Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
City exploration game
The Manchester Pusher: Find the Truth
4.57Player rating
A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE THE CITY
Play at your pace · usually 67 min 3.5 km Manchester, UK App-guided
Play in
EnglishFrenchGerman
The experience
About this quest
Manchester’s canals hold secrets darker than water — whispers of a killer known only as The Pusher. Loki, a student whose life was stolen too soon, now haunts these streets as a restless ghost. But in death, he discovered a truth too dangerous to keep hidden.
You’ve just received a mysterious chain letter, inviting you to pick up the trail. Walk through Manchester’s eeriest corners, solve puzzles, uncover clues left by the dead, and piece together the twisted legacy of a serial killer. Can you stop the Pusher’s reign before more lives are lost?
This thrilling walking quest blends mystery, local folklore, and real-world exploration. Play with friends or family and forge unforgettable memories — while the ghosts of Manchester watch from the shadows. Will you free them… or join them?
Is this for you?
Who it's for
True-crime and urban-legend fans who know the Pusher theory, and friends after an eerie story game, follow a chain-letter mystery from St. John's Gardens past the Rochdale Canal towpath to Manchester Cathedral, solving puzzles over 3.5 km in just over two hours. Families with young children, or anyone who finds a story about a serial killer and a murdered student too grim, should pick a lighter quest.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
Visit a street with one of the highest rates of crime in Manchester.
Meet The Grey Lady of Chetham’s library.
Discover the story of the Peterloo massacre.
Find the abandoned Bootle Street police station.
From people who played this quest
Good times. In their words.
4.57 / 5
678 player ratings
Selected player reviews. Original words and ratings.
Most relevant starts with detailed five-star reviews. All ratings remain available.
From your phone to the streets
A walk that turns into an adventure.
- 1
Open the app. You’re on your way.
Choose your pass, then open your quest in the Questo app. It guides you from the starting point.
- 2
Get outside. Follow your curiosity.
Discover real places and their stories on foot. Stop for a coffee or a photo, then pick up where you left off.
- 3
Crack a clue. Share a little victory.
Look around for answers, solve puzzles and enjoy the “we got it!” moments.
CHOOSE YOUR PASS
How many are playing?
Get this questNo booking slot · play any dayFull refund until you start playing
BRING YOUR WHOLE GROUP
One city. Rival teams. Great stories together.
A school trip, a team day or friends out together. Turn your next outing into a little friendly competition.
Everyone for themselves
One player per phone. Solve clues on your own and race for the top spot on the final leaderboard.
Can a team share one phone?
Yes. Play together on one phone per team, or use your own phones and join the same team in the app. We recommend your own phones so everyone can take part.
Your walk, at a glance
Manchester, UK
A · Start
28 St John St, Manchester M3 4DJ, UK
B · Finish
Victoria St, Manchester M3 1SX, Regatul Unit
Start and finish only. Discover the stops as you play.
Along the way
Landmarks & Hidden Gems Included
WHAT MAKES A QUEST DIFFERENT
Your adventure, with a playful twist.
1 / 4
Experience
- This quest
- Discover places through stories and clues in the app
- Guided walking tour
- Hear stories and ask a guide questions
2 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Pause for a photo, a café or a longer look
- Guided walking tour
- Usually follows the guide’s schedule
3 / 4
Company
- This quest
- Explore with your own people or on your own
- Guided walking tour
- Private and shared group tours are available
4 / 4
Guidance
- This quest
- Directions and challenges in the Questo app
- Guided walking tour
- Live interpretation from a guide
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
Good to know before you play
- Don’t enter the places, not part of the experience
- Use the phone flashlight for clues if needed
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
Is there really a serial killer in Manchester?
This is a story game, not a news report. It draws on the Manchester Pusher theory, an urban legend about deaths in the city's canals, and builds a mystery around Loki, a student's restless ghost, and a chain letter that sends you through the city centre looking for clues.
Where does the walk start and finish?
It starts at St. John's Gardens and finishes at Manchester Cathedral, so it does not return to the start. Along the way you pass Manchester Town Hall, St Peter's Square, the Palace Theatre, the Rochdale Canal towpath, the Portico Library, the Royal Exchange Theatre and Chetham's Library.
How far do we have to walk and how long does it take?
The route covers about 3.5 km across 13 stops. Most players take just over two hours, including walking and solving the puzzles. You can pause along the way and continue later, so there is no need to rush.
Can we play as a group?
Yes. One ticket covers the whole group playing together on the route, which suits friends who want to share the puzzles and argue over the clues as the story of the Pusher unfolds.
Do we need to book a time or go inside any of the places?
No booking of a time slot is needed; start whenever suits you. You do not enter the buildings, as they are not part of the game. Everything is solved from outside, and a phone flashlight can help you spot some clues.
What’s The Manchester Pusher about?
You’ve received a creepy chain letter that drags you into Manchester’s underbelly. There’s a serial killer called “The Pusher” messing things up around canals, and a ghost named Loky wants revenge. You follow clues, ghostly whispers, dark alleys—see if you can stop the Pusher’s terror before more lives are lost.
Is this something fun to do with kids?
Probably better with teens or older kids, because it’s spooky and has serious moods. If you go during daylight and skip the darkest parts, could work as a family-outing with good stories to tell.
Could this be a date night plan?
Definitely. If you like mystery, suspense, and walking together solving puzzles, this has all that. Can be pretty cool under street lights, sharing reactions, piecing together clues.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
Explore the annual passGive them a story
A day out, gifted.
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Urban-legend context
The difference between a canal mystery and police evidence
The “Manchester Pusher” is an urban legend built around deaths in Greater Manchester’s waterways. Greater Manchester Police has said its reviews found no evidence that a single killer or canal pusher was responsible. This quest deliberately turns the rumour into a fictional supernatural investigation involving Loki, a chain letter and a serial-killer trail. Play it as a dark city mystery, not as a claim that the game’s explanation represents the conclusions of real investigations. Playable languages: English, French, German.
Halloween 2026 in Manchester, UK
Plan a self-guided Halloween outing with ghost stories, haunted walks or a fictional horror game. Compare the available quests before choosing.
Check the starting point, duration, available languages, recommended age and access details on the quest page. These are app-guided games, not tickets to a scheduled Halloween event.
