Beware The Pusher - abnormal body count in waterways suggest serial killer is on the loose in Manchester
It is the home of two of football's biggest clubs in Manchester United and City.
But Manchester could also be home to an insidious serial killer who leaves virtually no trace on his unfortunate victims.
A total of 61 bodies have been discovered in the waterways of the Greater Manchester region of England in the past six years.
While the Greater Manchester Police believe there is nothing suspicious about the deaths, Birmingham University's Head of Psychology Professor Craig Jackson believes that a murderer targeting Manchester's homosexual community could have had a hand in causing the abnormally high death toll.
Alarming number
He told the Daily Star: "It's extremely unlikely that such an alarming number of bodies is the result of accidents and suicides.
"Canals are not popular suicide spots, especially for men. They are, however, popular dumping sites. And water can be a sure way to erase DNA evidence.
"I think the fact several of these discoveries were made in Manchester's Gay Village could also be significant.
"Do we have another 'gay slayer' like Colin Ireland on the loose? You couldn't rule it out."
'The Pusher'
The story has led to Manchester residents believing that a killer being dubbed "The Pusher" walks among them while #ThePusher hashtag has been spawned on Twitter.
But the Greater Manchester Police have played down the theory and are not rushing to a conclusion just yet.
The Daily Star reported a spokesman saying: "GMP is committed to thoroughly investigating each and every unexplained death and approach each one as potentially suspicious in its initial stages.
"None of our investigations are carried out in isolation and, as we have said publicly before, we have established no link between the various incidents recorded."
Sources: The Daily Star, The Independent
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