Cadishead Disorder: Two 13-Year-Olds Arrested After Bus Driver Assault, Manchester 2026

Key Points

• There have been increased instances of youth-related crime and antisocial behavior in Cadishead, Salford, Greater Manchester, especially on the occasion of Halloween.
• Video footage of the incident seen by the Manchester Evening News shows around 15 to 20 youths, mostly between 12 and 16 years old, throwing a bus driver down and kicking him.
• According to reports, even a person trying to help the driver was reportedly assaulted.
• Fireworks and eggs were thrown at The Plough pub, the door of a private residence was kicked, and a car was targeted.
• The 67 bus service was temporarily rerouted on Sunday evening after the incident and has now resumed its normal route.
• Greater Manchester Police reported several reports of youth setting off fireworks in the Liverpool Road area, Cadishead.
• Two thirteen-year-old children, one girl and one boy, have been arrested after a gathering of more than 60 youths; three police officers have been injured in a challenging and volatile situation, according to Greater Manchester Police.
• The girl was arrested for violent disorder and perverting the course of justice, while the boy was arrested for violent disorder, section 47 assault, and two cases of assaulting an emergency worker.
• Jamie Horrocks Trust has cancelled the area’s only group of girls because it could not ensure the safe environment that the youths need.
• Salford City Council says it is supporting Greater Manchester Police and that it has been working closely with schools, Greater Manchester Police, and other community partners in arranging youth activities.
• Greater Manchester Police says it will be stepping up its patrols and proactive operations in the area through Operation Treacle.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) November 07, 2026 — A community in Salford has been left shaken after footage circulated online appeared to show a bus driver being knocked to the ground and assaulted by a group of young people, while fireworks were allegedly fired at a local pub and vehicles.

The incidents took place in Cadishead, an area within the wider Irlam and Cadishead neighbourhood of Salford, during the Halloween weekend. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, CCTV footage reviewed by the newspaper showed a group of around 15 to 20 youths, many apparently aged between 12 and 16, attacking the bus driver after an altercation.

The footage, which was later removed from social media, appeared to show the driver being knocked down and kicked while on the ground. A bystander who attempted to intervene was also reportedly attacked by several teenagers.

Greater Manchester Police said it received multiple reports of youths discharging fireworks on Liverpool Road, Cadishead. The force appealed for witnesses and asked anyone with CCTV or doorbell footage to come forward.

Why was the bus route changed?

The disorder affected public transport in the area. Transport for Greater Manchester said some bus routes were temporarily altered on the Sunday evening following the confrontation involving the number 67 bus.

Kate Green, Head of Policing and Community Safety at Transport for Greater Manchester, said the organisation was assisting police with inquiries into several incidents of anti-social behaviour in Cadishead, some of which involved buses.

She said:

“Some bus routes were momentarily altered on Sunday evening but have since resumed normal operations.”

Ms Green added that local residents and bus passengers could expect an increased presence of police and safety personnel in the coming days.

The disruption caused frustration among passengers in nearby Irlam, according to the Manchester Evening News, which reported that bus routes serving the already relatively isolated area were altered for several days.

What did residents and businesses say?

Local business owners and residents described a frightening sequence of events. Witnesses told the Manchester Evening News that fireworks and eggs were thrown at The Plough pub, while another business owner said youths later vandalised a nearby property.

One business owner, who captured the bus driver altercation on CCTV, said:

“They were fighting and assaulted a bus driver and a customer of the neighbouring pub.”

The landlady of The Plough told the BBC that up to 60 youths attacked the pub with fireworks “for hours”.

A local shopkeeper quoted by the Manchester Evening News said they had seen the footage and felt the situation was worsening.

Some residents, who asked not to be named because of fears of retaliation, said Cadishead felt neglected by police and the council. One resident said: “We’re the forgotten village… Police don’t come down here anymore unless something terrible happens. There are no patrols. The same goes for the council.”

How many young people were involved?

Police said a gathering involved more than 60 young people. The BBC reported that two 13-year-olds were arrested after officers were injured during what Greater Manchester Police described as a “challenging and volatile situation”.

The Manchester Evening News reported that approximately 60 teenagers were thought to have been involved in the disturbances.

The arrests followed a week in which neighbourhood officers responded to an increase in reports involving groups of young people engaging in anti-social and disorderly behaviour, according to Salford Now.

Who has been arrested?

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that two 13-year-olds had been arrested in connection with the incidents.

A 13-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and perverting the course of justice.

A 13-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, section 47 assault and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

The arrests were supported by CCTV footage, according to a statement reported by The Bolton News.

The allegations have not been tested in court, and the young people have not been named because of their age.

What are police doing now?

Greater Manchester Police said it would not tolerate anti-social behaviour and pledged to disrupt criminal activity and improve safety for residents.

Chief Inspector Lee Gridley, neighbourhood lead for GMP Salford district, said: “We will not tolerate antisocial behavior in our communities, and we will tirelessly combat criminal activities, disrupt antisocial behavior, and enhance safety for local residents.”

Police Sergeant Heather Stott, from the Eccles, Irlam and Cadishead Neighbourhood Team, said the force understood residents’ concerns and was working to disrupt the behaviour and prevent further escalation.

She said residents could expect increased police visibility, patrols and proactive work in the coming weeks.

Salford Now reported that the Cadishead Neighbourhood Team would be deployed as part of Operation Treacle, an operation focused on tackling disorder and firework misuse.

What is Salford Council doing?

Salford City Council said it recognised that the vast majority of children and young people in Salford were respectful and contributed positively to their communities.

Councillor Barbara Bentham, Lead Member for Environment, Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, said the council was assisting Greater Manchester Police with its ongoing investigation and urged anyone with information to come forward.

She said the council’s Youth Service had been working with local schools, police and community partners to engage young people positively and provide activities intended to encourage positive choices.

The council also said support was available for residents who felt vulnerable or concerned about their safety.

Salford City Council separately said that City Mayor Paul Dennett and Deputy City Mayor Councillor Tracy Kelly had joined Greater Manchester Police officers on patrols in Irlam and Cadishead.

Why do residents feel isolated?

Cadishead councillor Hannah Robinson-Smith said the area often felt left behind because it was one of the furthest communities from central Salford.

She acknowledged that there was “an element of misinformation” around claims that the council and police did not care about Cadishead, saying some residents reported concerns on social media rather than directly to the authorities.

However, she said there was “some truth” to residents’ concerns about disconnection. She said that, despite having a bus station and other transport links, people living at the bottom of Lord Street faced a 25-minute walk to the main road and then a further half-hour bus journey to Eccles.

Councillor Robinson-Smith said the area had lost its local police presence and district hall, while residents did not feel the benefits of major developments elsewhere in Salford, including at MediaCityUK.

She said she did not want Cadishead to be defined by the recent disorder and described it as a “strong and vibrant community”.

What else has affected the area?

The latest violence followed earlier incidents in which properties believed to be houses in multiple occupation, known as HMOs, had windows smashed and were defaced with racist graffiti.

According to the Manchester Evening News, the incidents occurred despite official figures indicating that the area had only 12 HMOs.

Residents told the newspaper that the problems were not entirely new, although the recent spate had intensified concerns about safety and community cohesion.

Background of the development

Cadishead is a residential area in the west of Salford, near Irlam and close to the Manchester Ship Canal. It has historically been described by local representatives as geographically disconnected from central Salford, with limited immediate access to some public services and transport connections.

The recent disorder occurred around Halloween, a period when Greater Manchester Police routinely increase patrols under Operation Treacle to address firework misuse and anti-social behaviour.

The case has brought together concerns about youth violence, public transport safety, policing visibility, community investment and the impact of anti-social behaviour on local businesses and community groups.

Prediction: What it means for residents

For Cadishead and Irlam residents, the immediate effect is likely to be greater police and council attention, including more visible patrols and closer work between Greater Manchester Police, Transport for Greater Manchester and Salford City Council.

Bus passengers may see more security presence around stops and routes, while residents may be asked to provide CCTV, doorbell footage or witness information to support investigations.

For families and young people, the council’s stated focus on youth activities, schools and community partners could lead to more local programmes intended to reduce anti-social behaviour.

For local businesses, particularly pubs and shops, the incidents may increase pressure for improved CCTV coverage, faster police response and stronger partnership working between traders, residents and authorities.

The wider issue for the community is whether the promised police presence and council support continue beyond the immediate response. Residents’ concerns about isolation, transport and access to services suggest that lasting change would depend not only on enforcement, but also on sustained investment and visible community policing.