An email a magazine boss mistakenly copied a businesswoman into is being investigated by police as a hate crime.

Image source, Family photo

Geoff Blackburn, sales director at the Irlam and Cadishead Times sent an email using a racist term for a person from south Asia to describe a potential advertiser.

Aisha Latif from Salford who runs Ash Cosmetics said she was "deeply offended" by the email she inadvertently received on Friday.

Mr Blackburn said it "wasn't meant to be racist" and has apologised.

A man has admitted blackmailing a chief executive after he and a group of travellers set up camp at a brewery.

Damage costing £200,000 was done to Blackburn's Thwaites Brewery after about 100 people occupied it on 26 May.

Thomas Ward admitted demanding £20,000 with menaces from the firm's boss Richard Bailey over the camp.

At Preston Crown Court, the 43-year-old, of Leigh, also admitted conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to commit criminal damage at the brewery.

A horse, dumped in a backyard after being bought online by a 13-year-old girl, is ready to go to a new home after treatment at a horse welfare centre in Blackpool.

Image source, World Horse Welfare

The teenager had responded to an advert that said if nobody wanted the animal, it would be put to sleep.

Giving her grandmother's address in Stoke-on-Trent,the horse was later left in her back garden - much to her shock.

The animal welfare charity said the horse, named Mr Melvin Andrews, had been underweight and covered in mites.

The animal has since been recovering at the World Horse Welfare centre in Blackpool.

The centre said he was ready to be re-homed and would be a good companion horse.

Super League will introduce golden-point extra time to regular-season competition rules from 2019.

BBC Weather

A windy and rather cloudy day with showers on and off. The rain will be heavy and there may be some wintry showers at times. Feeling cold with highs of 8C.

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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.

Inspectors say there were 45 attacks on staff and 177 assaults in just six months.

The government should improve health in the North as part of its industrial strategy, a report says.

Thomas Ward admitted demanding £20,000 from Thwaites Brewery's boss over a traveller's camp.

Mr Melvin Andrews was left in a backyard after a 13-year-old girl responded to an online advert.

BBC Radio 4

Unprecedented residential building in Manchester is happening - very high up. Nine towers of over 25 storeys have appeared in the past three years, so what's fuelling the change?

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A prisoner is on the run after absconding from HMP Kirkham in Lancashire.

Image source, Lancashire Police

Richard Johnson, 31, left the prison on Saturday and has failed to return.

He was jailed for four years and eight months for burglary and robbery at Bolton Crown Court in April.

Johnson is described as white, 6ft 3in tall, of slim build and has a one inch scar on the right side of his forehead.

Police are asking for anyone with information to contact them immediately.

A man arrested after a police appeal for a Ross from Friends "lookalike" went viral will appear in court next month.

Abdulah Husseni, 36, of Spencer Road in Slough has been summonsed to appear at Blackpool Magistrates' Court on December 18, accused of theft and fraud, said Lancashire Police.

The image of a suspected thief, taken in Blackpool, was widely shared after internet users noted his resemblance to actor David Schwimmer.

The US star then shared a tongue-in-cheek video filmed inside a New York shop proclaiming his innocence and mimicking his "double" in the police image.

He captioned the video: "Officers, I swear it wasn't me. As you can see, I was in New York.

"To the hardworking Blackpool Police, good luck with the investigation."

A bat is recovering in Cheshire after getting stuck in a tiny hole in a wall , externaland having to be rescued.

Image source, RSPCA

The RSPCA says the mammal got stuck in some cladding at a building in Chester on Wednesday.

The charity said he was spotted "flapping", 15 feet (4.6m) up the wall, but it had no idea how he got stuck.

The long-eared bat was rescued and taken to the Stapeley Grange centre, near Nantwich, where staff say he's "on the mend".

Three members of a travelling family from Wigan have pleaded guilty to offences relating to damage caused at Thwaites Brewery last May.

Thomas Ward, 43, pleaded guilty to blackmail demanding £20,000 with menaces from Thwaites after the incident at the brewery's Penny Street site in Blackburn.

He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle and commit criminal damage along with John Ward, 33 and a 17-year-old who can’t be named for legal reasons.

A fourth man Patrick Ward, 32, failed to attend court.

BBC Weather

This evening and tonight it will remain breezy with a lot of cloud around and further showers in places.

Staying breezy tomorrow morning with the risk of rain.

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The brothers of a Liverpool fan who was attacked before a game have thanked the football community for its "incredible" support.

Image source, Family Handout

Sean Cox, 53, from Ireland, suffered a brain injury before the side's match against Roma in April.

Roma will give 150,000 euros (£133,000) for treatment while Reds boss Jurgen Klopp and two Republic of Ireland players have donated 5,000 euros each.

Mr Cox is "progressing, albeit very slowly", his brother Martin said.

Ex-Barnsley and Peterborough boss Jim Iley, who played for Newcastle, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest has died, aged 82.

Wendy Swift, Chief Executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We can confirm a healthcare professional has been suspended in line with Trust policy following allegations of mistreatment against patients on the Stroke Unit.

“We take all allegations of this type extremely seriously and when the concerns were raised we immediately contacted the police.

“The Trust is working with the police and co-operating fully with their investigation."

The BBC understands the investigation relates to the possible incorrect administration of drugs.

She added: “We would like to reassure all our patients that all necessary actions are being taken. The hospital remains a safe and caring environment for patients and the provision of services will continue as usual.’’

There will be some sunny spells through the afternoon but also plenty of cloud around bringing the risk of a few showers. Breezy and feeling chillier than recently with highs of 9C.

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