Tabitha Wilson


I am a reporter for Newsquest and I was previously an MA Journalism student at Sheffield University, also earning my NCTJ here. I have also worked as a maritime journalist, and studied politics at Durham University.

I am open to commissions - please contact me using the form on this page. 

Leigh Journal •

Meet the blood donor dog who has saved more than 100 lives

Stella, a Labrador cross Golden Retriever, lives in Mosley Common with owners Nicola Simpson, a volunteer for Pet Blood Bank UK, and Lee Simpson, who works as a procurement manager.

Pet Blood Bank UK is a charity that helps to save the lives of pets in need.

Stella came into Nicola and Lee’s lives as a Guide Dog boarder in 2019 from the North West Regional Centre in Atherton.

“What was supposed to be a 12-week board became 18 months due to Covid,” 48-year-old Nicola explained.

“S...
Wirral Globe •

Meet the content creator showcasing the best of Wirral

George Redfern, 23, has built a following on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, where he has spent more than two years sharing videos from his adventures across Australia and Southeast Asia.

He started his journey by visiting the worst-rated hotels and destinations in Wirral, and giving them a positive review based on his experience.

The New Brighton native has more than 35,000 followers on TikTok, and is now putting the spotlight on Wirral as part of a new series.

"I really think the W...
Warrington Guardian •

Award-winning Daresbury Dairy celebrates 15 years with new flavours

Daresbury Dairy will open its doors on Saturday, February 28, marking an exciting milestone as the family-run business celebrates 15 years of making ice cream.

Husband-and-wife team Matthew and Claire Whitlow run the dairy together, which has been in the Whitlow family for several generations.

Milk from the farm's cows is used to make the ice cream

While the farm’s heritage stretches back decades, the ice cream venture began in 2011, born from Claire’s passion for high-quality, local...
Warrington Guardian •

I tried a bread-making class in Warrington - this is what I thought

At the start of the week, I headed along to one of Room Forty’s special classes to see what it was all about.

Founded by award-winning Warrington baker Jen Perry, Room Forty is marking Real Bread Week 2026 with a series of in-person sessions in Penketh and Lymm, putting practical “bread-u-cation” at the heart of the celebrations.

The classes are run by Room Forty (Image: NQ)

The classes are designed to give people the confidence and skills to bake real bread at home, using simple ing...
Warrington Guardian •

I tried Reformer Pilates in Warrington - this is what I thought

Having never taken part in a Pilates class before, I was curious to see what all the hype was about - so when I heard about Flow Nova Studios in Warrington, I decided it was the perfect place to find out.

The studio is located in Lineva House on Milner Street, and has plenty of parking available.

I arrived for my class early and was greeted by instructor Kelsey Mawdsley, who talked me through what a typical day at the studio looks like.

Kelsey opened Flow Nova in October 2025 and has...
St Helens Star •

I went behind the scenes at Liverpool Airport - here's what I thought

With the airport being on my doorstep, I went down to spend a day behind the scenes to learn what it takes to keep an airport running.

An avid aviation enthusiast, I was eager to explore, and I arrived bright and early to meet my guide for the day, Head of PR & Communications, Robin Tudor.

The airport is often recognised as one of the best in the country (Image: NQ)

Robin explained to me that out of nearly 3,000 employees, only 10 per cent are actually employed by Liverpool Airport,...
Warrington Guardian •

Inside the full-size 747 cockpit hidden in the Cheshire countryside

An avid aviation enthusiast, when I heard about this, I knew I needed to find out more.

Driving down single-track lanes, I started to wonder what I had gotten myself into.

The unassuming barn housing the experience is surrounded by horses and farm machinery – but once you step inside, you’re transported to a different world entirely.

The barn is nestled deep in rural Cheshire (Image: NQ)

The 744 experience was brought to life by friends Dan Chang, Tom McDonough, and Simon Kelsey....
Warrington Guardian •

Jason Donovan to celebrate 35 years of hits in Warrington

Speaking to the Warrington Guardian, Jason Donovan said he 'couldn't wait' to get on stage, bringing his show Doin' Fine - Encore to Parr Hall.

The Australian heartthrob said: "Doin' Fine 2025 was successful, so we thought we’d roll out more shows.

"It’s a celebration of 35 years of live work from me, with a lot of theatre stuff and a lot of pop music stuff."

The 57-year-old legend has performed in front of 40,000 people across the UK and Ireland while on the road so far, and has del...
Warrington Guardian •

From abandoned to adored - Warrington rescue dog goes viral

Allan Mason, a 36-year-old joiner, found the border terrier cross tied to a wooden post at the entrance to Bold Colliery Forest Park, on the outskirts of Burtonwood, at around 8am on February 5.

He said: “When I found him and cautiously approached him, the first thing he did was start to wag his tail, and as I picked him up, he started giving me kisses.

“I took him to the vet for a check over, and I asked what would happen, and they said he would go into kennels.

“I know how hard it...
Runcorn and Widnes World •

Widnes business donates netball kits to support school team

The donation comes from Kits for All, a uniform supply shop now run by owners Lee and Maresa Knowles, who recently donated a full set of netball uniforms to Wade Deacon High School.

Maresa said the decision came after learning the school was looking for support to help launch the team.

The team received the uniforms from Kits for All (Image: Supplied)

She said: “Our daughter attended Wade Deacon, and she mentioned that they were starting a netball team and looking for sponsorship.”...
Leigh Journal •

Behind the scenes at the guide dog training centre changing lives

Tucked away in Greater Manchester, the site is a working hub where guide dogs are trained and prepared to transform lives - and weekly behind-the-scenes tours, open to the public, offer a rare insight into how that happens.

The group was welcomed at 10.30 am with tea and coffee and a chance to mingle, before an expert volunteer, David Oliver, walked us through the history of Guide Dogs.

In fact, volunteers outnumber staff by around ten to one – something that becomes evident throughout t...
Warrington Guardian •

Work to take place soon over 'dangerous potholes' on notorious Warrington bridge

Cantilever Bridge in Latchford has several potholes that have led to drivers feeling unable to use the road.

One resident said: “The potholes are awful on the bridge.

The bridge is covered in potholes (Image: NQ)

“It’s high up and has signage saying that the bridge is weak, so it’s already not the most enjoyable route.

“But with the large potholes on the bridge too, it does make me quite anxious driving over it.”

The bridge is owned by the Peel Group, who own swing bridges ov...
Warrington Guardian •

Why the Cumbria coast is perfect for a peaceful weekend escape

WHEN most of us think of Cumbria, we think of the popular, picturesque Lake District towns of Windermere and Ambleside.

However, further west, on the edge of the Lakes, lies a treasure trove of hidden gems and untouched landscapes, waiting to be discovered.

In search of some rest and relaxation, I made the journey from Manchester to The Wayside, luxury accommodation situated in the Western Lake District near Millom.

As soon as I arrived, I was instantly put at ease by owner Emiko Kin...
Runcorn and Widnes World •

Social media sensation puts Widnes pubs in the spotlight

Former pub landlord, Dale Harvey, from Nottingham, has 196,000 followers on Facebook, and also shares content on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

On February 5, he headed to Widnes and explored 15 pubs in the area.

Posting on Facebook, he described Widnes as a “really lovely town full of great people!”

The crawl was sponsored by ClearBeer, a beer line cleaning and cellar maintenance company based in the North West.

The former landlord was keen to explore what Widnes had to offer (...
Warrington Guardian •

‘Nail in the coffin’ – Fears grow as Warrington pubs fight to survive

Graeme Keast, 39, owner of Dead Eyes Cocktail Bar and a number of Subway franchises in Warrington, and co-owner of The Blue Bell and The Thorn Inn alongside business partner Chris Hodgkinson, 39, says the reality for hospitality businesses is far removed from the perception that pubs are “doing well” simply because they remain busy.

Graeme said: “People are still coming out and spending money, but all the money we’re making is going out on utilities and being taxed to death.

“We’re not d...
Northwich Guardian •

All the amazing winners of our Guardian Education Awards 2026

The annual awards aim to celebrate nurseries, schools and colleges across Mid Cheshire, championing pupils and students, teachers and tutors, and classes and teams.

Every year, we highlight everything that’s good about Mid Cheshire’s educators, shining a spotlight on innovation and best practice across the area.

Nine awards were given out to outstanding pupils and students, teachers and leaders, and classes and schools.

We were inundated with nominations from parents, pupils, colleag...
Wirral Globe •

Death of cherished Wirral dog sparks heartfelt community response

Cain, owned by Tracey Rennie and her husband, was sadly put to sleep on January 8 following a battle with lymphoma.

The Australian cattle dog was a familiar sight during walks around Wallasey, New Brighton, and especially Vale Park, where many locals came to recognise him through Tracey’s 'Good morning' social media posts.

Owner Tracey with her beloved dog Cain (Image: Tracey Rennie)

Tracey shared pictures of Cain across local Facebook groups, where he proved popular with residents a...
Wirral Globe •

Huge turnout as Wirral’s first gluten-free bakery opens

Lemmingtons, on Seaview Road in Liscard, opened on January 17 following months of preparation.

Wirral’s first 100% gluten-free café and bakery offers a range of sweet and savoury goodies for those with conditions such as coeliac disease, as well as gluten intolerance and sensitivity.

The opening day was a success (Image: La Vida Liverpool)

Coeliac disease is a condition where a person's immune system attacks their own tissues when eating gluten.

Wirral chef Adam McCabe, who found...
Warrington Guardian •

Behind the scenes at the Cheshire centre saving seal pups

Located on London Road in Nantwich, the centre is one of four in the UK specialising in treating and rehabilitating injured, orphaned, and confiscated wildlife.

They admit animals from south of the Scottish Border to south of Birmingham, into North Wales, and across to Lincolnshire.

Around 50 seals are admitted each year, with pups usually coming in as they have been orphaned.

The majority of pups admitted are orphans (Image: NQ)

Centre manager Lee Stewart said: “They come in her...
Warrington Guardian •

Behind the scenes at Walton zoo – where no two days are the same

The ranger said: “It’s pretty scary to be honest, how many years I’ve actually been here.”

Located on Walton Lea Road in Higher Walton, the zoo started off as a set of small cages, but has developed and grown over the years.

Open seven days a week, the zoo is incredibly popular with locals.

Peter said: “We even opened on Christmas day for a couple of hours, and we had around 2-300 people through the zoo on Christmas morning.”

The zoo has around 200 animals, but this changes const...
Runcorn and Widnes World •

Runcorn dad turns family kitchen videos into full-time business

39-year-old Stuart Snowden has built a combined following of more than 700,000 people across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, under the username Grumpy Northern Foodie.

The dad-of-three first began sharing videos during lockdown, cooking simple, relatable meals at home with his family.

Stuart, who was born and raised in Runcorn, said: “It was just one of those things which you kind of start doing, and then a couple of our videos that we did went quite big.

“We sort of fell into it by...
St Helens Star •

St Helens artist proves you don’t need a studio to make pop music

27-year-old songwriter and producer Fae Oakley is preparing to release her latest single, ‘Plausible Deniability’, and has produced, filmed, and edited a music video entirely from home.

The song, which is set for release on January 30, explores themes of subtle chemistry and longing between two people who can’t act on their feelings.

The singer, who performs under the name FAE, said: “I hope people will be able to apply the song to their own situation and feel less alone in that experien...
Warrington Guardian •

We tried pizza at Donatello in Warrington – here’s our verdict

We decided to head down to Donatello, the ever-popular Orford Lane eatery, to try out the pizza they had on offer.

The restaurant has been in business for more than 20 years, and serves a variety of fresh pizzas made 'the traditional Italian way'.

Donatello serves a range of fresh Italian dishes (Image: NQ)

From the moment we walked through the door, it was clear to see why Donatello is a firm favourite with residents.

The staff were incredibly warm and welcoming, and we were mad...
Warrington Guardian •

Adorable rhino calf delights keepers at Knowsley Safari

Kamari, a female southern white rhino, was born at Knowsley Safari and is quickly gaining confidence.

Born on November 20, Kamari is the offspring of nine-year-old mother Bayami and 16-year-old father Pembe.

Lindsay Banks, ungulates team manager at Knowsley Safari, said: "We're absolutely delighted to welcome Kamari to our crash.

"She's already showing a confident and playful personality, which is fantastic to see at such an early stage.

"Every rhino birth is a huge achievement f...
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