Updates on Wednesday 23 March
Merseyside & Cheshire Live returns at 08:00 on Thursday with more news, sport, travel and weather updates
PC Dave Phillips is to be honoured with the Freedom of the Borough and The Wirral Award in posthumous recognition of his service, Wirral Council said.
PC Phillips was killed last year after being struck by a stolen pick-up truck.
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BBC World Service
European cruiserweight champion, Liverpool's Tony Bellew, says he has major concerns about drugs in boxing.
On Tuesday, it was revealed WBA heavyweight champion Lucas Brownedelivered a positive sample for clenbuterol after his title win against Ruslan Chagaev earlier this month.
The European cruiserweight champion believes somebody could soon be killed in the ring.
Today's top stories in Cheshire and Merseyside:
Merseyside is in the top ten areas for animal cruelty with 3,500 cases investigated last year, RSPCA figures reveal.
The animal charity says 60% of cases it investigated across the North of England related to dogs.
In one incident in Merseyside, a pug puppy was punched so hard part of her jaw fell out.
BBC Travel
Ditton Road in Widnes remains closed in both directions at Ditton Roundabout because of a building fire. A diversion is in operation.
Sony has announced the closure of the UK's Evolution Studios.
Image source, Evolution StudiosThe Cheshire-based video games development house dates back to 1999, and most recently worked on the troubled PlayStation title Driveclub.
Sony has confirmed that there will be at least some compulsory redundancies as a consequence of its decision.
Merseyside Police are investigating a Twitter account posting about the Brussels terrorist attacks say "initial inquiries suggest that the tweets emanate from Nigeria, and are not linked to the Merseyside area".
The tweets - which appeared to come from an account claiming to be an Anfield man - were referred to the specialist race hate unit.
Wirral Council is to bestow Freedom of the Borough and The Wirral Award on PC David Phillips in a posthumous recognition of his service to the people of Wirral and Merseyside.
Image source, Merseyside PolicePC Phillips was killed last year after being struck by a stolen vehicle in Wallasey.
Wirral Council Leader, Cllr Phil Davies, said: ‘It is obvious from the comments in the books of condolence, PC Phillips touched many lives with his professionalism, judgement and kindness. On behalf of the people of Wirral, we want to pay tribute to those qualities by awarding PC Phillips the highest civic honour we can."
Today's top stories in Cheshire and Merseyside:
Cheshire firefighters have spent the night getting a blaze under control after discovering potentially explosive canisters were inside an industrial unit in Widnes.
Image source, Cheshire FireAt one point around 50 officers and 12 engines were being used to deal with the fire at the warehouse on Ditton Road and keep acetylene cylinders cool.
Image source, Cheshire FireIt means Ditton Road is closed from the Runcorn Widnes Bridge end - so drivers are advised to travel via Marshgate and Hale Road.
A Liverpool health trust has apologised to staff after an independent report strongly criticised a culture of bullying and failing services.
The report criticised senior managers and the board for either covering up problems or failing to notice them at all.
Interim Chief Executive, Sue Page, says staff have been through a "difficult time", but is confident things can be turned around.
A man accused of murdering Liverpool mum Maxine Showers is set to go on trial today, external - he has admitted the manslaughter of Ms Showers but denies her murder.
Image source, Merseyside PoliceMerseyside Police are investigating tweets which appear to come from an account claiming to be an Anfield man, praising those who carried out the terror attacks in Belgium.
A spokesman for the force said the matter had been referred to their specialist race hate unit, to see whether a criminal offence had been committed.
A fracking company has hit back after Cheshire's Police Commissioner accused them of being "irresponsible".
It comes after it cost police £200,000 to remove protesters from a field in Upton near Chester.
Police Commissioner John Dwyer accused IGas of risking safety with an unnecessary operation, after the firm announced two weeks later it wouldn't be viable to test drill on the land.
IGas has now written to Mr Dwyer insisting it had no idea the land wouldn't be used when the eviction took place, but adding it had a "duty" to deal with the protesters.
BBC Travel
Ditton Road in Widnes is closed in both directions at Ditton Roundabout because of a building fire. A diversion is in operation.
Today's top stories in Cheshire and Merseyside:
A cloudy Wednesday with most places staying dry but there is still a risk of one or two light showers. Highs of 9C.
Jenny Coleman
Reporter, BBC Local Live
Hello from Liverpool, I'm here with all your news, sport, travel and weather updates from across Merseyside today.
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