Councillors abruptlystopped the council officer's report during the meeting because of growing unrest among shocked members of the public.

The post has been under threat as part of cuts and residents of the sheltered accommodation are unhappy with the proposals.

Rochdale Borough Council, the police and more than 30 other agencies are spending this week, 8 to 14 March, addressing community safety issues in the centre of Heywood, in a bid to make it a more enjoyable place for people to do business and visit.

A council initiative sent 16-year-old volunteers to four shops in Heywood and two of them sold knives to the under age customers.

The hospital's endoscopy team has been given the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) accreditation for diagnostic and therapeutic gastro-intestinal endoscopic procedures until 2014.

The animal, which is white with grey spots and thought to be a young male adult, was discovered by a passer-by on Hartford Avenue on the morning of Saturday, March 6, and handed into the vets on Bridge Street.

Six students from Siddal Moor Sports College are selling products at Heywood Magic Market on Friday, March 12, as part of their Young Enterprise project.

The island in the centre of the park lake boasts one of the largest heronries in the Greater Manchester, and the RSPB, in conjunction with Rochdale Environmental Management, has organised several viewing sessions titled ‘A Date With Nature’, to give visitors the chance to learn more about the fascinating species.

Punters flocked to the Pig and Whistle on Pilsworth Road to watch six contestants compete for the glory of winning its pie eating contest, while also raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

An exercise marathon, organised by girls-only gym Fitness Connection on Bethel Street, raised hundreds of pounds for a new machine to help breast cancer sufferers on the road to recovery.

Phillip Marshall, who lived on Claybank Street, Back o'th' Moss, was found hanged from a tree in August 2008, but police failed to inform Mr Marshall's family of the news. His mother, brother and sister-in-law, only received the news when they were asked to identify his body almost 30 hours after it was recovered.

Ladies' only gym, Fitness Connection, is holding a fun exercise marathon on Sunday, March 7, at the Civic Centre.

This year's Darnhill Summer Festival takes place on Saturday, July 3, and the team behind it are already hard at work making plans.

Friends and family of 23-year-old Alex Pearson, who is currently in the intensive care unit of Southport Hospital, are hoping that the community will join them in supporting him at a fundraiser this Saturday (6 March) at Heap Bridge Social Club.

Our Lady and St Paul's Primary pupils turned into junior PCSOs to patrol the gates outside their Sutherland Road school, looking to target illegal parkers.

Last week, the Advertiser reported on the concerns of park supporters that the job was to be abolished and replaced by a ‘township ranger’ role, serving all open spaces in Heywood.

The iconic stone lions were last seen in a council storage container in 2007. A campaign has been launched to find them.

Around 40 full and partially grown cannabis plants and a nursery of cannabis seedlings were discovered in the garage of the detached family home in Simpson Hill Close, during an early morning police raid.

Two men kept guard while another grabbed the day's takings at Shine salon last Friday.

The school is throwing a huge party in June just days before it closes its doors for good.

There will be a crackdown on children skipping school and a clean up of town centre sites as part of the week of activities beginning on Monday 8 March.

Representatives from the partnership which realised the project returned with a ‘Highly Commended’ title at the Community Partnership Awards, which were held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

Sharon Parkington, who lives with two daughters, one of whom is eight months pregnant, has been without hot water and heating for six weeks after her boiler broke at the start of January.

The Big Clean – the massive clean up campaign where you tell the council what areas you want tidying up across the borough – has started to make Heywood shine with your ideas.

The popular tourist route was transformed into an icy tundra as Arctic conditions made an unwelcome return.

We have reporters joining police on raids and at GMP headquarters - see their live updates here ...

Alex Pearson, 23, was on his way to a friend's birthday party and had been in the vehicle for just moments before the horrific incident on Friday, January 29. After picking Alex up from his Prettywood home, the taxi was in collision with another car on Bury New Road.

The crackdown on crime and disorder in the centre of Heywood comes as part of an intense week of action.

A report submitted to the performance and scrutiny committee blamed a new grit contract for the authority finding itself low on salt, together with the long spell of severe weather and a national grit shortage.

The former mill-worker turned 100 last week, meaning she was due to receive a card from the Queen.

The Rochdale business curry club, which meets at the Veenas restaurant on York Street every month, gives firms the chance to meet and discuss business while tucking into authentic Indian food.

There have been regular sightings of at least one member of the endangered species resting on the church tower, which it has used as a base to hunt pigeons.

And the church’s generosity in providing a venue for the community surgery was rewarded when it received a donation towards essential roof repairs.

Since the New Year, we’ve been campaigning with the council to get your ideas about pieces of land you want to see get the Big Clean treatment with the extra money.

Collop Gate Farm, off Manchester Road, has been at the centre of the row that has rumbled on since 2005.

There will be a variety of special events and activities as part of the UK's biggest annual celebration of books and reading.

Chief fire officer, Steve McGuirk, said: "We want everyone to have a fun family time if they celebrate pancake day. Don't let an accidental fire make it memorable for the wrong reasons. It only takes a moment's distraction to cause a serious incident."

Households with children aged between seven and 14 and an annual income of less than £16,040 can get access to a computer and the web at home via a new government scheme called ‘Home Access’.

Psychology student Louise Dawson, 28, was born and raised in Heywood and is hoping that her online parenting guide will provide much needed help for people in her home town.

NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Community Healthcare has adopted the Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative, which involved health visitors and children's community nurses completing the charity's breastfeeding management course, giving staff the skills to provide a high standard of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.

For 2010 marks both the 80th anniversary of Heywood Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (HAODS) and the 20th anniversary of its young people’s arm, Hey Kids.

Heywood Sports Complex has launched the ‘Break Out’ programme between 15 and 19 February, which includes parent and toddler swimming sessions and a five-day course where you can learn how to swim with a qualified instructor and work towards an Amateur Swimming Association Certificate.

Greater Manchester Police was branded the ‘Ministry for Silly Ideas’ after news of the primary school-style bonding events emerged.

The William Lusty bakery on Fir Street has been earmarked for closure after owners McCambridge decided to move manufacturing to other sites.

All 8,100 officers along with 4,000 civilian staff will be ordered to wear the magnetic tags which will display their full name and rank.

Last year Daniel, of Bury Old Road, made it through to the final 24 of the ITV1 talent competition before being booted off in controversial circumstances by Cheryl Cole.

Two iconic stone lions, which once adorned the entrance to Heywood Grammar School and later the Hind Hill Centre, have not been seen since they were taken into storage after the Hind Hill Centre closed.

Fed up of your area being a dumping ground for litter? Do you want to work with the council and do something about it? Get into the Big Clean spirit and 'sign up, turn up, pick up' for a fun community litter pick!