RTS Sciences in Irlam doing a job he's enthusiastic about - he sells robotics tech.

Magneto visits Bolton School for Boys

Yes, it's that old fellow from X Men: The Last Stand! Classically trained Shakespearean actor Sir Ian McKellen returned to the school he studied at today to talk to drama students about his profession. He concluded the session by reciting a line from Sir Thomas More, a play written in part by Shakespeare but, amazingly, only saw its first performance in 1964. As it happened, McKellen was playing the part of More in this production, and thus was probably the last actor to ever deliver virgin Shakespearean prose to an audience.

Saul & Leanne tie the knot at Princes Rd

A synagogue I actually grew up going to, it was odd photographing a wedding in Princes Rd - but appropriately it was the wedding of someone I knew from that same time. Saul now serves as a warden there, maintaining the Princes Road traditions, and has the sort of full-throttle intellect that only his zen bride Leanne can operate the handbrake on.
I'd like to mention at this stage that if someone could get under seat 263 with a pair of long pincers and dislodge the red Lamborghini Countach micro machine that I lost under there in 1989, I'd be much obliged.