Daily news bulletin: Infection rates surge as North West becomes England’s COVID hotspot

The North West has the highest rate of coronavirus cases in the country per 100,000 people, according to figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The data for the seven days up to January 2 showed the region had overtaken London as the main hotspot for the virus.

In that same week, Liverpool saw 11,990 new cases, Wirral had 9,046, Sefton recorded 7,108, St Helens saw 5,102, Knowsley had 4,292 and Halton recorded 3,513.

The largest increases in hospital admission rates of COVID-19 patients in also occurred in North West and North East.

Man who threatened staff with machete jailed

A man who threatened staff at a nightclub in Birkenhead with a machete has been jailed.

Luke Browne, 31, of Paterson Street, Birkenhead, was sentenced to 18 months for carrying the machete and a further six months for a breach of a suspended sentence, to be served consecutively.

At around 02.40 on Monday, 25 October, 2021, following a verbal altercation with door staff at the Platinum Lounge in Birkenhead, Browne threatened them with a large machete he was carrying in his trousers and then fled the scene.

Mersey Ferry honour icon Gerry Marsden

The renaming of a Mersey Ferry Terminal after beloved icon Gerry Marsden will be finalised this month following public support for the proposal.

The new name - The Liverpool Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal – would commemorate the historic link between the music icon and the Mersey ferries and has been developed in discussion with the singer's family.

More than 1,000 responses were received as part of a recent public consultation, with more than two thirds in favour of the proposal. Once approved, the new name will be commemorated in a re-naming ceremony later this year.

Gerry, who sadly passed away in January last year, was the frontman for sixties beat group Gerry and the Pacemakers and famously sang the classic song 'Ferry Cross The Mersey'.