City news in 250 words: Monday 21 March

NORTH WEST TEEN HELPS EASTENDERS STORYLINE: A teenage child abuse victim has been advising EastEnders writers about the grooming and exploitation of youngsters. Her experience has helped form the story of the soap character Whitney Dean. The storyline was timed to coincide with Comic Relief last week. The charity gave £860,000 to projects in the North West dealing with the issue.

GREATER MANCHESTER FIRE FIGHTERS IN JAPAN have been describing their experiences after returning from taking part in the rescue operation. The BBC reported how seven men were part of the UK International Search and Rescue team, which spent a week in the tsunami and earthquake-hit country. One said: "We've seen piles of timber and houses crushed up to four or five metres high, which are backed into more houses behind them and houses ripped off their foundations."

POLICE CRITICISED OVER ASKEW DEATH: An Independent Police Complaints Commission report has found ‘systemic failures’ in policing over the case of a man with learning difficulties who died after being harassed in Greater Manchester. David Askew, 64, of Hattersley, collapsed and died last March. He had been repeatedly harassed by local youths over a 10-year period. The report said Greater Manchester Police took ‘the easier route of regarding Mr Askew as part of the problem.’

OASIS COUSIN WINS SONG CONTEST: Rebecca Sweeney, 21, from Levenshulme, won the Irish X Factor competition staged at the Gallaghers' former local pub, The Farmer's Arms in Burnage as part of Europe's largest Irish festival. Liam's band Beady Eye also played during the first week of the 16-day festival.

Out of the window weather forecast: Feeling lighter and brighter already and still one week until the clocks will go forward.