'Toddler critical' and 'cost of living hope'

Friday's editions of the papers were published before the results of the by-elections in England and Scotland had been announced.

Sir Keir Starmer has secured a six-figure war chest to fund his campaign, should a leadership challenge be launched against him, according to the Times. The paper says he has the backing of a group of private donors, but it adds that critics have warned it will not be enough.

Many of the papers lead on an incident at a zoo in Cambridgeshire, where a three-year-old boy was left with critical injuries after ending up in a crocodile enclosure.

The Daily Telegraph says several crocodiles were present at the time. The wife of the zoo's owner is believed to have jumped into save the child, according to the Sun. "Horror at UK zoo" reads the Daily Star's front page.

The Guardian focuses on comments from the European Union's former chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, who said Britain could rejoin the EU on special terms.

In an interview with the paper ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum next week, he says he can not see any obstacle to Britain keeping the pound should it vote to rejoin.

Several rape convictions are being reviewed after a detective involved in the cases was suspended for allegedly using AI to prepare evidence, according to the Financial Times. The paper says Derbyshire Police is investigating the officer but no one has been arrested or charged.

The Times says analysis from two think tanks has concluded that infrastructure projects such as roads and railways cost 65% more in the UK than equivalent schemes in countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Britain Remade and the Centre for British Progress say the government could have saved £42bn over five years, if projects were delivered at similar costs.