It was one of Greater Manchester’s most notorious estates. Once described as an “island of deprivation in a sea of affluence”, The Racecourse estate in Sale was considered a no-go zone.
Built amid high optimism in the 1960s, it was supposed to be the finest among the council's estate programme. But the area soon became neglected, run-down and overtaken by crime.
Life on the estate became so dire, even night buses were cancelled due to anti-social behaviour. In March 1997, the estate's reputation hit an all-time low when shop owner Ian Marshall was murdered inside his own off-licence on West Parade.
The 48-year-old was shot in the head while trying to protect his father-in-law from two robbers. READ MORE: Man, 22, who came to Manchester for its 'inclusivity' left for dead following vicious homophobic attack Then, in the early 2000s, developers pumped millions into improving homes in the area.
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