Summary

  • Updates on Friday 4 December 2015

  • News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Monday

  1. Ten-year-old waiting for lung transplant sees birthday wishes come truepublished at 15:40

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    The mother of a nine-year-old girl from Cheshire who has cystic fibrosis has thanked her local community for helping make some of her birthday wishes come true, external

    Elle (middle) and her sister Cara with Olly Murs and Rita OraImage source, Becky Whitfield

    Elle Grace Morris from Wrenbury requires a double lung transplant at Great Ormond Street Hospital and has written a list of 10 wishes to celebrate her 10th birthday on 29 January. 

    A campaign by her family to make them come true has been supported locally and several have been ticked off - including meeting Olly Murs and Rita Ora.

    Quote Message

    She's a strong little girl and very positive and she never gets down.

    Becky Whitfield, Mother of Elle Grace Morris

  2. Bosley mill explosion: Police to withdraw from sitepublished at 15:30

    Mike Perkins
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    Cheshire Police has announced officers are going to begin withdrawing from the site of a wood mill in Bosley, where four people died in an explosion in July.

    Media caption,

    Aerial footage released showing the demolition of silos at a Cheshire mill

    The force say over many months they've been conducting an extensive search and recovery operation. 

    They've worked with the county's fire service and health and safety executive but the body of Jason Shingler, 38, has never been recovered.

  3. Latest news: Police withdrawing from Bosley mill site, QPR bring in Burton's manager and major M6 project delayed by windpublished at 15:08

    Mike Perkins
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    The main headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire this afternoon include

    - Cheshire Police announce they're going to begin withdrawing from the site of a Wood Mill in Bosley where four people died in an explosion in July

    - Queens Park Rangers have appointed Burton Albion boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as their new manager

    - A £14.5m improvement work on the M6 in Cheshire, external, between junctions 19 and 20, has been delayed

  4. Football: Stoke City's Jack Butland could have been rugby playerpublished at 14:56

    Football Focus

    Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland reveals he could have pursued a career in rugby instead of football.

    He recalls beating a school side that featured England rugby union international Billy Vunipola.

    Watch Football Focus on BBC One, Saturday 12:10 GMT.

  5. M6 junction 10 scheme to start in 2018published at 14:45

    Stephanie Barnard
    BBC Local Live

    For those from Staffordshire and Cheshire who use the M6 south - a £65m project to widen an M6 motorway junction in the West Midlands is to start in 2018.

    The roundabout at junction 10 will be revamped in a scheme expected to take two years to complete, according to Highways England.  

    Junction 10 projectImage source, Walsall Council

    It said it was sharing the funding with the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership.

    A consultation for the public to comment on proposals starts on Friday and will last until 24 January.

  6. BBC Weather Watcher picture: Sunny Staffordshirepublished at 14:30

    Monica Rimmer
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    This BBC Weather Watcher picture is from lambsy this morning in Norton Canes where it was sunny with a temperature of 4C (39F).

    Norton CanesImage source, lambsy

    You can become a BBC Weather Watcher too - find out more on the website.

  7. Football: Your say on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink leaving Burtonpublished at 14:18

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    You've been having your say on the BBC Radio Stoke's Facebook page , externalabout the news that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has left Burton Albion for QPR.

    Jimmy Floyd HasselbainkImage source, Getty Images

    Badger Clark commented, external: "Done a great job there and to leave them at this point of the season is horrible. Should of stayed with them."

    While John Flint wrote, external: "Good luck to him. Nobody in there right mind would turn that chance down."

  8. Brain cells picture from Keele gets national recognitionpublished at 14:05

    Alice Bentley
    BBC Local Live

    An image of brain cells developing, taken by a Keele University researcher, has been recognised by the charity Parkinson's UK, external in an annual competition.   

    Blazing NeuronsImage source, George Joseph

    Each year, the organisation holds the photo contest to "celebrate the beauty and art in the research they fund". 

    This image was taken by George Joseph at Keele University, who is looking at treatments for people with the disease - it is titled Blazing Neurons.

  9. High winds delay £14.5m M6 project in Cheshirepublished at 13:50

    Lamont Howie
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    We've heard this afternoon that the £14.5m improvement work on the M6 in Cheshire, external, between junctions 19 and 20, has been delayed. 

    M6 junction 20Image source, Google

    Highways England says it's put back the start date - which was set for tonight - to early next week because of a forecast of high winds. 

  10. Watch: On Midlands Today this lunchtimepublished at 13:24

    Amy Cole
    BBC Midlands Today

    Here's a look ahead to what's coming up from 13:30 on BBC One in Midlands Today.

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  11. Travel: Accident on A50 near Blythe Bridgepublished at 13:18

    BBC Travel

    One lane is blocked on the A50 westbound between the Fole Hall junction, Fole and the Blythe Bridge Roundabout, because of an accident.

  12. Football: Stoke say Peter Crouch out for rest of the yearpublished at 13:14

    Matt Sandoz
    Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    Stoke City say striker Peter Crouch has been ruled out until at least the new year with a hamstring injury, external.

    Peter Crouch of Stoke City sits on the ground before going offImage source, Getty Images

    They say he suffered it during Tuesday's win over Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup.

  13. Football: QPR appoint former Burton manager Hasselbaink as bosspublished at 12:59
    Breaking

    BBC Sport

    Championship club Queens Park Rangershave officially appointed Burton manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbainkas their new boss.

    Jimmy Floyd HasselbainkImage source, Rex Features

    The 43-year-old, who won League Two with the Brewers last season, has signed a rolling contract with the R's.  

    QPR appoint Hasselbaink as boss

    Championship club Queens Park Rangers appoint Burton manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as their new boss.

    Read More
  14. Football: Fond farewells from Burton bosspublished at 12:48

    Euan Duncan
    BBC Local Live

    Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has left Burton Albion and said his goodbyes to players and staff at the club, yesterday.  

    Jimmy Floyd HasselbainkImage source, PA
    Quote Message

    We are very happy with the progress we have made. We have improved the players and we have improved the club off the field. It is for somebody else now to take the club even further.

    Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Former Burton Albion manager

  15. Latest: Burton say farewell to Hasselbaink; Bosley families to carry out investigation and major M6 project startingpublished at 12:38

    Mike Perkins
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    The top stories this afternoon include:

    - Burton Albion have confirmed that manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has joined Championship side Queen's Park Rangers

    - Lawyers representing the families of the victims of a Cheshire mill explosion say they are going to carry out their own investigation

    - What's being called "one of the biggest maintenance projects", external in the North West in recent years starts tonight on the M6 in Cheshire

  16. Watch: Stoke and Staffordshire's weather forecast this afternoonpublished at 12:10

    Alexandra Hamilton
    BBC Weather

  17. Football: Burton 'part of Jimmy's journey'published at 11:54

    Nigel Cash
    BBC Radio Derby Sport

    Burton Albion's chairman has been paying tribute to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink who has left the club as manager to join QPR.

    Quote from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
    Quote Message

    It has been an amazing 12 months, but we always knew that Jimmy [Floyd Hasselbaink] was ambitious and that this was a stepping stone."

    Ben Robinson, Burton Albion chairman