North west news update 22 Sept 2023: Police investigate two sudden deaths just metres apart

Assistant editor Iain Lynn with today's top north west news headlines and weather

Transcript

00:00 Hello and welcome, these are the top headlines making the news today from our newsrooms across

00:04 the North West. A South Ribble hotel manager has spoken of her shock after discovering

00:09 that a room hired out to host a party for Armed Forces veterans was actually staging

00:13 a far-right conference, complete with baseball bat-carrying security guards on the door.

00:19 The Salisbury Hotel unwittingly ended up as the venue for the annual gathering of self-styled

00:23 racial nationalist group Heritage and Destiny earlier this month, with police ultimately

00:28 being called to bring the event to an end.

00:32 Detectives from Lancashire Police have been responding to two sudden deaths just hundreds

00:35 of metres apart in Blackpool. Three police cars, including a crime scene investigation

00:40 team and a private ambulance, were seen close to Warbreck Hill. Police have now confirmed

00:44 a man in his 50s was found dead inside a flat. Following investigations, officers believe

00:49 his death was non-suspicious.

00:50 More than 100 people gathered near Wigan Town Hall to oppose the decision to house asylum

00:56 seekers in a Standish hotel. Both protesters and Wigan Council disagree with the Home Office

01:01 decision to house those fleeing danger abroad in Kilhay Court Hotel. This stance was reiterated

01:07 by Councillor Dane Atherton at the latest full council meeting, who stated he wanted

01:11 to see councils consulted on these matters by Home Office in the future. They believe

01:16 that the hotel is unsuitable for asylum seekers due to the location having a lack of local

01:21 amenities, limited public transport and a national speed limit road without a pavement

01:25 on the doorstep.

01:27 A well-respected and long-running badminton coach in the Ribble Valley has died peacefully

01:32 at home aged 91. Barbara Meadows, known as Bunty, was well-known in Clitheroe having

01:37 coached badminton for over 60 years, starting with running two evening classes each week

01:42 at Ribblesdale High School, then the Parish Hall and then finally for 26 years at Roefield

01:46 Leisure Centre. Bunty had the pleasure in some cases of teaching three generations of

01:51 families.

01:52 And Britain's poshest train makes a rare visit to Lancaster and Oxenholm stations this

01:57 month to take passengers to Glamis Castle, the Scottish ancestral home of the late Queen

02:02 Mum. The Carnforth-based Northern Bell, once part of the iconic Orient Express group, made

02:07 headlines last week when the famous Flying Scotsman steam loco hauled it into Edinburgh.

02:13 In the weather, it's another day of sunshine and showers. These will once again be heavy

02:17 at times with a small chance of thunder. After a chilly start, Saturday will be a bright

02:22 morning with sunny periods, probably turning cloudier throughout the afternoon but staying

02:26 mostly bright with sunny intervals, light winds and a maximum temperature of 16 degrees.

02:31 That's it for now. Thanks for watching. Have a great weekend. See you Monday.

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