The Sentinel

A multimillion-pound plan is being drawn up to transform North Staffordshire's rail network, external - including relocating Stoke station.

Image source, The Sentinel

James Bovill
Political reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Heating bills in Stoke-on-Trent could be cut by 10%, external, the city council claims, under plans by them to extract hot water from underground wells.

The Etruria Valley has a rich seam of these hot water wells and experts were out last week doing detailed surveys to find them. 

Once found, a system of pipes could relay the hot water from 3km (1.86 miles) underground directly into the radiators of homes and businesses. 

The first pipes could be up and running by 2019.  

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The setting sun last night seemed to prove a hit with local photographers - here's a couple of pictures that were tweeted in to @BBCRadioStoke, external.

The first from Dan Kemsley was taken over Gailey pool near junction 12 of the M6 while John Harding's was snapped in Longton.

Image source, Dan Kemsley

Image source, John Harding

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

The main stories this morning for Staffordshire and Cheshire:

- Heating bills in Stoke-on-Trent could be cut by 10%, external the city council claims, under plans by them to extract hot water from underground wells 

- Five teenagers from Stoke-on-Trent are being questioned by police after armed officers were called to reports of a fight, external near the Meir Tunnel 

-  A dog has died, external in a severe house fire in Stoke-on-Trent

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

You can also get the latest weather for Staffordshire and Cheshire from the BBC website.

BBC Travel

There's heavy traffic on the A500 D Road southbound this morning in Stoke-on-Trent, between the Hanford Interchange and Stoke-on-Trent.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

It is a freezing start to the week in Stoke-on-Trent today, plenty of frost around - this was the view of some of the rooftops from the BBC Stoke towers.

Sara Blizzard will have your weather forecast for the day shortly and throughout today we'll have the latest updates on news, sport, travel and more for Staffordshire and Cheshire.

You can be a part of this too - send comments and photos in on email, Twitter , externalor Instagram, external.