Three UK regions have been given an extra £20m science and tech cash boost.

Greater Manchester, West Midlands and Glasgow City Region have been backed to the tune of £50 million each to support local innovation priorities from life-saving medicines to clean fuels that can cut bills.

The new funding is the latest commitment from the government’s £500m Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) and builds on the initial £30 million earmarked for each place in June’s Spending Review, along with seven others across the UK, including Cardiff City Region, Belfast-Derry/Londonderry and West Yorkshire.

The Government is also inviting further bids of up to £20m from high potential innovation clusters in all other regions of the UK.