Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Carl Fogarty has said it was a "huge honour" to officially open a road named after him in the racer's home town.

BBC

Carl Fogarty Way forms the last section of a new £5m link road connecting the M65 Whitebirk junction to Blackburn town centre.

The four-time World Superbike Champion joked: "I usually get cats and dogs named after me - so it is a step up from that."

Blackburn with Darwen councillor Phil Riley said the authority wanted to pay tribute to one of the town's "local heroes".

Blackburn with Darwen is one of five areas of the country to receive a share of £1.5m government funding to tackle childhood obesity.

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The council will get £100,000-a-year over three years to help it work with takeaways and restaurants to sell healthier food.

The plan will be to offer health, food and nutrition apprenticeships to teenagers aged 15 to 19.

Other areas benefiting from the cash include Bradford, Nottinghamshire, Lewisham and Birmingham.

The moves comes amid claims that the drive to tackle child obesity has stalled with a raft of measures stuck in Brexit backlog.

Blackburn with Darwen Council have employed Premier League tactics by announcing their new mayor using a transfer reveal-style video.

Councillor Jim Shorrock has promised to modernise the role for 2019/20.

The first results are coming in from Lancashire councils this afternoon.

Labour held on comfortably to Blackburn with Darwen - the first authority in the county to declare since Chorley in the early hours.

Counting is under way in Blackburn at King George's Hall for the local elections.

Results will be announced later.