A man has admitted carrying out cyber-attacks on two North West police force websites.

Image source, Dominic Lipinski/PA

Liam Reece Watts, 20, admitted launching distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on Greater Manchester and Cheshire police.

At Chester Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to two counts of unauthorised acts with intent to impair operation of or prevent access to a computer.

Watts, of Stratford Road, Chorley was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 28 June.

MPs are to set to meet bereaved families whose loved ones have been victims of fatal stabbings at a summit to discuss how to tackle problem of knife crime.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Knife Crime in Birmingham will also visit the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to see how a charity supports young victims of violence.

The average councillor is 59, white and probably called David or John.

Voters around England will be heading to polling stations next Thursday to vote in local elections.

BBC News has been looking at why there aren't more young councillors.

Amara Betts-Patel is standing down from her seat on Lancaster City Council in May, before she goes into the final year of her linguistics degree.

The 20-year-old from Halesowen, West Midlands, said being a young person does makes it more difficult to decide to become a councillor.

"Things will not change until younger people see someone similar to themselves doing this job, balancing it with work or studying and see it is for people like them," she said.

Officers have been given more time to quiz a 19-year-old who was arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing in Birmingham.

Image source, Facebook

Jordan Moazami, 18, from Quinton, Birmingham, was stabbed in Tennal Road in Harborne on Wednesday.

Lincoln Moses, who managed Mr Moazami's former youth football club in Perry Barr, Continental Star FC, said he was "an intelligent lad - a lot of people respected and liked him".

"He has steered a lot of kids along the right road," he said. "He was a mentor.

Birmingham Live

Some of the Birmingham Live headlines today are:

• Tributes flood in for Harborne stab victim, external
• Grandad dies following hit-and-run in Ward End, external
• Parents outraged after finding children's nursery is closing from street sign, external

Jordan Moazami, described as "an excellent young man", was stabbed to death on Wednesday.

Polio survivors will come together in Birmingham to mark the death of the late England footballer Jeff Hall.

Image source, Getty Images

The Birmingham City player died 60 years ago after contracting the viral infection, sparking a major vaccination campaign in the city.

A mural of Hall will be unveiled in Digbeth by Birmingham City footballers ahead of a polio survivors' summit.

Birmingham MP Jess Phillips who will open the summit, said:“Our city was at the forefront of vaccination efforts when polio was rife in the UK, and it’s in keeping with the outward-looking nature of the people of Birmingham to keep up the fight."

A man's body has been found in Stoke-on-Trent this morning.

Staffordshire Police were called by members of the public shortly before 06:00 to land on Grafton Road in Longton.

The death isn't believed to be suspicious, but officers are appealing for witnesses or local CCTV footage.

The family and friends of an 18-year-old football coach, believed to have been killed over the weekend, will gather for a memorial later.

Image source, Family handout

Megan Newton was found at a property in Fletcher Road, Stoke-on-Trent, on Saturday afternoon.

Her family said she loved sport and taught football to young children.

Balloons will be released in Hanford Park in her memory.

Joseph Trevor, 18, from Trentham has appeared in court charged with her murder.

Express and Star

Some of the early headlines on the Express and Star website today are:

• MEP James Carver quits after firing Brexit broadside at Theresa May, external
• Controlling bully forced gun into terrified partner's mouth, external
• 1,500 people oppose Great Barr homes plan on greenbelt, external

Telford Tigers have announced Tom Watkins will be returning for his 10th season as head coach.

He will also continue as the club's general manager and said he has already started recruiting for the next campaign, in the newly-created National League.

Image source, Steve Brodie

The former Great Britain ice hockey coach has won a number of cups and league titles in his time with the club, which he has also represented as a player.

Rich Davis
BBC Weather presenter

After a clear start rain will spread from the west and winds will strengthen during the afternoon with highs of 14C (57F).

Vanessa Pearce
BBC News

Welcome to our live service for Friday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.

We love to hear from you so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter, external and Facebook., external

Mountain rescuers used harnesses and ropes to lower the women to safety - without any eggs.

Daryl Gurney boosts his Premier League play-offs hopes as he is the only winner on a night of draws in Birmingham.

Eight horses were found neglected at a farm yard in Stoke Prior, Worcestershire.

Trevor 'Gordon' Caldicott's family have released a "graphic image" of him in hospital to try to trace the driver.

Cristian Bogdan, a surgeon at the Royal Stoke Hospital in Staffordshire, admitted possessing indecent photographs of children

Robinson pledged to represent "the working class of England" if elected as an Independent MEP.