Despair, 'disrespect' and £2,500 to give up your room... inside Manchester's fresher housing crisis

For many students coming to university in Manchester, living in halls in city is part and parcel of the first-year experience.

But some of Manchester's newest students could be forced to commute from Liverpool, Preston and Huddersfield, as the city's two biggest universities have announced accommodation shortages.

In August, the University of Manchester (UoM) offered students £2,500, along with £100 per week travel expenses, in an attempt to free up 'just over' 350 rooms, suggesting that students who lived within commuting distance of campus might be particularly interested in the offer. UoM now say they have housed all students guaranteed accommodation in Manchester - but students and parents said the stress of the experience had left them nervous about their student life in Manchester.