Live updates from across Greater Manchester and east Cheshire have finished for the day, but we'll be back from 08:00 on Monday with the latest news, sport, weather and travel from across the region. Have a lovely weekend!
Manchester City Council cuts £31m from budget
Manchester City Council has voted through a plan to cut £31m from its budget during the next three years - while increasing council tax by almost 5%.
BBCCopyright: BBC
The Labour-run authority says it is managing to protect the vulnerable, despite what it calls an unfair reduction in funding from central government.
Tthe sole opposition councillor, Liberal Democrat John Leech, says changes to council tax support will take £1m from the city's poorest people.
Latest headlines for Greater Manchester and east Cheshire
Manchester City Council votes through a plan to cut £31m from its budget during the next three years - while increasing council tax by almost 5%
A driver who hit a man in Cheadle and left him seriously injured in the road is jailed
Analysis: How did a Conservative councillor win the Kersal seat?
Kevin Fitzpatrick
BBC Radio Manchester journalist
Jeremy Corbyn, allegations of anti-semitism
in the Labour party and a controversial plan to build a football stadium
against residents wishes – all reasons the new Conservative councillor says
helped him win.
Cllr Rabbi Arnold Saunders took his seat in
the former Labour stronghold of Kersal.
The Labour-controlled council approved plans
for Salford City Fc's 5,000 capacity stadium in Decembe.
The party still has the vast majority of
councillors in the city but this Tory victory will have shocked them.
Shocking CCTV footage shows the moment masked robbers, armed with an axe and a gun,
raid a mobile phone shop
on Manchester’s Curry Mile.
Council tax scam reported in Oldham
A council tax scam which has been seen in other parts of the country has now arrived in Oldham, residents are being warned.
PACopyright: PA
Local residents have reported getting calls from someone who claims to be with Oldham Council or Unity Partnership, a company which provides some council services.
They say the householder has been overcharged for council tax and is due a refund.
The council says neither it nor Unity Partnership would ever contact residents in this way. Police are investigating.
Rain will spread to most parts by the afternoon and into the evening.
Video content
Video caption: Rain will spread to most parts by the afternoon and into the evening. Highs ofRain will spread to most parts by the afternoon and into the evening. Highs of
It will start to ease by dawn and there will be no frost.
MP calls for A6 relief road
A Stockport MP is calling for a relief road linking the A6 and the M60 to be given the go-ahead, to help ease congestion in the area.
Hazel Grove's William Wragg told the Commons that local residents first started arguing for a similar route almost 250 years ago.
The Transport Minister Andrew Jones said the government was investing heavily in improving the transport network in the area.
Train passengers going from Manchester, Wigan and Warrington to Liverpool Lime Street should see the Merseyside station reopen on Thursday, Network Rail says.
Mr Hampson, 18, said "more than 2,000 people up and down the country" will be taking part on 4 and 5 March.
"I've been head-butted, spat at and punched on numerous occasions," the 18-year-old tells Newsbeat.
"We're not safe - we want more help and more security. Enough's enough, change is needed.
The Manchester Football Association said it had a zero-tolerance approach to bullying.
Quote Message:
Referees do not feel supported up and down this country. We want assaults of referees to stop. One referee assault is bad enough but at the moment it's going on all the time.
from Ryan Hampson Manchester referee
Referees do not feel supported up and down this country. We want assaults of referees to stop. One referee assault is bad enough but at the moment it's going on all the time.
Conservative wins Kersal council seat
The new Conservative councillor for Kersal in Salford claims Jeremy Corbyn, allegations of anti-semitism in the Labour party and a controversial plan to build a football stadium against residents' wishes helped the Conservatives to a shock by-election victory.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Rabbi Arnold Saunders is the new councillor in the former Labour stronghold of Kersal.
The Labour-controlled council approved plans for Salford City's stadium in December and Rabbi Saunders said people wanted their voices to be heard.
Latest headlines for Greater Manchester and east Cheshire
A Conservative wins a council seat in Salford's Kersal ward, following a by-election
A total of 1,300 people sign a petition to stop the deportation of a man who helped
save two children from a fire
in Manchester which killed their parents
The former Manchester United and Ireland skipper, Patrick O'Connell, who steered Real Betis to their only La Liga title
is to be honoured in Spain
Christie Hospital named as top specialist hospital
The Christie in Manchester has been named as the top specialist hospital in the country and one of the best three overall.
BBCCopyright: BBC
A Care Quality Commission report highlighted its effectiveness, care and leadership and it praised the friendly and open culture that filters through every area of the trust.
Last November the trust was ranked as outstanding by the CQC.
Drug paraphernalia dumped three months ago in Farnworth still awaiting collection
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
Get involved
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Manchester City Council votes through a plan to cut £31m from its budget during the next three years - while increasing council tax by almost 5%
-
A driver who hit a man in Cheadle and left him seriously injured in the road is jailed
-
More than 2,000 amateur referees will go on strike this weekend,
according to a teenage official from Manchester
Sareda DirirCopyright: Sareda Dirir 
PACopyright: PA 
Video caption: Rain will spread to most parts by the afternoon and into the evening. Highs ofRain will spread to most parts by the afternoon and into the evening. Highs of 
Network RailCopyright: Network Rail 
BBCCopyright: BBC 
BBCCopyright: BBC -
A Conservative wins a council seat in Salford's Kersal ward, following a by-election
-
A total of 1,300 people sign a petition to stop the deportation of a man who helped
save two children from a fire
in Manchester which killed their parents
-
The former Manchester United and Ireland skipper, Patrick O'Connell, who steered Real Betis to their only La Liga title
is to be honoured in Spain
View more on twitterView more on twitter 
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BBCCopyright: BBC 
Latest PostOur live coverage across the day
Live updates from across Greater Manchester and east Cheshire have finished for the day, but we'll be back from 08:00 on Monday with the latest news, sport, weather and travel from across the region. Have a lovely weekend!
Manchester City Council cuts £31m from budget
Manchester City Council has voted through a plan to cut £31m from its budget during the next three years - while increasing council tax by almost 5%.
The Labour-run authority says it is managing to protect the vulnerable, despite what it calls an unfair reduction in funding from central government.
Tthe sole opposition councillor, Liberal Democrat John Leech, says changes to council tax support will take £1m from the city's poorest people.
Latest headlines for Greater Manchester and east Cheshire
Analysis: How did a Conservative councillor win the Kersal seat?
Kevin Fitzpatrick
BBC Radio Manchester journalist
Jeremy Corbyn, allegations of anti-semitism in the Labour party and a controversial plan to build a football stadium against residents wishes – all reasons the new Conservative councillor says helped him win.
Cllr Rabbi Arnold Saunders took his seat in the former Labour stronghold of Kersal.
The Labour-controlled council approved plans for Salford City Fc's 5,000 capacity stadium in Decembe.
The party still has the vast majority of councillors in the city but this Tory victory will have shocked them.
Proposed deputy police chief's suitability queried
Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News
A proposed new deputy police and crime commissioner "failed to demonstrate an adequate knowledge and understanding" of the role, councillors said.
Labour councillor, Sareda Dirir, has been nominated by Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane to become his £50,000-a-year deputy.
Members of the county's police and crime panel were not impressed by her performance in a confirmation hearing.
But she meets the "minimum standard", the advisory panel concluded.
Mr Keane is due to make a final decision about whether to appoint Ms Dirir next week.
Masked robbers armed with gun and axe raid phone shop on Curry Mile
Manchester Evening News
Shocking CCTV footage shows the moment masked robbers, armed with an axe and a gun, raid a mobile phone shop on Manchester’s Curry Mile.
Council tax scam reported in Oldham
A council tax scam which has been seen in other parts of the country has now arrived in Oldham, residents are being warned.
Local residents have reported getting calls from someone who claims to be with Oldham Council or Unity Partnership, a company which provides some council services.
They say the householder has been overcharged for council tax and is due a refund.
The council says neither it nor Unity Partnership would ever contact residents in this way. Police are investigating.
Weather: Rain spreading to most parts
BBC Weather
Rain will spread to most parts by the afternoon and into the evening.
Video content
It will start to ease by dawn and there will be no frost.
MP calls for A6 relief road
A Stockport MP is calling for a relief road linking the A6 and the M60 to be given the go-ahead, to help ease congestion in the area.
Hazel Grove's William Wragg told the Commons that local residents first started arguing for a similar route almost 250 years ago.
The Transport Minister Andrew Jones said the government was investing heavily in improving the transport network in the area.
College is given the second-lowest Ofsted rating
Bury Times
Bury College must rapidly improve the quality of its teaching, learning and assessment, according to a latest Ofsted report .
Liverpool Lime Street 'should reopen on Thursday'
Train passengers going from Manchester, Wigan and Warrington to Liverpool Lime Street should see the Merseyside station reopen on Thursday, Network Rail says.
A train carrying 150 passengers was "seconds away" from crashing into a huge pile of debris , the RMT union said.
An estimated 200 tonnes of rubble fell on to the line when a wall collapsed just outside Liverpool Lime Street station at 17:45 on Tuesday.
Northern confirmed the driver of its Manchester Airport to Liverpool service hit the emergency brake after a red signal was triggered.
Referees to strike over on-pitch abuse
BBC Newsbeat
Thousands of amateur referees are planning a strike over the treatment they receive on the pitch, organised by Manchester referee Ryan Hampson.
Mr Hampson, 18, said "more than 2,000 people up and down the country" will be taking part on 4 and 5 March.
"I've been head-butted, spat at and punched on numerous occasions," the 18-year-old tells Newsbeat.
"We're not safe - we want more help and more security. Enough's enough, change is needed.
The Manchester Football Association said it had a zero-tolerance approach to bullying.
Conservative wins Kersal council seat
The new Conservative councillor for Kersal in Salford claims Jeremy Corbyn, allegations of anti-semitism in the Labour party and a controversial plan to build a football stadium against residents' wishes helped the Conservatives to a shock by-election victory.
Rabbi Arnold Saunders is the new councillor in the former Labour stronghold of Kersal.
The Labour-controlled council approved plans for Salford City's stadium in December and Rabbi Saunders said people wanted their voices to be heard.
Latest headlines for Greater Manchester and east Cheshire
Boss Joyce could miss Wigan game
Wigan Athletic boss Warren Joyce could miss their vital relegation fixture against Blackburn after minor surgery.
Read moreAppeal for Cheshire Fire volunteers
Increase in fly-tipping in Manchester
New government figures show an increase in fly-tipping, with Manchester reporting the highest number of cases outside of London.
Data from Defra say there were just under one million cases last year, an increase of 4% on the previous year.
The figures reveal Manchester dealt with 22,000 incidents.
Campaigners have blamed financial pressures on councils which have led to reductions in waste collection services.
The government says it has given councils new powers to issue £400 "on the spot" fixed penalty notices to help clamp down on small-scale fly-tipping.
Man Utd: Carrick awarded testimonial
Christie Hospital named as top specialist hospital
The Christie in Manchester has been named as the top specialist hospital in the country and one of the best three overall.
A Care Quality Commission report highlighted its effectiveness, care and leadership and it praised the friendly and open culture that filters through every area of the trust.
Last November the trust was ranked as outstanding by the CQC.
Drug paraphernalia dumped three months ago in Farnworth still awaiting collection
Bolton News
Fly-tippers have dumped rubbish containing drug paraphernalia at the side of a residential street.