Well here we go again with prediction of who we believe are the qualifiers and no-qualifiers in tonight’s second semi-final

In Tuesday’s first semi we managed to predict nine out of ten but given there were few shocks it was seemingly easy. However, with places in Saturday’s final at a premium there is bound to be a shock or two to come.

Apparently on Tuesday one song received a lot of jury support and one a lot of tele-vote support and that is what helped them through – we’re guessing Albania and Russia respectively – but we’ll have to wait until Saturday to know for definite.

Tonight is a very different affair and it’s less clear cut in some respects. There are six ‘Balkan’ countries tonight – so their votes will probably be shared out among them – viewers in those countries will be familiar with all of the songs already because, unlike in the UK, radio and TV play Eurovision songs weeks before the contest and therefore, to vote for something you’re familiar with will come naturally.

Once again we have plenty of variety – building ballads from Serbia, Estonia and Slovenia; gently lilting tones from Bosnia & Herzegovina; Europop from Norway and Malta and a football anthem from the Ukraine, which also doubles as the country’s football Euro 2012 song!

Sweden are the favorites for the whole contest and they are offering a great slice of contemporary chart music, so it will do well. All that taken into account we predict the following:

Serbia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Sweden, Estonia, Bos & Herz, Norway, Netherlands, Turkey and FYROM.

However, the car crash from Georgia could upset it all!

People in the UK can vote tonight – so vote wisely and choose Netherlands, Slovenia or Estonia to have some variety for Saturday night!

DRAMA at M.E.N. Towers this morning when reports United owner Malcolm Glazer had died surfaced on Twitter.

As luck would have it I was on the phone to the Reds’ press office at the time who said they were aware of the rumours and were checking it out.

In the half an hour that passed before I got a text back confirming it was nonsense everybody’s favourite social network had gone into overdrive.

Apparently CNN had reported it – something retweeted by at least one national newspaper.

A quick check of their website, look at the TV and call to their press office suggested they hadn’t.

James Ducker (@duckerthetimes), former M.E.N. man now at The Times summed it up nicely, tweeting: “Glazer rumour good example of how the internet, for all its good and brilliance, can at times be poisonous and a liability.”

Just need to figure out how to get that 30 minutes back now…

Follow me on Twitter

Richard Hardman (left) assistant manager at Romiley Board Mill with Robert Crofthwaite-Eyre, Anthony Lamb and Henry Leftbridge.

A CHARITY fundraiser saddled up to take on a challenge for Meningitis UK.
Richard Hardman, who is assistant manager at Romiley Board Mill, cycled from London to Paris in just four days to raise cash for the charity.
Along with three friends – Robert Crofthwaite-Eyre, Anthony Lamb and Henry Leftbridge – the 29-year-old joined 100 or so other cyclists to take part in the London to Paris Cycle 2012.
Richard, who lives near Clitheroe and commutes to Romiley for work, says he got involved in the event after a friend suggested it.
“It came a bit out of the blue really,” he said. “A friend from university suggested we do it after he got an e-mail about it – we got talking about it and decided it would be a good idea.
“I wasn’t really into bike riding, but I soon got into it. We did quite a bit of training, including a coast to coast bike ride, but we were still pretty ready to throw our bikes into the Seine by the time we finished!
“It was a good experience, but we were incredibly unlucky with the weather. It basically rained the whole way, so that made it quite hard work.”
The group chose Meningitis UK because a friend of theirs suffered with the condition while they were at university. “Luckily she was ok, but she was quite poorly for a while,” Richard said.
So far the four have raised around £8,500 between them. For more information or to make a donation visit www.justgiving.com/Richard-Hardman.

Pupils from Wellington School on their trip to India.

PUPILS from a Timperley sixth from were so moved by the plight of Indian orphans they started a collection to buy them school uniforms.
A group of 20 students from Wellington School went on the trip of a lifetime to India, starting in Dehli and travelling to Varanasi and the Taj Mahal.
As part of the experience they were taken to visit a school in Bodh Gaya that was set up to educate and provide a home for 150 orphan children.
The staff and students were so moved by their visit that they decided they wanted to do something to help, and the students collected together a donation of £140 there and then.
Year 13 student Frances Lucus said: “Visiting the school was so emotional. All the children were so happy despite the conditions and lack of resources.
“One little girl counted to 100 with us in English and was thrilled that we had joined in.”
Following their return home the students have raised a further £200, and intend to continue links with the school. The money will help provide the children with uniforms next year.

A VENUE has been found for a charity exhibition due to take place in Altrincham.
The exhibition by Art with a Heart, called ‘Around The World in 80
Artists’, will be held at the Chisnalls building on Shaw’s Road, which
is currently standing empty.
It will run for one month, starting on September 21 and is being held
to raise money for the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust.
The event is being organised by Altrincham-based professional artist
Karen Wroe – she hopes to include work from 80 artists from all over
the globe.
She already has round 60 signed up, including artists from America,
Africa, Asia, Australsia and Europe.
The artists are donating their work free of charge, and paying the
shipping costs, so every penny can be donated to the charity, which
provides holidays for sick, disabled and disadvantaged children.
Karen said: “It’s such fantastic news that Trafford Council have
agreed to loan us the retail unit for the exhibition, it’s a fantastic
space that will really show off the pieces of art which continue to be
donated.”
A number of local businesses have also got involved – Bright and
Beautiful cleaning, Dashes and Dots, which is designing a website for
the event, and Ithaca Photography are all giving their time and
expertise for free.
Julie Gray, community fundraiser for CAFT, said: “We are delighted,
and very grateful, that Karen has taken on this massive project on our
behalf.
“The Art with a Heart exhibition promises to be a wonderful community
event which will enable us to change the lives of countless terminally
ill, disabled and disadvantaged children.”
For more information about the exhibition visit
facebook.com/kwc.art.with.a.heart. For more information on the charity
visit caft.co.uk or call 01565 830053.

THE mother of an artist who passed away earlier this year has donated
a bear she made for auction at a charity exhibition.
Wendy Nellins, who was originally from Manchester and lived in
Carrickfergus, Ireland, died of septicaemia due to leg ulcers and
kidney failure in February, at the age of 39.
While she lived in Manchester she worked for Harvest Housing and
managed a charity shop for Scope as well as exhibiting the ranges of
bears she made – Wee Darlin Bears and Crabapple Bears.
She exhibited at the Bear Fair at Altrincham’s Cresta Court hotel, and
had her bears stocked by Dollie Beargere in the Trafford Centre.
Her mum Rosetta, an artist herself, decided to donate one of Wendy’s
bears to the Art with a Heart charity exhibition being organised in
Altrincham in aid of the Children’s Adventure Farm Trust.
Organiser and local artist Karen Wroe said: “In honour of this
generosity and in a tribute to Wendy the plan is to auction the bear,
with the closing date on the final day of exhibition.”
Karen is currently in the process of finalising the dates and venue
for the exhibition, due to take place in autumn this year.
She has had work donated free of charge by over 50 artists from all
over the world. All proceeds will go to the charity, which provides
holidays for disabled and disadvantaged children.
For more information visit facebook.com/kwc-art-with-a-heart or e-mail
info@kwc-art.com.