Summary

  • Key updates on Friday 3 May:

  • Local elections: Minor parties make gains across North West

  • Labour celebrate 'stunning' win in Trafford

  • Wirral Council hung after gains by Tories and Greens

  • Bid to oust Liverpool mayor launched after polls close

  • Labour loses seven seats and control of Bolton Council

  • Lancashire: Labour make gains in Chorley

  1. Government backtracks over local travel advicepublished at 15:32 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Restrictions are not being imposed on Indian variant-affected areas, the government says.

    Read More
  2. 'It was good to be part of the change'published at 14:41 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    People who joined the George Floyd protests in Manchester reflect on what happened a year on.

    Read More
  3. Banned driver caught speeding in football bootspublished at 11:36 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    The man was stopped after driving at 131mph on the M65 near Burnley, police say.

    Read More
  4. No detectable spread of Covid after pilot eventspublished at 09:49 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Covid test events held in Liverpool were "undoubtedly a success", the city's health chief says.

    Read More
  5. Funding boost for rail services announcedpublished at 06:45 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    A £401m government investment will see routes electrified and new stations for Leeds and Exeter.

    Read More
  6. How Solskjaer can prove critics wrongpublished at 06:22 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    As Manchester United prepare to face Villarreal in Wednesday's Europa League final, BBC Sport's Simon Stone looks at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's impact as manager.

    Read More
  7. How George Floyd's death affected 'Little America'published at 21:45 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    A corner of East Anglia is home to three US Air Force bases, and thousands of Americans.

    Read More
  8. Bolton hospital taking 'urgent action' over Covidpublished at 20:32 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Royal Bolton Hospital says it has experienced one of its busiest ever days amid a surge in patients.

    Read More
  9. Government accused of imposing 'lockdown lite'published at 18:19 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Blackburn MP Kate Hollern says she is "furious" restrictions have been reintroduced "by stealth".

    Read More
  10. First Arena paramedic tells of bomb scenepublished at 18:13 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    A paramedic at the Manchester attack had to take a step back to gain an "overall grip" of the incident.

    Read More
  11. 'It was a fairy tale of the competition' - reaction to Man Utd's loss in 22-penalty shootoutpublished at 17:21 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Follow live text and BBC Radio 5 Live commentary as Manchester United face Villarreal in the Europa League in Gdansk, Poland.

    Read More
  12. Jonnie Peacockpublished at 16:46 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Paralympic gold medal winner Jonnie Peacock was named for his maternal grandad, who died the year before he was born. Like Jonnie, his grandad was a sportsman - an excellent amateur footballer scouted by a professional team, only to be thwarted by parental pressure to take a 'proper job' as a painter/decorator. Pushing back down the generations, Jonnie uncovers the legacy of poverty and unexpected disease that led the family to value job security over the beautiful game.

    On his father's side, Jonnie is captivated by his four-times-great-grandmother, branded a 'bad character' in 1841 by a local village policeman. But Jonnie's further research reveals a strong woman prepared to stand up in court and testify against the men who had wronged her.

  13. Warrington's Inglis out for two monthspublished at 16:42 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Warrington back Greg Inglis is out for up to two months after tearing his hamstring, says head coach Steve Price.

    Read More
  14. Lee Mackpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Comedian Lee Mack was born Lee McKillop in the north of England, just like his McKillop great-grandfather, who was also a comedian, known as Billy Mac. Lee has a few playbills from Billy Mac's variety hall performances, but knows little more about him. Not long into his journey, Lee discovers that his great-grandfather was passionate about more than making people laugh. Billy Mac joined the first ever pals battalion in Liverpool at the start of the First World War and honed his act at the front lines in the Battle of the Somme.

    Lee is also curious about his maternal grandad Joe's upbringing - deserted by his unwed mother and raised by his grandparents in County Mayo at the time of the Irish Civil War.

  15. Eight Covid areas should avoid indoor gatheringspublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    People are also asked not to go into or out of places hardest hit by the so-called Indian variant.

    Read More
  16. Fire crews tackle warehouse blazepublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    Residents are advised to keep their windows shut as firefighters deal with the blaze in Aintree.

    Read More
  17. GPS thefts 'costing farming industry thousands'published at 12:16 British Summer Time 25 May 2021

    The theft of equipment to feed a global black market is coming at a huge cost to farmers, police say.

    Read More
  18. Cut gas pipe caused fatal house blast, say policepublished at 19:05 British Summer Time 24 May 2021

    Two-year-old George Hinds died in the explosion in Heysham, Lancashire, on 16 May.

    Read More
  19. Guardiola does not 'care' about refereepublished at 18:38 British Summer Time 24 May 2021

    Pep Guardiola has not thought about Antonio Mateu Lahoz refereeing the Champions League final despite his history with the official.

    Read More
  20. 'I'd laugh about it with my mates'published at 18:28 British Summer Time 24 May 2021

    Phil Foden used to joke about playing in the Champions League final. On Saturday, he'll do it for real.

    Read More