Jade Heslin

Looking for a new way to get in shape? Manchester has a wealth of sports and activities on offer that you may not have considered before, so skip the gym and head to some of these spots to lose the pounds and maybe even enjoy yourself in the process! Jump Nation <img id="607e2562-f6a8-f678-fb6b-8dc8e11b429b" data-caption="" data-credit="" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="40205" loaded="40205" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102782243/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline">                         Who says trampolining is just for kids? Jump Nation at Trafford Park offer wall to wall trampolines (139 in total) which can be enjoyed by those of any age, shape or ability. Whether you choose to attend one of their classes, or just go freestyle, this is definitely a fun way to jump start your fitness regime. Bhangracise at Chorlton Irish Club <img id="3e8820c3-76fe-9e27-bf7e-e7a622026897" data-caption="" data-credit="" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="235293" loaded="235293" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102782269/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline">       This is a thoroughly enjoyable and uplifting way of keeping fit. The dance moves are set to bhangra music and are so much fun that you will forget that you are doing exercise. There are classes in both Chorlton and Stretford and they might just be led by the happiest man on earth. You will be so full of endorphins after this workout that you will feel that you can tak

We all love a bit of juvenile humour, and there’s no easier place to find it than right outside your front door. The streets of Greater Manchester are full of smut. Everywhere you turn there’s a bottom, dick or fold. Reports have shown that house prices can fall by staggering amounts based on ‘undesirable’ street names, but there are bound to be a few eccentric types that will pay over the odds for an abode with an amusing address. Here's a list of Manchester locations that are bound to have you tittering like a schoolchild: Flapper Fold Lane – Atherton <img id="7b331412-ada1-a6b3-c2ae-68a0ea4f64ba" data-caption="" data-credit="" data-width-class="" type="image/png" total="184523" loaded="184523" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102516715/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline">   This amusing lane is bound to conjure up some ghastly images, although there is nothing intrinsically saucy about it. A ‘fold’ is a common type of terrain in northern England and can be defined as ‘a slight hill or hollow in the ground’. Holebottom – Ashton-under-Lyne <img id="646209d2-bfda-0e5f-5b9a-7c202ef3c090" data-caption="" data-credit="" data-width-class="" type="image/png" total="24148" loaded="24148" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102516725/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> You can’t get much more explicit than Holebottom. This snigger-inducing cul-de-sac is located just a few feet from Broadoak Primary School and is dou

Calling all adrenaline junkies; the UK’s biggest zombie chase game is back and is hitting the streets of Manchester.Slingshot's ‘2.8 Hours Later’ is a test of agility and endurance, as contestants work in teams to evade hordes of the undead which have overtaken the derelict city streets.This year’s game has the subheading ‘Ruin’ and continues where last year's ‘Survival’ left off. Five years after the initial outbreak, scientists have discovered that a weaker strain of the virus has emerged which affects fertility amongst survivors. It is your job to navigate your way around the city, armed with a game map and a set of co-oordinates. You will be faced with a set of both mental and physical challenges in order to locate the few remaining children and bring them to safety. Beware, for around every corner there could be something unspeakable lurking. Professional performance actors have been hired to bring an element of excitement and realism to the game. 2.8 Hours Later works like a rather sinister game of tag. If you are touched by a zombie you must stop and be given ‘the mark’. You can continue to play the game as normal but once you reach your final location you will be quarantined. Those who are discovered to have been infected will be taken aside and ‘transformed’ by the event’s excellent make-up team into one of the walking dead. All participants gain entry to the free ‘Zombie Disco’ after-party where there will be a well-stocked bar and DJs spinning ghoulish tunes until

Paint the town green in the run up to St Patrick's Day with this nifty guide to Irish festivities. Whether you’re gagging for a Guinness or crazy about colcannon, Manchester will have something that’s right up your street. 1. Parade and after-partyOn Sunday March 15, the city will host the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade. At 11.30am, the floats will line up outside The Irish World Heritage Centre on Queens Road and begin their procession towards Albert Square, arriving at around 1.30pm. Tens of thousands of people are expected to show up to wave on the green army, and fancy dress is encouraged. There are plenty of after-parties to choose from, including O’Shea’s on Princess Street, or the lesser-known Shamrock pub on Bengal Street (just a stone’s throw from the city’s Northern Quarter). Both boast live music and are guaranteed a lively atmosphere. 2. Irish marketForget the illuminated Father Christmas, who wants to see the town hall lit up like an enormous shamrock? And that's not all you’ll get - the Manchester Irish Markets are the hub of the St Patrick's Day celebrations and include stalls offering traditional Irish cuisine, live entertainment, fairground rides and a huge selection of pick n mix for the kids. This year the markets have expanded to cover not only Albert Square but St Ann's Square too. Vendors will be operating until Sunday and the all-important Guinness tent will be sticking around until the grand St Patrick’s day finale on March 17. 3. Irish Festival 20 yea

Everybody loves a bit of whimsical wordplay. Take a walk around Manchester and it won’t be long before you come across a shop-front bearing a pun. Our streets are rife with witticisms. From takeaways to hairdressing salons, there is a sign around every corner designed to make us chuckle. Here is a list of the most cleverly (or groan-inducingly) titled businesses that Greater Manchester has to offer.   Sherlock Homes The game's afoot and first on our list is this super-sleuth lettings agency in Chorlton. If Sherlock can’t find your ideal home then nobody can.    Only Food and Sauces <img id="cb97c949-ab60-1aa0-5fe6-20279524f650" data-caption="" data-credit="" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="344401" loaded="344401" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102029349/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> This pop-up burger van can be found at Old Trafford on match days. The design screams lawsuit, but fortunately the burgers don’t appear to be hooky. Lovely Jubbly. You know it makes sense.   Fatboy Trim's <img id="df676c05-059c-2ec0-980b-6396f8487a55" data-caption="" data-credit="" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="192610" loaded="192610" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102029373/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline">   This musically inspired men’s salon can be found in Shaw, Oldham. Although the proprietor is far from fat, scissors are said to be his 'Weapon of Choice'.   Hair Razors   <i

Grimmfest are showing a very special season of screenings to all fans of horror and the macabre. Stephen King Season kicks off on Tuesday February 10 with the UK premiere of ‘A Good Marriage’. Patrons of Manchester’s Dancehouse Theatre on Oxford Road will be treated to a big-screen adaptation of the novella from King’s best-selling collection ‘Full Dark, No Stars’. After 25 years of a good marriage, what will Darcy do once she discovers her husband's sinister secret? The festival runs until April 30 and will showcase the very best stories from the King of horror, reimagined for the big screen. As well as the aforementioned premiere, the Dancehouse will be showing classics ‘Salem’s Lot’, ‘Pet Sematary’ and the unforgettable Oscar-nominated ‘Carrie’. Also on the bill is lesser-known cult classic ‘Creepshow’ - a collection of ghastly shorts penned exclusively for the big screen by King and brought to life by iconic director, George A. Romero. This is a pairing made in heaven (or could it be hell?) and a must-see for all die-hard horror fans. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a special guest appearance from a young King himself in ‘The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verill’. Tickets start from £6.50 per screening or you can purchase a season ticket, granting you entry to all 5 films for just £25. Doors open to the public at 7.30pm, with viewings starting at 8pm. See Time Out's guide to the Stephen King season. 

The history of Manchester is a rich and complex one. This becomes even more apparent when we take a look at the names of some of its best known public houses. Many a patron has sat supping on ale in these fantastically named bars without giving a second thought as to how they acquired their unusual monikers. What on earth is a Peveril? Just what is so special about The Moon Under Water? Fear not, for the answers shall come in this definitive list of uniquely-named drinking houses in the Greater Manchester area. The Peveril of the Peak Situated on an island of land between Chepstow Street and Bridgewater Street, this unusually lurid pub has an even more unusual name. Dating back to the early 19th Century, The Peveril of the Peak is said to have been named after the Manchester to London horse-drawn stagecoach of the same name, while scholars will argue that the pub is named after a story by Sir Walter Scott. We can only assume that the pub was named after the stagecoach, which is in itself a reference to Scott’s 1823 novel.For those of you left wondering what a peveril is in the first place, it refers to Peveril Castle in Derbyshire.The Lass O'Gowrie Who is this Lass and why does she have a pub named after her? Well, in keeping with our thus far literary theme, the eponymous 'Lass' has an entire poem dedicated to her. You could be forgiven for thinking that The Lass O’Gowrie is an Irish bar, but it is in fact Scottish in origin. The pub’s original landlord is said to have bee