Welcome to New Manchester - the 'forgotten village' whose streets copy Manchester could be swallowed up
manchestereveningnews.co.ukI'm walking along Shudehill, heading towards 'The City'. But underneath my feet there's a dirt track, not the pavements of the city centre.
The only sounds are of birds darting in and out of hedgerows and up ahead I can see a flock of sheep grazing in a field, rather than the bars and shops of the Northern Quarter.
That's because I'm in New Manchester, a tiny former pit village on the outskirts of Wigan and Salford. Read more: The Park: The Greater Manchester 'workers' village' that was 'like an island' - now only a couple of streets are left Its unusual name came after the miners who moved here from Manchester in the early 19th Century to work in the Duke of Bridgewater's collieries named the streets and pits after places from back home.
Hence the village, which amounts to not much more than a few of farms and a row of terrace houses, is still known by its nickname 'The City'.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk