City News in 250 words: Thursday 4 August

A CONMAN posing as Peter Kay's brother has been named as one of the UK's top ten most wanted fraudsters. Peter Stead, 48, conned thousands from Derbyshire pubs back in 2009 when he offered to hold comedy events for a charity posing as 'Danny Kay'. However, Stead failed to perform. Police are on the hunt for Stead and a group of nine other fraudsters who are believed to be responsible for £200,000 of fraud.

DAVID CHARLTON, a prison inmate who recently shot to fame after the Strangeways documentary, wreaked havoc at yesterday's trial at Manchester Crown Court. Charlton, who was being sentenced for racial harassment, became irate when the judge called for another psychiatric report to be filed and began swearing at the judge. Staff at Strangeways previously admitted Charlton was “one of their most difficult inmates”.

THIS SUNDAY'S CHARITY SHIELD has led to police warning 'troublemakers' to stay away. The friendly game between City and United, being held at Wembley, opens the football season. Chief Superintendent Pendry said, “I would say to anyone who is coming along with the aim of causing trouble that we have a range of tactics in place to deal with these disruptions.”

CHORLTON'S Beech Road Festival has been scrapped by the council after youths overran this year's event. More than 20,000 flooded the event, four times as many as expected. Organisers blame social networking for the overcrowding. They said, “We have explored various increased security options for next year but they are simply too expensive."

Fact of the day: This week in 1887 Manchester Ship Canal bought the Bridgewater canal with the largest amount everr written on a cheque up to that time: £1.71m.

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