Bosses at the Pennine Acute Trust (PAT), which runs services at the hospital, need to cut another £13m from the budget before April.

Twenty-six people believe vibrations from the work have damaged their homes in some way. Their complaints include cracks in ceilings, popped double glazing and damage to appliances.

The council will now support only six organisations that provides services for the homeless – the Women’s Housing Action Group, Stepping Stone, Bond Board, Shelter, Barnardos and Turning Point.

Meals on Wheels, which saw hot meals delivered every weekday to vulnerable and elderly people, has now stopped running, with frozen meals now being taken to homes once or twice a fortnight.

Around £22m is being spent on both buildings, which together with the £55m new municipal offices and proposed £150m new retail development around Baillie Street, will see the transformation of the eastern side of the town centre.

The group are believed to be a splinter organisation from the English Defence League (EDL) who held a protest in Rochdale last March. But following a major operation involving more than 200 police officers the demonstration passed without incident and no arrests were made.

A spokesman for Bacup Fire Station said the cab of the digger was severely damaged.

As revealed in the Observer on Wednesday ambitious plans to transform the area around Bailee Street have been delayed by up to 12 months. But a spokesperson for Debenhams told the Observer that talks with developers about opening in Rochdale as part of scheme are ongoing but still at a very early stage.

River Wardley, of Littleborough, was originally diagnosed with Dystonia, a condition which affects the body and limbs meaning that the brain sends the wrong signals to the muscles shortly after birth.

The rogue camera snapped people entering and leaving the Central Retail Park on Oldham Road to see if they had exceeded the two-hour parking limit.

The team from Norden Community Primary School fought off competition from across the region to bring home the trophy.

In the first burglary security shutters were ripped from the front window and a steel panelled door at the back smashed open, sometime between Sunday January 12 and the early hours of the following morning. Laptop, mobile phones and small electronic devices were stolen during the break-in.

Mr Iqbal, 44, who runs Castleton post office, was attacked by two men riding a motorbike. They demanded he hand over cash and valuables before one of the men pulled a gun and fired three shots at Mr Iqbal.

The total number of crimes recorded between October 2010 and September 2011 has dropped by 11 per cent from 13,270 to 11,840.

Members of Greater Manchester Police and the Police Authority (GMPA) gathered alongside councillors and representatives from partner agencies to open the new look HQ in memory of Gloria, the former vice-chairman of GMPA who died in 2010.

Last month the Observer revealed the Pennine Acute Trust (PAT), which runs the hospital, is making £56m of savings before April – £13m more than originally planned. This week chiefs said no final decision on job cuts has been made but admitted they are looking at ‘all the options available’.

In its heyday Joy Division, The Fall, New Order, The Stone Roses, The Charlatans, The Happy Mondays, The Mock Turtles and The Inspiral Carpets all recorded at the former Cargo Studios in Kenion Street. The building closed as a studio in 2001.

The unit will close at the beginning of March as part of a shake-up of children’s services across the region.

It means each employee received an average redundancy pay out of £6,700. A further 278 people also quit the authority by taking voluntary redundancy or early retirement.

His achievements in the game have now been recognised after picking up an award at the inaugural Asian Football Awards.

The homeless provision service was put out to tender as the Salvation Army’s contract neared expiration with the council. It has chosen instead to commission smaller units across the borough.

There are fears that the Rochdale Inter-Agency Domestic Violence Forum, which runs the Omega Women's Centre, could eventually shut down after one of its funding lifelines was cut by 55 per cent last year, resulting in two redundancies from its management team.

Rochdale council say the drop is due to a different way of measuring recycling, but opponents have accused town hall bosses of failing to keep up the momentum.

Development chiefs have still to put forward an application for the project which is seen as a central part of the wider regeneration of the area.

The Valuation Agency Office (VOA), who set what business rates firms pay, initially said bills would fall by around 12.5 per cent a year. But some traders say they have been told their rates will fall by as much as 20 per cent by the VOA.

The letter has also won provisional support from the leaders of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

He stood in front of the car to stop him driving away – but crook Ya-Amin Ghani realised he was caught red-handed by the man in blue – and put his foot down. He crashed into Mr Walker and a security guard, knocking them to the ground at the petrol station at Sainsbury’s in Trinity Street, Bolton.

They say spiralling utility costs and increased usage have forced them to consider a major price hike.

The final batch of freshly cooked, hot meals, was taken to households yesterday, Friday, after being axed in council cuts.

Town hall bosses have issued 887 separate summonses for non-payment of council tax.

Born at the old Clegg’s Yard off Union Street, at Town Head, Ada lived the traditional travelling lifestyle, spending some years in Ireland and others around England, but settling in Wren Green, Newbold, for the final years of her life.

The Rev Canon Patrick John Magumba, 58, accepted thousands in cash to carry out 28 bogus ceremonies at two of his three churches in Rochdale.

The cuts led to Touchstones Museum's weekly opening hours slashed and job losses within the sport and leisure management team as well as a cull in the number of museum staff.

Closing down signs have gone up at the Wheatsheaf Centre retailer and the Observer understands staff have been told it is one of the 160 branches across the country earmarked for closure.

The householder gathered his family together, including a one-year-old baby, and barricaded themselves in the upstairs bedroom.

He chose volunteers from the college to model his signature styles and the latest looks for 2012.

The couple, formerly of Rochdale Road, Firgrove, have been seeking asylum ever since.

Peter Collins, 53, took legal action against crisp giants Walkers.

John Lee Barrett, 31, from Harpurhey, was knifed during a brawl at Sinclair’s bar on Drake Street, Rochdale on Christmas Eve.

The figure is higher than the £43m in savings announced by chief executive John Saxby at the trust's annual general meeting last September.

It comes after an employment tribunal ruled the firm's administrators failed to consult with unions before making redundancies, something they were legally obliged to do.

More than 400 people crowded into St Chad’s, as the Rev Mark Haworth was officially appointed vicar.

Some 7,600 people claimed Job Seekers Allowance last month, compared with just 3,470 in February 2008. Of those 2,570 were aged between 16 and 24, the fourth highest number in the country.

It comes after a number of firms' takings were hit when roadworks to allow the Metrolink line to be built took place.

The money was spent on everything from major building works to a fruit press for a community allotment.

A fire had started in an industrial unit being used to repair fridges.

Fire crews were called to the crash at the junction of Spotland Road and Mitchell Street at 8.29am.

Professional services firm KPMG has now been called in to look after the retailer as it seeks to find a buyer for the business. On going to press no redundancies have been announced.

But now his wish could come true after his family discovered he is eligible for pioneering operation in America – which could help him walk and even kick a football.

The application is a resubmission of previous plans sent in in 2005, which were rejected by councillors but later approved on appeal. It differed in details of the positioning of the house and garage, siting of a boundary wall and entrance gates.

The 10-year-old has starred in more than 100 episodes of the show, which is broadcast in 180 countries.

Taylor performed an acrobatic display to the Michael Jackson tearjerker Ben and Thea performed a contemporary dance to the Adele song Turning Tables.

But it is thought heroin and crack use is falling, as more people turn to stimulants, cannabis and legal highs such as controversial club drug mephedrone, known as meow meow.

It comes after tax bosses reviewed each firm's rateable value, the figure used to calculate the amount of tax they pay, and concluded they were too high. The firms will also pay lower tax until 2015 when the rates are due to be re-assessed.

He raped one of the girls after she began screaming and crying as he had pushed her towards a bedroom. Later he forced himself on another girl and raped her before having sex with a third girl against her will.

The 31-year-old computer whizz, of Marigold Street, Rochdale, has a masters degree in business and once enjoyed well-paid jobs at the Royal Bank of Scotland and a Canary Wharf investment company.

Former Pc Troy Van-Eda, 44, was dismissed by Greater Manchester Police after a three-day disciplinary hearing.

It was claimed he had sex at two police stations as well as at the women’s homes. He was accused of gross misconduct but remained on restricted duties at Rochdale Police Station for 18 months and was banned from any contact with the public.

And health bosses believe the overspend is down to the extra pressure the sites are now under after the A&E department closed at the infirmary in April.

Amazingly not one order was missed and no staff members were laid off while repairs were ongoing.

Anne's husband Eric discovered the damage last Wednesday.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges and faces trial this October.

Only Manchester and Bolton had a greater number of casualties per head of population.

It is thought the group were protesting against the supermarket selling halal meat.

John Lee Barrett died after being knifed in the back at a private party he had organised at Sinclair's bar and nightclub on Drake Street in the early hours of Christmas Day.

A group of between 10 and 20 men gatecrashed the event and the atmosphere turned violent with several fights breaking out in the early hours of Christmas Day.