THE QUEEN CHASES SALFORD COUNCIL FOR OVER £500,000

Never mind the summons for your Council Tax, Salford City Council itself is now being chased by `Her Majesty's Court Services' for over half a million quid it owes for five year's rent and stuff on Bexley Square, site of the old Salford Town Hall and now the city's main courthouse.

As Salford Council tries to stop Her Maj merging its courts with Manchester following the no-show of the new Eccles court building, there's the little matter of the £578,468 bill to settle – or the Council could find itself in the court rather than fighting for its survival.

REPORT RECOMMENDING HOPE MATERNITY UNIT SHOULD STAY OPEN WAS `IGNORED' AND CONSULTATION WAS `BIASED'

An official report recommending that Hope Hospital's Maternity Unit should stay open was "ignored" and there was "a clear indication of bias" in the consultation proceedings, according to a new document produced by midwives.

The document states that "there was never a chance of maternity and neonatal services being retained at Hope, from the very start of the consultation process". And, as a result of population increase, it adds, "We judge that the new unit at St Mary's will be barely able to meet the needs of its own population let alone that of Salford…"

KEEP HOPE MATERNITY OPEN RALLY ATTRACTS HUNDREDS

"Why has the almost 100% opposition to this, been arrogantly ignored?" Mike Sweeney

Hundreds of people wearing Born In Salford t-shirts gathered in Buile Hill Park on Saturday to show opposition to plans to shut down the Maternity Unit at Hope Hospital, now called Salford Royal.

Backed by Ryan Giggs, Mike Sweeney, John Thompson and Salford Reds, the campaign is gathering renewed momentum as pressure mounts on the new government to reverse the decision to close Salford's baby unit.

FA CUP COMES TO SALFORD CITY ON TUESDAY

The FA Cup is coming to Moor Lane, home of Salford City FC, on Tuesday night to promote the Ammies' FA Cup tie with Northwich Victoria next Saturday.

Salford City has a league game against Curzon Ashton on Tuesday night and supporters are invited to have their photo taken with the FA Cup before the 7:45pm kick off. Get there very early though because the famous old trophy is off on its travels again at 8pm.

Meanwhile, Salford City, with a patched up team, drew 1-1 with Radcliffe Borough yesterday.

Salford Throws A Party In Broughton

Yesterday, Albert Park in Broughton hosted a top family fun day as the sun shone over Salford. There was everything from donkey rides, to a big wheel, to the brilliant Cirque de Salford.

There were exotic animals to hold, arts and crafts, and loads of stalls, including the popular Re-Tracing Salford stand inviting the community to re-trace the lost streets of Salford.