Jessica Owen - Journalist

The Tab • 4th June 2026

Former student arrested after man shot with crossbow on university campus

A ‘seriously injured’ man in his 50s has been taken to hospital A former University of Surrey student has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a member of staff was shot with a crossbow on university property.Officers were called to Manor Park Student Village, Guildford, at around 10am on Thursday 4th June after reports were made of a man in his 50s being shot.
The victim was a member of the university’s campus safety team, and the university confirms he was “seriously injured.”...

The Tab • 15th May 2026

Oxfordshire student dies of suspected meningitis following new outbreak in Reading

Two others are currently being treatedA student in Oxfordshire has died of suspected meningitis following a recent outbreak in Reading, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says.Two others are being treated for the infection and those who are closely associated with students involved are being contacted by the UKHSA.
One case has been confirmed as meningitis B (MenB) and further test results are being awaited. However, there is no significant risk to the wider public at this time.
The student a...

The Tab • 8th May 2026

Meet the Manchester women's group making an impact in local communities

Looking for a new group of friends? Look no furtherWhen Caitlin, Steph and Martin co-founded Girls on the Go Liverpool in September 2023, their aim was to make the UK a less lonely place for women. Ten months later, over 40,000 women had joined their community and were beginning to form deeper connections beyond the city.Now, Girls on the Go has four locations (with a fifth coming soon!), over 230,000 Instagram followers and has raised over £70,000 for women’s and children’s charities. Their Man...

The Tab • 19th March 2026

'It's insulting': Uni of Birmingham grad says loan rises £4k yearly despite £2k repayments

‘It feels like I’m throwing money into an abyss’A Manchester woman says her student loan debt rises by £2,000 every year, despite her paying £2,000 off annually.Reef Pearson, who works in Ancoats, said a £4,000 annual increase means that her student loan debt is always rising.
Reef graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2019 with a degree in business and communications – and over £50,000 in debt.
She covered her university tuition and living costs with a plan two loan from Student Financ...

The Tab • 19th March 2026

Kerching! These are the UK cities making the most from student nights out

I guess we know which students aren’t making their Thursday 9amsIt’s well known that students have a bit of a reputation as partiers. With student loans and part time work often comes binge spending, so it makes sense that nightlife revenue sees a huge boost during term time periods in student cities.SumUp, a global contactless payment company, say that bars, clubs, food venues and music venues see an impressive 142 per cent increase in total payment volume (TPV) when students are in university....

The Tab • 25th February 2026

Manchester Uni increases rent 28 per cent above inflation in 21 years, and plans more rises

Rent costs across 10 accommodation blocks has risen by an average of 133 per cent since 2004Student rent at the University of Manchester has risen by 133 per cent in 21 years, with further rental increases planned for next year.This figure means that rent has risen 28 per cent above the rate of inflation.
This data comes from the rental figures of 10 University of Manchester accommodation locations.
A 28 per cent increase in rent over 21 years means that, on average, rent has increased by 1.3 pe...

The Tab • 25th February 2026

Uni of Manchester’s SU say students are facing ‘crisis’ amidst proposed rent hikes

The University of Manchester’s Students’ Union says students are facing “crisis” after the university proposed a series of rent hikes for the 2026/27 academic year.The university proposed a blanket three per cent increase on university-owned accommodation and up to five per cent increases on leased accommodation.
In a statement released on the SU website, the union’s executive officers said the hikes will have a negative impact on the student experience and graduates’ career outcomes.
Only 34.44...

The Tab • 23rd February 2026

Police investigating footage of man ‘being attacked’ at Britain First march in Manchester

Police are investigating footage of a man being attacked at a Britain First march in Manchester.A video circulated on social media shows a man holding a Union Jack flag punching and kicking another man in the middle of a road.
Two other men joined in on the attack, continuing to kick the man who had stumbled and fallen to the ground.
The incident occurred during a protest in Manchester city centre by the far-right group Britain First, which called for remigration and mass deportation.A large num...

The Tab • 23rd February 2026

Sherlock in Ali G? Here are all the major celebrities who went to uni in Manchester

The Blue 2 catwalk may make Manchester students feel like celebrities, but for some of the city’s university alumni, it’s not a library making them famous – it’s their actual jobs.Manchester universities have some major legacies of celebrities having attended their hallowed halls, from film stars to musicians and comedians – but which celebs are you actually walking in the footsteps of?
Forget the Hollywood Walk of Fame, here’s our rundown of all the notable celebs who battled their way through...

The Tab • 20th February 2026

Multiple Manchester universities facing legal claims from students over Covid disruptions

Multiple Manchester universities are currently facing legal claims from students over disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic.Student Group Claim, which represents over 170,000 students across the UK, says it has issued pre-action letters to 36 UK universities.
This includes both the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.
The group leading the legal efforts alleges that students did not receive the education they paid for due, with less access to in-person education an...

The Tab • 19th February 2026

Greater Manchester may soon have a new university amidst local college’s growth plans

Greater Manchester could soon see another university joining its ranks, with an east Manchester college campus aiming to achieve univerity status.UK Management College (UKMC) operates multiple UK sites after being established in 2016, with its three Greater Manchester sites including a space in Salford.
The college was established by husband and wife Zahidul and Abida Islam, with the aim of helping students from socially disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds complete management programm...

The Tab • 12th February 2026

Manchester synagogue attack triggered rise in antisemitic incidents across UK

The days surrounding the attack saw the highest daily recorded incidents throughout 2025There has been a sudden rise in antisemitic incidents following last year’s Manchester synagogue attack, according to a recent report.40 incidents were recorded on the day of the attack alone, with another 40 following the day after – the highest daily totals across 2025.
The Community Service Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in the UK, reported this rise, as well as details of certain incidents.
Melv...

The Tab • 10th February 2026

Outrage as Northern Rail orders shooting of pigeons at Manchester train station

Northern Rail has organised the repeated shooting of wild birds inside Manchester Victoria Station in their latest “Bird Management Program”, according to the results of a Freedom of Information Request.The train operating company contracted Ecolab to carry out the bird culling sessions, which began in October 2025.
Sessions were carried out on a bi-weekly schedule and took place out-of-hours.
Birds were shot using rubber pellets, with many shots made by Ecolab staff causing injuries that were n...

The Tab • 29th January 2026

Uni of Manchester awarded over £11.5 million in 2025 scholarships and bursaries

The university says this academic year will see ‘an additional boost in financial aid for students from low-income households’The University of Manchester invested £11.5 million into its scholarships and bursaries in 2025, according to the latest Impact Report.5900 low-income students received funding from the university.
Funding was awarded via the Undergraduate Access Scholarship and the Manchester Bursary.
Both schemes saw an increase in award values in 2025, with values increasing from £1,00...

The Tab • 27th January 2026

Commuting to Manchester? Here are our nine favourite study spots for in between classes

Get out of MMU library and get yourself to Federal right nowJanuary deadlines have passed and term two has officially begun, meaning Manchester’s commuter students have left the safety of their homes and braved Northern trains back to Oxford Road.With uni schedules being what they are – especially as 15 credit modules start – you’ll often find yourself with awkward gaps between classes or before your uni day begins. It may seem like your two options are spending all your money in Starbucks or st...

The Tab • 26th January 2026

Blind Manchester student who fell on train tracks awarded £18k after assistance didn't arrive

Abdul Eneser’s booked assistance failed to turn up at the agreed time, leaving him alone after midnightA blind Manchester student has been awarded £18,000 after narrowly avoiding being hit by a freight train at Manchester Picadilly station.Abdul Eneser, a 23-year-old masters law student, fell onto the tracks of platform 14 after train staff failed to arrive at the platform to help him through the station – despite him booking aid through Passenger Assist.
Abdul miraculously managed to drag himse...

The Tab • 23rd January 2026

University of Manchester sees significant increase in applicants over past five years

It’s official, UoM is the coolest Russell Group aroundThe University of Manchester (UoM) has seen a significant increase in its number of applicants since 2020, a UCAS report revals.The data, which was published in UCAS’s 2025 end-of-cycle reports, shows that a whopping 93,195 prospective students applied for a place at the university in 2025.
This is a 23 per cent increase from the number of applicants in 2020, which sat at 75,640.
6,000 additional applications were sent between 2024 and 2025.T...

The Tab • 11th December 2025

University of Greater Manchester faces inquiry from Office for Students amid fraud claims

The university has faced multiple senior staff suspensions and allegations of bribery in the past yearThe University of Greater Manchester (UoGM) is under investigation by the Office for Students (OfS) amid allegations of bullying, bribery and financial misconduct.This comes after Greater Manchester Police said they were investigating “allegations of financial irregularities” within the university, formerly named the University of Bolton, last May.
The Office for Students will now examine whethe...

The Tab • 11th December 2025

Here’s what Christmas movie you should watch based on your Manchester study spot

Michaelmas term is almost over and we’re all counting down the days until we get a break from deadlines and walking through floods on Oxford Road. The flat decorations are up, the gingerbread has burnt in the oven, you’ve used a rogue traffic cone as a tree, and it’s the perfect time to start thinking about an end-of-term movie night with your friends.With so many amazing Christmas movies to choose from, you’ll need a perfect movie list to help you pick. So we’ve come up with a 100 per cent accu...

The Tab • 8th December 2025

Uni of Manchester issues warning over zombie-inducing chemical found in ketamine

The combination of medetomidine and ketamine can cause fatal sedationThe University of Manchester has issued a warning after a chemical that has been turning US drug-users into “zombies” was found in ketamine sold in Britain.Xylazine, nicknamed “tranq”, has caused drug addicts in Philadelphia and New York to stand frozen to the spot and appear lifeless, as well as hobble around uncoordinated. These effects have led people to draw comparisons to “zombies” in users.
However, a new drug, medetomidi...

The Tab • 8th December 2025

31-year-old man charged with terrorism offences following arrest at Manchester Airport

The charges are not directly linked to the October synagogue attackA 31-year-old man has been charged with terrorism offences following his arrest at Manchester Airport on 27th November.Mohammad Asim Bashir, who resides in Cheetham Hill, was originally arrested on suspicion of “commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism” following the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in October.
However, Greater Manchester Police say his current charges are not directly linked to this...

The Tab • 1st December 2025

Greater Manchester Police arrest additional suspect at airport after synagogue attack

This is the seventh arrest related to the October attackGreater Manchester Police have arrested an additional suspect in relation to the October terrorist attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.A 31-year-old man was arrested last Thursday at Manchester Airport on suspicion of “commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.”
This comes after Jihad Al-Shamie was arrested for conducting the attack that killed two victims and seriously injured three others.
The most recen...

The Tab • 1st December 2025

Uni of Manchester’s Students’ Union opens food and essentials pantry for all students

Manchester University’s Students’ Union has opened a food and essentials pantry and wellbeing space for students.“Essentials” contains a food pantry and free hygiene products, childcare items, a kitchen and seating spaces.
It was created in response to the cost of living crisis. Manchester SU also cited the latest Student Priority Report as their driving force, with results revealing that one in three students fear that their food will run out before they can afford more.
With 32 per cent of stu...

The Tab • 27th November 2025

Manchester council promises Pride 2026 will go ahead with more community involvement

‘It’s important the community remains at the heart of Pride process’Manchester City Council has promised that a “new pride festival” will take place in 2026, despite Manchester Pride declaring bankruptsy in October.The council said that this year’s event will return, adn will be “home-made” and “co-designed” with Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community.
Following the event’s trustees placing the organisation into voluntary liquidation, counsellor Bev Craig shared the city would still host Pride 2026.
Yest...