Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

BT is being urged to move a public phone box in Stoke-on-Trent which it's claimed is being used for drug dealing.

The Labour MP for Stoke North, Ruth Smeeth, told the House of Commons today that the synthetic drug Black Mamba is being sold from the booth in Hanley.

Image source, Google

She said the telephone company was refusing to close it down because it was making money.

BT says it's aware of the issue and is looking at the situation.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

It looks like work to restore two vandalised carriages belonging to the Severn Valley Railway is going well.

Yesterday the site announced it had raised £10,000 to carry out the work. The carriages had been defaced with spray paint.

Earlier, the railway tweeted this short video showing finishing touches being applied.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

A coach carrying Yeovil FC fans was pelted with stones as they were leaving Stoke-on-Trent, external after their match at Port Vale.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

It happened on High Lane at about 17:45 on Saturday and police said severe damage was caused to the vehicle, including smashed windows.

BBC Business News

Lloyds Bank says it will provide £50m to support its small business customers who are struggling after the failure of Carillion.

Image source, Getty

Lloyds was among the banks that stopped backing Carillion after the government refused to insure its debts.

The government asked banks for assurances that they would help firms affected by the collapse.

Vicky Norton
BBC Radio Stoke

A man's being sought by police over an arson attack at a dog grooming parlour in Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent.

Image source, Google

The fire at Posh Pugs on Liverpool Road on 10 January badly damaged the store and forced the owners to temporarily relocate the business, although no-one was seriously hurt., external

Police have since been combing through CCTV footage and say they want to find a man who left the scene carrying a small plastic bottle., external

Officers have released an image in connection with their investigation.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

James Bond
Sports Producer, BBC Shropshire

Promotion-chasing Shrewsbury Town are still expecting to sign two new players in the January transfer window.

Image source, Getty Images

Town's chief executive Brian Caldwell says talks are still active with other clubs to try to strengthen the squad before the window closes in just under a fortnight.

Weather Watcher Bingoswestry spotted this one over Oswestry in Shropshire.

Image source, Bingoswestry

And Birminghana captured this one over Birmingham.

Image source, Birminghana

Edgbaston Police managed to capture a double one - they're off to find the pot of gold. Can we borrow a tenner?

Andy Giddings
BBC News

Cheshire Police says a "substantial amount" of Class A drugs have been found at a house on Underwood Lane in Crewe.

Officers carried out a raid earlier and arrested two local men and two men from Merseyside.

They have appeared in court today and were remanded in custody until mid February.

Express and Star

The Express and Star's covering these stories today:

• GP jailed for 12 years after 10 sex attacks on female patients, external
• Pipers Row to shut for months as Wolverhampton tram line extended, external
• Scouts thrown off campsite ending 100-year-old tradition, external

Sarah Robertson
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

More than 300 people suffering a mental health "crisis" have used a special safe unit in Stafford in its first year.

The suite at St George's Hospital is for people detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act in an emergency situation.

Image source, Google

It cost about £500,000 to build, can accommodate two people and is designed for both adults and children. , external

Both police and health bosses say they hope it reduces the number of vulnerable people being taken to police cells.

Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Winger George Cooper has moved from Crewe Alexandra to Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee.

Image source, Peterborough United

Crewe says the 21-year-old's signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at London Road. , external

Cooper debuted for Crewe as a 17-year-old in September 2014, making a total of 142 appearances and scoring 15 goals.

Akhtar Javeed, 56, was killed in February 2016 during a botched armed robbery at his warehouse.

Hereford Times

Among the Hereford Times' headlines today:

• Re-think on street parking charges in Hereford, external
• Council defends itself against SAS soldier's claim of being left homeless, external
• Climbing centre set to re-open under new ownership, external

Winds were so severe overnight they blew the roof off a house and caused trees to fall on roads and the railway.

Bosses say the multimillion-pound Midland tram extension depends on other infrastructure projects.

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

A chance of one or two wintry showers overnight, but it should be a largely cold and dry evening with some frost and ice, especially in the north. Lows of 0C (32F).

BBC Business News

Demand for bicycles lifted like-for-like sales at Redditch-based Halfords in the third quarter to 12 January.

Same store sales of bikes rose by 7.8%, helped by strong demand on Black Friday and over Christmas.

Image source, Halfords

Halfords said it saw increased sales of electric bikes as well as growth in its cycle repair services.

The company also said people shopped for dash cams and there was growth in fitting services for car parts.

Port Vale sign midfielder Luke Hannant from National League side Gateshead for an undisclosed fee.

Alex Bessell, from Liverpool, is sentenced for attacks on Google, Skype and other companies.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A paramedic helping to treat a patient in cardiac arrest says an "angry bystander" shouted at her for blocking a parking space.

Katie Tudor took to Twitter to say she was abused while "desperately trying to save" a life by coordinating the patient's extraction.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service worker, based in Stoke-on-Trent, said it happened earlier in Abbey Hulton, Staffordshire.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was not acceptable that staff there to help people should suffer abuse.

In November, West Midlands paramedics said they were shocked by a note left on an ambulance windscreen telling them not to block a driveway as they attended a man in critical condition.

Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service

The service said then such practice was not uncommon.