Manchester Storm to come home after 24 years

Ice hockey team Manchester Storm is set to return home to its original stadium after 24 years.

The team will play next season in the city's AO Arena after leaving their current home ground at Planet Ice in Altrincham.

Founded back in 1995, the team played in the then newly opened Manchester Arena as a tenant and became inaugural champions of the Ice Hockey Superleague in 1996. They also set a British ice hockey attendance record when 17,245 fans watched their game against Sheffield Steelers the following season, which still stands.

The club left the arena in 2002 but said it was returning to take advantage of a growth in ice hockey's popularity to get more fans to the 23,000-capacity venue.

Emma and Ryan Finnerty, representing the team's ownership group, said: "It's about giving our fans a premier stage in the heart of the city and delivering an outstanding live experience."

They added: "This marks the start of an exciting new era for the club.

"Manchester Storm is coming home."

The arena's general manager, Gemma Vaughan, said staff were "proud" to have Storm back in the "UK's largest indoor sporting arena".

She added: "This homecoming will bring new energy to the city centre, driving footfall for local bars, restaurants, and hotels while creating more opportunities for fans to engage with the sport.

"It's a major step forward for ice hockey's growth in the UK and a brilliant moment for Manchester's already thriving sporting community."