Final Oasis gig passes safely after 15-year-old boy dies on M60 - causing travel chaos

The final shows of Oasis’ iconic homecoming in Manchester have passed safely with no major issues and just five arrests last night (Sunday).

Four men and a woman were arrested on suspicion of offences including racially aggravated assault of a steward. 

A 15-year-old boy sadly died following a concern for welfare incident on the M60, Junction 20 (Alkrington Interchange), yesterday evening, which caused a closure between J19 Rhodes Interchange and J21 resulting in severe delays. The section of the motorway opened early this morning. The teenager's family have been informed.

A large number of resources were sent to try and minimise disruption after the fatal incident. 

During the five concerts, a total of 10 unauthorised drones were seized after restrictions were put in place, including one which was spotted at the Sunday gig. 

There was a Section 34 Dispersal Order in place around the event area for each evening throughout the Manchester band’s string of gigs. 

This order allows officers to direct individuals to leave a specified area and not return for a period of up to 48 hours to reduce anti-social behaviour and its impact on the community. 

There was an isolated incident at ‘Gallagher Hill’, where some disruption occurred including bottles being thrown, however this was quickly resolved. 

The five events passed without any major incidents or trouble as a total of more than 300,000 fans flocked to Heaton Park to witness the band’s massive return to Manchester. 

Officers worked with the event organisers and partners from Manchester City Council and Bury Council to ensure the areas in and around Heaton Park were safely managed with minimal disruption for the public. 

Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle, lead police commander for the Oasis events, said: “These concerts have been months in the making for us and our partners to ensure that hundreds of thousands of fans who have come to Manchester can safely enjoy these iconic homecoming shows. 

“We’ve now seen all five Oasis events pass without any major issues and I’m pleased that the overwhelming majority of people attending have enjoyed themselves and behaved sensibly and responsibly. 

“Our officers have continued to provide a high-visibility presence throughout; assisting our partners and event security in ensuring a smooth flow of operations, before, during, and after the concerts whilst being on-hand to deal with any concerns from members of the public. 

“Where we have had to do so, we have acted in seizing unauthorised drones, arresting those attempting to illegally enter the event, coordinating road closures and working with colleagues in the ambulance service to help those in need of medical attention. 

“We’ve assisted local authorities and the event organisers with their plans throughout. This includes supporting security staff who play a key role, and the rare and isolated incidents of abuse have been disappointing, particularly the reported racially aggravated incident tonight. I want to thank all security staff and partners who have done a fine job in making this a memorable experience for all. 

“This has been a huge event with 300,000 fans coming to Heaton Park and many others visiting Manchester to experience the atmosphere. I’d like to thank the public for their cooperation and patience as we maintained a safe and steady flow of people entering and leaving the event with minimal disruption over the last few weeks.”