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Former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o has urged Liverpool forward Mo Salah to move to Barcelona, saying the Catalan club would be a "better fit" for the striker.

Reuters

Salah has been in stunning form for the Reds since joining in 2017, scoring 54 goals in 74 appearances.

He has been linked with a move to Real Madrid but 38-year-old Eto'o, who spent five years at Barcelona from 2004, thinks the Nou Camp would be a better option.

Barcelona would be a better fit. Real gave me the opportunity to leave Africa but I know Barcelona's style and I think it would be better for him.

A humid day with chance of heavy rain. The Met Office have issued a yellow warning.

It could be heavy at times. Cloudy with highs of 19C or 20C.

Welcome to North West Live. Join us for live coverage of today's news, sport and weather until 18:00.

Lingering rain will clear to the north to leave it dry and cloudy for much of the night.

However, further rain will start to spread from the south during the early hours.

Lows of 13C.

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A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after police shut down a cannabis farm with a potential annual yield of around £250,000.

The discovery was made after police patrols in the area noticed a a strong smell of cannabis around Booker Avenue in Allerton on Saturday.

The 15-year-old was arrested on suspicion of cannabis production, supply and possession.

He has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Merseyside Police

While the weather is expected to remain warm on Monday, rain is predicted from lunchtime.

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Scattered showers are predicted for the north west this morning but the weather will start to settle as the day progresses.

Temperatures are expected to reach 18C.

A man has been arrested after a large haul of suspected heroin, cocaine and amphetamines was seized in Liverpool.

Merseyside Police

The drugs, which will be forensically examined, were discovered when police raided a property on Swainson Road in Fazackerley.

A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs, money laundering and an outstanding drugs warrant issued in 2018.

A man has been jailed for 16 years for the rape of a young girl in Melling, Sefton in the early 2000s.

Merseyside Police

William Bresnahan, 75, of Waddicar Lane, Melling was found guilty of three counts of raping a girl under 16 and three counts of indecent assault.

The crimes had been reported to police in April 2017.

Bresnahan was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to 16 years in prison with an extended one year on licence.

Detectives are investigating a "targeted shooting" after shots were fired at a group in Bootle.

Two men on a motorbike stopped on Hawthorne Road between Earl Road and Sussex Street before one of the men fired in the direction of the group, Merseyside Police said.

There are no reports of anyone being injured following the shooting at 20:00 BST last night.

While the investigation is in its early stages, police are treating it as a targeted shooting, Det Insp Paul Nilsen said.

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A few showers this morning but dry and bright conditions to look forward to later.

Temperatures set to rise to 18C.

More at BBC Weather.

Welcome to North West Live. Join us for live coverage of today's news, sport and weather until 18:00.

One or two showers are possible tonight, but in general most places should simply remain dry with clear periods. Just a gentle breeze. Lows of 11C.

BBC

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Merseyside Police

A fresh plea has been made to help find a man suspected of shooting dead a teenager 15 years ago.

Kevin Parle is suspected of killing 16-year-old Liam Kelly on 19 June 2004, and Merseyside Police have renewed an offer of a £20,000 reward for information.

Merseyside Police

Liam was shot in the chest and arm as he tried to get away from two men who confronted him outside a house on Grafton Street, Dingle, Merseyside.

Three other people have been convicted for his murder and jailed, but Mr Parle remains at large, police said.

He is known to have links to the Torrevieja area of Spain's Costa Blanca.

Det Chief Insp Mark Baker said: “Loyalties and peoples circumstances change, making me hopeful that we will bring Liam’s family justice.”

Merseyside Police

Police also want to question Mr Parle over the August 2005 murder of Lucy Hargreaves who was shot dead at her home in Walton, Merseyside, before the house was set alight.

A man has been arrested after a bus passenger was stabbed in the back with a screwdriver, said Merseyside Police.

The suspect, 58, was arrested on suspicion of assault on Monday and released on bail.

BBC

Police said the victim was travelling on a 10B service near Queen Square in Liverpool when he was attacked at about 11:00 BST on 11 June.

Lancashire all-rounder Liam Livingstone says England could do worse than having not just one 36-year-old but two spearheading the Test attack against Australia this summer.

England's all-time top Test wicket taker Jimmy Anderson is, of course, a shoo-in for the Ashes series. He now has 28 scalps in five Division Two matches in 2019.

But former Durham paceman Graham Onions, 42 days his junior and not used by England since June 2012, is not far behind with 25 wickets, after the pair finished off Derbyshire.

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"Jimmy Anderson and Graham Onions are bowling as well as I've seen," Livingstone told BBC Radio Lancashire. "The way they bowled in this game was outstanding.

"They were unplayable at times on that pitch. Certainly, fielding at second slip you feel you are in the game every ball. If they went into the first Test as an opening bowling pair I'm sure Australia would struggle."

Merseyside Police will set up a unit dedicated to stopping young people becoming involved in violent crime, the area's police commissioner has said.

On Monday, a BBC investigation revealed Liverpool teenagers are being offered up to £1,000 to stab other youngsters.

MERSEYSIDE POLICE

Commissioner Jane Kennedy said the new Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) will "bolster the response to serious violence and knife crime".

It will be supported by £3.37m from the government's Serious Violence Fund.

After a damp start, things will brighten up in the afternoon with sunny spells likely in most places.

Temperatures will climb to highs of 19C.

Northern parts of the region will hang onto sunshine into the evening, while cloud is starting to build further south.

Rain will move in overnight with temperatures falling as low as 9C.

Nearly half of the bus routes serving Liverpool city centre are being overhauled in sweeping network changes.

Merseytravel and the region's combined authority are redrawing routes as part of the city council's £45m Liverpool City Centre Connectivity Scheme, which aims to cut emissions by introducing pedestrian-only areas on Lime Street and the Strand.

MERSEYTRAVEL

Cross-city buses between Queen Square and Liverpool One Bus Station will replace some services that run through the city centre.

Councillor Liam Robinson, who chairs the region’s transport committee, said: “Some people will be able to get on and off where they do now, others may be closer to their end destination and some may need to walk a bit further."

A consultation is under way and the proposals will come into force from January 2020.

Political extremism has increased since the 2016 Brexit referendum, the head of terrorism investigations in the North West has told BBC Radio Manchester.

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Det Supt Will Chatterton said dealing with far-right extremism was a real challenge, with "open hostility" towards politicians.

He said the unit's cases included "horrific sentiments" posted online.

The Home Office said it was "committed to stamping out extremism in all its forms".

This afternoon will have bright spells together with a few showers although these should tend to fade away later on.

Blustery, with a brisk south-westerly wind. Highs of 17C.

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Cloudy today with some scattered showers at times.

The showers should become isolated in the afternoon. Windy with a brisk south-westerly wind. Highs of 17C.

More on BBC Weather

The rain should continue to peter out to leave sunny spells and a few showers through the rest of this afternoon.

Highs of 17C.

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Police say the man who died after falling into Windermere earlier this week was 57 and from Heversham, near Milnthorpe.

Emergency services were called to Glebe Road, one of the busiest tourist areas in the Lake District, just before 13:00 on Wednesday, and medical staff from the ambulance and air ambulance tried in vain to save the man's life.

Police say the coroner has been informed, and they have no reason to be suspicious about the man's death.

A cloudy and wet start with persistent and heavy rain in places.

Rain should gradually ease and clear during the day with some sunny spells expected this afternoon.

Highs of 17C.

More from BBC Weather.

This afternoon should see rain easing and becoming more intermittent - although it will remain rather cloudy.

A cool day in store, with highs of 12C.

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Patients and visitors attending a hospital in Wirral have been warned to avoid a motorway junction due to flooding.

Wirral NHS Hospitals Trust, which runs Arrowe Park Hospital, has warned patients to avoid Junction 3 of the M53.

It will be cloudy this morning with widespread rain becoming persistent and heavy in some areas.

The Met Office has issued a yellow flood warning, which is in place until 12:00.

But the rain should ease this afternoon and become more intermittent. A cool day, with highs of 13C.

Read more from BBC Weather

Most parts of the region will see plenty of rain throughout Tuesday.

A brisk north-easterly wind will mean temperatures struggle to highs of 13C.

Today will start out sunny for most of the region but rain will move in later. The further north of the region will stay drier for longer. Highs of 18C.