BBC Local Live: North West of England on Friday 23 November

Summary

Man charged over police grenade alert
Cammell Laird workers walk out over jobs threat
Bodies of missing mum and son recovered from reservoir
'Radical rethink' of Liverpool's major routes revealed
Weather: Highs of 7C and cloudy over the weekend

Live Reporting

Bridge plans to ease congestion at Warrington's Omega sitepublished at 15:30 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
A bridge could be built to help ease traffic congestion at a major business park in Warrington, the council said.
Image source, Google
The £1bn Omega business site is situated on both sides of the M62 on part of the former Burtonwood airbase and is home to major firms including Amazon, Hermes and The Hut Group.
The council said it is considering building a new crossing to connect Omega North and Omega South to help ease congestion around the motorway.
A spokeswoman said:
Quote Message
The main reasons to provide this connection would be to substantially improve access to Omega North, from Burtonwood, and to open up direct access between Omega North and Omega South, avoiding M62 junction eight.
Quote Message
The proposal is at a very early stage. No design work has taken place to date, there is no funding currently available and the costs of providing a bridge are currently unknown.
Four held over knifepoint robbery spreepublished at 14:48 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Four people have been arrested after a gang drove around a neighbourhood and robbed six people at knifepoint.
Image source, Google
Image caption,
An Audi A4 was found in Julia Street in Strangeways
Two boys, aged 15 and 17, and two men, aged 19 and 20, were held in connection with the robberies in the Prestwich area of Bury on Tuesday night.
Victims reported offenders using a car to travel around a three-mile radius, making threats and stealing cash and mobile phones.
Police later found an abandoned Audi A4 in Julia Street in Strangeways.
The arrested group were held on suspicion of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.
North West weather: Manly dry afternoon but feeling coldpublished at 14:31 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
BBC Weather
Any remaining showers or spells of rain will clear to allow for a mainly dry afternoon, but it will stay rather cloudy. Feeling cold with highs of 5C.
More from BBC Weather
Academy trust to transfer schools by Marchpublished at 14:12 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
An academy trust which allegedly misused government funds will transfer its schools to new sponsors by March.
Angela Barry, interim chief executive of Bright Tribe Trust, told the Public Accounts Committee sponsors had been lined up for its schools in Suffolk, Essex and Greater Manchester.
Image source, Google
Bright Tribe has been accused of claiming public money for work which has then been done at a lower cost.
The trust's founder has denied any wrongdoing.
Demolition of fire-ravaged Liverpool car park beginspublished at 13:29 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Work has begun to demolish a multi-storey car park in Liverpool that was destroyed by fire with more than 1,000 vehicles inside.
Image source, Merseyside and Fire and Rescue
Media caption,
Fire ripped through the car park at King's Dock, Liverpool.
The huge blaze engulfed Liverpool Waterfront car park in King's Dock, next to the Arena and Convention Centre, on New Year's Eve 2017.
Hundreds of cars were completely burnt out in temperatures reaching 1,000C.
James Noakes, Liverpool Council's Cabinet member for streetscene, transport and highways said the existing car park will be demolished by Christmas and the new car park is planned for completion in 2020.
Housing plan for Northwich campus 'outrageous', say councillorspublished at 13:11 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Plans to knock down Northwich’s college campus and build 108 homes in its place have been described as "outrageous".
Image source, Google
Plans for the future of the Hartford campus of Warrington and Vale Royal College were unveiled to councillors this week – out of sight from the press and public.
The college is now working with a Warrington-based housing developer after stating previously the Chester road site was "seriously under-utilised".
Conservative councillor Patricia Parkes said plans to demolish a £7.5m arts block built just six years ago were "outrageous".
Quote Message
The arts block was brand new and cost millions, so we would like to see it passed on to Hartford Parish Council as a community asset.
Labour councillor Sam Naylor said it was "an absolute travesty".
Quote Message
It seems that the people running the college are wanting to get Hartford off their backs as soon as possible, and they have obviously been working extremely hard in engaging developers.
The BBC understands that consultation on the plans is set to begin next Thursday.
Warrington and Vale Royal College declined to comment on the proposal.
Junior football coach jailed for abusing five boyspublished at 12:09 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
A former junior football coach jailed for abusing boys has been further sentenced for abusing five others.
Image source, Lancashire Police
Paul Whelan, 58, admitted assaulting the children in the late 1980s and 90s while he was a coach at Wyre Juniors Football Club in Lancashire.
At Carlisle Crown Court, he admitted indecent assault and was jailed for four years and eight months.
All five victims came forward after Whelan was jailed last September for abusing two other boys.
The new sentence will run consecutively to the previous term of three years and three months handed down at Preston Crown Court.
Samurai sword seized during community 'knife sweep'published at 11:55 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Local Democracy Reporting Service
A Samurai sword has been found in undergrowth near a community centre in Runcorn by volunteers taking part in an event designed to take weapons off the streets.
Image source, LDRS
Members of the Live Your Life, Drop The Knife organisation discovered the weapon in Murdishaw a few minutes' walk away from two primary schools.
The group was established after the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Eddie O'Rourke in Halton Village in September.
The sweeps have also uncovered bolt-cutters, hammers, a mallet and a meat fork as well as sharp knives.
Image source, LDRS
Wigan wing Manfredi extends contractpublished at 11:13 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Wigan Warriors wing Dom Manfredi signs a three-year contract extension with the Super League champions.
Read More
Thwaites Brewery travellers 'demanded £20k to leave site'published at 10:47 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
The leader of a 100-strong group of travellers who illegally occupied a brewery demanded "twenty grand or the place is ours", a court was told.
Image caption,
About 100 travellers set up camp at the brewery on 26 May
A convoy of 25 vehicles set up camp at Thwaites Brewery in Blackburn on 26 May, Preston Crown Court heard.
Thomas Ward, 43, of Leigh, Wigan, has pleaded guilty to blackmailing, conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to commit criminal damage.
The group later went on the rampage causing extensive damage, jurors heard.
Greater Manchester Mayor welcomes 'fairer' asylum seeker systempublished at 10:23 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has welcomed a "change of position" by the government to reduce the areas' proportions of asylum seekers.
He had threatened to block the region from housing any more asylum seekers as it was hosting "disproportionate" numbers compared to other areas.
He wrote to the Home Secretary Sajid Javid demanding an urgent meeting over the "mounting chaos".
Mr Javid replied pledging a fairer distribution of asylum seekers.
Quarter of trains out of service, TfW admits in apologypublished at 09:49 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
BBC Wales News
A train operator running services to Birmingham, Cheshire, Shropshire and Herefordshire's apologised to passengers, saying more than a quarter of its trains are currently out of service.
Transport for Wales (TfW) and Network Rail said 36 of Wales' 127 trains were being repaired - causing delays and cancellations in recent weeks.
The organisations took out full page ads in Welsh newspapers yesterday and admit passengers "deserve better".
However some commuters have dismissed the apologies as "hollow" with one describing a particularly "difficult day" with hold-ups caused by trains not running and replacement bus services running late.
Phil Owen got on a train in Carmarthenshire, hoping to reach Chirk, near Wrexham, before noon to see his mother but says he had to give up, getting only as far as Shrewsbury just after 13:00.
Man shot in leg in Liverpoolpublished at 09:11 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
A man has been shot in the leg in Liverpool, police said.
Image source, Google
Officers were called to Grey Road in Walton just after 20:45 last night.
A man in his 30s was taken to hospital where he is recovering. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
Police, who are still at the scene, have asked anyone with information or relevant dashcam footage to get in touch.
Chief Inspector Sarah Jones said:
Quote Message
The use of guns will not be tolerated on our streets and I would ask the public for their assistance in helping to find the person or people responsible and bring them to justice.
Fine King strike sends Halifax into round twopublished at 08:51 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Cameron King's strike earns National League side FC Halifax Town a first-round FA Cup replay win over League Two Morecambe.
Read More
TalkTalk to move headquarters to Salford from Londonpublished at 08:29 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Broadband provider TalkTalk is moving its headquarters from London to Salford, the firm has confirmed.
Image source, Talk Talk
It said hundreds of roles would be relocated to its Salford office - where its business and technology teams are already based - in 2019.
It said transferring its main office out of London was "part of its strategy to simplify its operations".
The firm added it would start hiring for new posts in Salford next year.
North West weather: Cloudy but chilly daypublished at 08:12 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
BBC Weather
The rain will clear this morning and for a mostly cloudy. Dry this afternoon but chilly with highs of just 6C.
More from BBC Weather
Join us for today's live news coveragepublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Good morning! We'll be with you until 18:00 today with the latest news, sport, travel and weather updates from across the North West of England.
Mayor welcomes 'fairer' asylum systempublished at 07:25 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Andy Burnham says a government pledge to distribute asylum seekers more fairly needs to be binding.
Read More
Is the NHS ready for winter?published at 06:15 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
How are NHS trusts in the North West of England preparing to cope with high demand this winter?
Read More
'Make-up can help when you're at rock bottom'published at 00:57 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018
Two friends collect beauty products for women in refuges across north-west England this Christmas.
Read More