Updates on Friday 29 January 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Monday
Phil Mackie
Midlands correspondent, BBC News
A mother has been found guilty of joining the Islamic State group and encouraging acts of terror on Twitter.
Tareena Shakil, 26, originally from Burton, took her young son to Syria in October 2014 and returned three months later.
She will be sentenced at a later date.
More than 200 people attended a packed meeting as residents took steps towards, external 'having a say' on the future of their village.
Image source, Uttoxeter Advertiser
Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent
A "sharp rise" in demand in A&E units is causing real problems for hospitals, NHS bosses are warning.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe BBC has learnt some NHS trusts have even had to take extreme measures to cope with the "exceptional" pressures.
On one weekend this month, the University Hospitals North Midlands Trust, external said the Royal Stoke hospital was full, and people were waiting more than five hours to be seen.
NHS England warned the pressures would last to the spring.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The last surviving member of the gang that carried out the Great Train Robbery in 1963 has died.
Image source, Getty ImagesGordon Goody, who was jailed for 25 years, ran a bar in the south of Spain.
Train driver Jack Mills from Crewe was struck over the head during the robbery and never worked again. He died in 1970.
Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Divers are being used by police as they search a lake in Nantwich as well as surrounding waterways for a missing Nantwich pensioner with dementia, external.
Roy Tomlinson, 83, was reported missing on Tuesday and Cheshire Police say they are "increasingly concerned" for him.
They are basing their search at Nantwich Lake near the residential home where he lives - dogs and a police helicopter are also being used in the search.
BBC Travel
A lane is blocked on the A50 eastbound in Stoke-on-Trent around Britannia Stadium, because of an accident.
Cheshire police say finding missing Nantwich man Roy Tomlinson, external ‘remains a top priority for the force’ as the search enters a fourth day.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The main headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire include:
- Divers are being used by police as they search a lake in Nantwich as well as surrounding waterways for a missing Nantwich pensioner with dementia
- A shopping centre in Cheshire has temporarily banned people with mobility problems because they may be unable to escape in an emergency
- Sections of a wall covered in the hand-prints of children and parents who first used a ward at Stafford Hospital have been removed
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The sale of Crewe Alexandra's Ryan Colclough to Wigan happened "pretty quickly" according to manager Steve Davis.
He's been speaking to me ahead of their game at Millwall this weekend.
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke
Councils in England, including in Staffordshire, are still making unacceptably short 15-minute home care visits despite guidelines saying it isn't long enough, a report suggests.
Image source, ThinkstockResearch by trade union Unison found "distressing" cases of care being compromised after surveying councils and care workers.
Councils are not meant to schedule 15-minute visits for personal care, like help with washing, dressing or eating.
Staffordshire County Council and Stoke on Trent City Council both told BBC Radio Stoke that 15-minute home care visits are delivered as part of a wider package of support a person is receiving.
Dave Guest
Chief reporter, BBC North West Tonight
A shopping centre in Cheshire has temporarily banned people with mobility problems because they may be unable to escape in an emergency.
The Grosvenor Shopping Centre in Macclesfield said it was not allowing entry to people who could not evacuate unaided via the staircases.
It follows a notice on Wednesday from the Cheshire Fire Authority, which said they had "serious" safety concerns.
A Grosvenor centre spokeswoman said they hoped to resolve the issue "soon".
Parking charges in Lichfield look set to increase, external, with a range of options potentially boosting parking income to between £215,000 and £468,000.
Image source, Lichfield Mercury
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
A woman suffered several serious injuries after being hit by a car in Tamworth, external, paramedics say.
Image source, GoogleWest Midlands Ambulance Service say they were called to the A453 Sutton Road near the junction of George Avenue.
They say their staffs gave the woman, believed in her 60s, "advanced trauma care" before she was taken to hospital.
Tickets for tomorrow's opening ceremony in Stoke-on-Trent, to launch the city's year as UK European City of Sport, external, have all gone the council says.
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A fund-raising cyclist from Tamworth has hit out after a car driver collided with his bike, external – and then drove off.
Image source, Tamworth Herald
Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Some brooding skies in Cheshire today if this image from BBC Weather Watcher Sky Watcher in Wybunbury is anything to go by.
Image source, Sky WatcherYou can join up as a BBC Weather Watcher - all the details are on the website.
Peter Plisner
BBC Midlands Today
This lunchtime we'll be covering the end of the road for the iconic Land Rover Defender.
Nearly 70 years after the first one was produced, the last one's rolled off the production line at Jaguar Land Rover's factory in Solihull.
I'll be reporting on a day tinged with sadness, on Midlands Today this lunchtime from 13:30 on BBC One.
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The Stoke City manager Mark Hughes says he is targeting another good cup run, as they head to Crystal Palace tomorrow.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Potters went out in the semi-finals of the League Cup at Liverpool on Tuesday.
Hughes told BBC Radio Stoke the focus is now on trying to win the FA Cup.
Quote MessageThis should be the expectation every year that we're going to be challenging, we're going to be in the latter stages of competitions and we are going to push teams.
Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The top stories this afternoon include:
- Sections of a wall covered in the hand-prints of children and parents who first used a ward at Stafford Hospital have been removed
- A search for a missing Nantwich pensioner, external, who has dementia, is focusing on Hough near Shavington
- Councils in England, including in Staffordshire, are still making unacceptably short 15-minute home care visits despite guidelines saying it isn't long enough, a report suggests
Rail bosses are coming under pressure to consider ways to minimise the environmental impact of HS2 in Staffordshire.
The Conservative MP for Stafford, Jeremy Lefroy, told the House of Commons that local people have come up with proposals to reduce the harm that high speed rail could do to the region.
He asked the Transport Secretary if these proposals were being looked at.
Quote MessageI can say to my honourable friend and to his constituents that they will have every opportunity when we bring forward the bill to make their case.
Patrick McLoughlin, Transport Secretary
