Good afternoon, these are the latest lunchtime ECHO headlines.
Baby girl mauled to death by dog in St Helens named as Bella-Rae Birch
Merseyside police have confirmed the name of a baby girl who died following a dog attack yesterday.
Bella-Rae Birch was killed by the animal at her home at around 3.50pm yesterday, on Monday, March 21. Emergency services attended the incident, on Bidston Avenue, St Helens and took the 17-month-old to hospital where she sadly died.
In a police press statement close to the scene, Superintendent Steve Brizell said: "The community of Blackbrook and the whole of Merseyside has woken up today to the most tragic news. Officers were called to attend a house here on Bidston Avenue, at around 3.50pm yesterday.
READ MORE: Baby girl mauled to death by dog family bought just a week ago
"We were called by the family of a 17-month-old girl Bella-Rae Birch. Bella-Rae has lost her life in the most unimaginably terrible circumstances and our thoughts are first and foremost with the family and the wider community at this devastating time."
Read the full story here.
Man fights for life after being stabbed in the neck in street
A man is fighting for his life after being stabbed in the neck.
Merseyside police attended an incident on Duke Street, in Birkenhead, at around 9.30pm last night. A man had been stabbed in the neck in the area of Park Road West and Ashville Road.
Detective Inspector Darren Hankin said: "This was an appalling incident which has left a man seriously injured. The swift arrest yesterday shows that we will not tolerate weapons and those who seek to use them to cause fear and harm in our communities."
Read the full story here.
Kilo of 'heroin' found in taxi footwell during stop check
A kilo of suspected heroin was found in the footwell of a taxi.
Police carried out a stop check on a private hire vehicle in Netherton after spotting it in "suspicious circumstances" in Bootle. A kilogram of suspected heroin was recovered and two people were taken into custody.
Sefton Police Facebook page posted the news. The post said: "Operation Pelican have this evening arrested a 20-year-old male and a 41-year-old male both from Southport for Drug Supply Offences. Officers sighted a private hire vehicle in suspicious circumstances in the Bootle area before then carrying out a stop check in Netherton."
Read the full story here.
