• Alder Hey Children's Hospital says it will help the family of toddler Alfie Evans ensure the best end-of-life care plan, after his parents lose their final appeal to stop his life-support being turned off
• Another 24-hour strike disrupts Northern trains today, as members of the rail union RMT stage the latest in a series of one-day stoppages
• Firefighters who were on duty on the night of the Manchester Arena bombing are to meet with Greater Manchester's mayor and the new chief fire officer today

BBC Weather

After a cold and frosty start, this morning will be bright with sunny spells and the chance of the odd shower. Highs of 9C.

More from BBC Weather

Welcome to North West Live. We're here until 18:00 with the latest local news, sport, travel and weather updates from across the region.

The parents of seriously ill Alfie Evans have exhausted all legal avenues.

That's all from us for today, but we'll be back from 08:00 on Thursday with more news, sport, travel and weather from across the region.

In the meantime, look out for further updates from across the BBC, which will be published here automatically.

A cat was rescued by firefighters after getting sandwiched between two walls.

Image source, RSPCA

Five-year-old moggy Georgie was trapped for more than an hour between a garden wall and a garage in Stretford, Greater Manchester.

When his loud miaows alerted a passerby, firefighters were called and had to knock down a wall to free him.

The pet spent a few days at an animal hospital but he is now back on his paws at home with his relieved owner.

Showers will die out overnight bringing lengthy clear spells and widespread frost. Patches of freezing fog may form by dawn, with lows of -1C.

BBC Weather

The assistant general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has called for more terrorist incident training for firefighters in the wake of the Kerslake Report's findings.

The report into the emergency response to the Manchester Arena attack on 22 May 2017 found poor communication meant chief fire officers were "risk-averse" and kept emergency trained responders away.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's chief apologised "unreservedly" for the failures.

The FBU's Andy Dark said:

Referencing a training exercise GMFRS took part in at the Trafford Centre in the months before the attack, he said it was the "kind of event which we don’t attend very often - none of the emergency services do".

He added:

• Thousands turn out for the funeral of Sir Ken Dodd at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral

• The head of Merseyside Police has spoken of his "disgust" after patrol cars are spat on and their tyres let down while officers help a badly injured motorcyclist
• Wigan MP Lisa Nandy tells the Prime Minister to "get a grip" over a "damning" and "unequivocal" report into sexual abuse against British children sent abroad

A driver has been cleared of causing the death of a "talented" young footballer who died after he was struck by a car while out cycling.

Image source, PA

Dylan Crossey, 15, was cycling in Chain House Lane, Whitestake, Lancashire when he was hit by a BMW in October 2016. He died in hospital the next day.

David Harwood, 43, of Preston, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and careless driving.

Judge Graham Knowles ordered his acquittal due to insufficient evidence.

The Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust has apologised for its response in helping some of the survivors in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena attack.

It follows yesterday's publication of the Kerslake Report, which criticised the delays in mental health provision for young people.

Ruth Murrell from Copster Green gave evidence in the review, after both she and her daughter Emily were seriously injured on the night of the attack and says it has been frustrating getting the right support for her family.

In a statement Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust said it worked "hard to manage demand in the service" but accepted that "the family did have to wait for a considerable period before accessing services" which they apologised for.

A report into child sexual abuse of British children sent abroad is "damning" and "unequivocal" but no action has been taken, Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has said.

The Labour MP was asking for a response at Prime Minister's Questions.

Theresa May replied that she commissioned the report into the historical abuse of children and that the Health and Social Care Department had the responsibility of former child migrants.

The head of Merseyside Police has spoken of his "disgust" after patrol cars were spat on and their tyres let down while officers helped a badly injured motorcyclist.

Image source, Liverpool Echo

The 24-year-old was critically injured after hitting a wall in Fazakerley, Liverpool, on Tuesday afternoon.

In a tweet, Chief Constable Andy Cooke condemned the actions of "pathetic louts".

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Critchley described it as "outrageous behaviour".

Liverpool Pride returns this year with a theme of #AllTogetherNow.

Image source, David Munn Photography

The event, which celebrates the LGBT and wider communities, has become one of the city’s major annual events, with over 50,000 people attending across the two days last year.

This year's festival takes place on 28 and 29 July, with the location yet to be confirmed.

• Thousands turn out for the funeral of Sir Ken Dodd at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral
• Firefighters felt ashamed they could not help Manchester Arena bomb victims after a report revealed they were sent away from the scene, the Fire Brigade Union says
• Merseyside's chief constable condemns an attack on police cars sent to an accident, which has left a man fighting for his life

The funeral service for Sir Ken Dodd has ended - in true Doddy style, it played out in front of a packed house and overran by half an hour.

Over 2,000 were inside the cathedral, with hundreds more watching on a big screen from the outside.

Sir Ken's coffin was accompanied by six Diddy Men as it left the cathedral, ahead of a private interment.

Image source, Getty Images

Paul Burnell
Reporter, BBC News Online

The service ended after just under an hour and three quarters with the congregation singing Sir Ken’s anthem Happiness and giving the comedian a standing ovation.

It was short by his standards and sadly there was no encore.

Image source, PA

Rev Julia Jesson, the vicar at St John the Evangelist Knotty Ash, led a prayer before Sir Ken Dodd's song Absent Friends was played to the cathedral.

The final hymn of the service was How Great Thou Art.

A request in the order of service for Sir Ken Dodd's funeral asks mourners who wish to make a donation in memory of the comic to "make your contribution directly to a charity dedicated to helping the homeless on Merseyside".

The document states this was sir Ken's "specific request".

Canon Myles Davies, acting Dean of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral said Sir Ken Dodd was always happy in Liverpool and there was "never any doubt that this was the place he loved to be".

He added that the comedian "brought us so much happiness [and] he will always be lovingly remembered".