Digital reporter Sian Jones with the headlines from our North-West newsrooms
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00:00 Hello, my name is Sian Jones and these are the latest headlines from our newsrooms across the North West.
00:06 The speed limits on two major routes in and out of Preston are to be cut in a bid to reduce the number of accidents happening on them.
00:14 The maximum speeds on parts of the A583 between Preston and Blackpool and sections of the A6 between Barton and Lancaster,
00:21 passing through places including Barton and Garstown, will be reduced as part of broader safety upgrades planned for the busy route.
00:29 A single mum who came to Wigan to begin a new life says she is desperately worried for her severely autistic son's future after plans for his education fell through.
00:39 Victoria Ordo moved north from Eastbourne last October after the breakdown of her marriage and having gained three custody of her two boys, they came to join her in December.
00:51 Finding a place in a nursery for three-year-old Joshua was no problem and Victoria was told that her autistic elder brother Dylan would be secured a place at Hope School in Pemberton just as soon as documents from Eastbourne had been transferred to Wigan.
01:07 In other news, Lancaster City Council will be charging owners of homes emptied for more than a year 100% council tax premium from April 1st.
01:17 The council say they are doing this because they are keen to ensure that long-term properties are brought back into use.
01:23 A spokesperson for Lancaster City Council said "empty homes are not just a blight on our communities, but with the shortage of homes in the area they are needed for local people in need of a home."
01:35 A spectacular programme of shows, events and new attractions has been unveiled as Blackpool looks to cement its place as the UK's most popular seaside destination.
01:46 At its annual season launch, Visit Blackpool, Pleasure Beach Resort and other major plays in the tourism economy showcased a huge programme of entertainment lined up for the year ahead.
01:57 The season plans will reveal to an audience of more than 350 hoteliers and other tourism businesses in the globe at Pleasure Beach Resort.
02:06 And finally, a Burnley secondary school has been told by Ofsted expectors that it requires improvement.
02:12 Unity College was downgraded from its last inspection in 2018 where it received a good rating.
02:18 Areas inspectors highlighted that needed improvement included pupil behaviour, the lack of assessment strategies in some subjects, pupil attendance and also that the governing body and the school do not evaluate the impact of their actions to secure improvement well enough.
02:35 The weather now largely dried to start with sunny intervals and scattered blustery showers developing through the afternoon with highs of 10 degrees.