City news in 250 words: Wednesday 14 July

DROUGHT TRIGGERS CANAL CLOSURE: British Waterways has announced that they will close a 60-mile stretch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Britain's longest manmade waterway, if there isn't significant rainfall in the next two weeks. The closure would run from Wigan, Greater Manchester to Gargrave, North Yorkshire. This is in response to the worst drought in the northwest since 1929 and would be the first time that the canal has been closed in 15 years.

BBC BREAKFAST MAY MOVE NORTH: BBC reporter James Laidler exposed plans of the broadcaster's flagship Breakfast programme to move to MediaCityUK in Salford Quays. The news was revealed in a tweet that read, “Awful mood in office today - emerged Breakfast is very likely moving to Salford by 2010 and we'll have six months to decide if we go too.”

TRANSEXUAL DODGES PRISON: Laura Voyce, who used to be called Luke, was convicted of 14 counts of downloading child pornography and could have been locked up for nine months. Judge Lesley Newton admitted that the defendant deserved to go to prison but gave Voyce a suspended sentence because she didn't think she would be safe in prison. Voyce is biologically a man but legally a woman.

THEIVES STEAL FROM CHURCH: £10,000 worth of lead has been stolen from the roof of St Elisabeth's church in Reddish, Stockport. A 31-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were arrested and bailed pending further enquires. Police say there has been an increase in lead thefts across Greater Manchester.

Out of the window weather forecast: Not a good day to go where the wind blows. Its sheer intensity means that you'll probably end up somewhere remote, with a long and not very scenic return trek.