BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire on Monday 21 March 2016

Summary

Updates on Monday 21 March 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Tuesday

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

Football: Stoke manager says international break 'frustrating'published at 10:23 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Stoke City's manager Mark Hughes has admitted that the international break has come at the wrong time for his Potters team.
Image source, Getty Images
The club now have two weeks off, with some of his players leaving to play for their national side.
Hughes told BBC Radio Stoke he isn't the only manager frustrated.
Quote Message
It must be frustrating for everybody. We're coming to the business end of the season and they're going to be away for eight to 10 days."
Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager
News: Closure looms for homeless centre; video-link help for abuse victims; first stage of £70m retail project openspublished at 10:06 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The main headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire this morning include:
- It's feared a homeless hostel in Stoke-on-Trent , externalcould close next week as its trial period is set to end
- Domestic abuse victims in Staffordshire will be able to avoid giving evidence in courts or police stations under new plans unveiled today
- Stafford's new 1,000-space Waterfront multi-storey car park has opened to the public, external this morning
Family of heart attack victim in plea to government over funeral costspublished at 09:50 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
The Sentinel
The grieving relatives of a 44-year-old heart attack victim are locked in a £1,400 dispute with the government over the cost, external of his funeral.
Image source, The Sentinel
Travel: A50 partially blocked by break down in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 09:38 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
BBC Travel
A broken down vehicle means the A50 Waterloo Road in Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent is partially blocked at the Cobridge traffic lights.
Stafford Half Marathon hailed a 'success'published at 09:34 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
The organisers of the Stafford Half Marathon, external say yesterday's event was another great success.
They say a record number of people entered the race, external which saw thousands in the town.
Cheadle's Rebecca Harrison celebrated winning her fourth Stafford Half marathon in the women's race and Paul Little from Droitwich was first across the line in the men's field.
Your pictures: A Staffordshire sunrise and Leek's fine foodpublished at 09:15 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
This lovely sunrise was taken in Tunstall by Steve Tribe who then shared it with me.
Image source, Steve Tribe
While over the weekend in Leek it was the fine food market and BBC Radio Stoke's Ros Chimes took this picture and mailed it to me.
You can send me your photos of the area - on any subject - on email, tweet @BBCRadioStoke, external or use Instagram, external.
Image source, Ros Chimes
Watch: Concerns for future of homeless centre in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 08:57 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke
There are fears a homeless hostel in Stoke-on-Trent , externalcould close next week.
The 18-bed Lou Macari centre, named after the former Stoke City manager, has so far helped around 100 people during a two-month trial.
Outreach workers in the city say they're feeding dozens of people every night.
Jeanette Jackson, from Help for the Homeless, and Michelle, one of the homeless people who've been helped speak to BBC Radio Stoke.
News: Homeless centre future fears; video technology to help abuse victims; Stafford Half Marathon 'success'published at 08:42 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
This morning's main headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire include:
- There are fears a homeless hostel in Stoke-on-Trent , externalcould close next week, when funding ends to cover its initial trial run
- Domestic abuse victims in Staffordshire will be able to avoid giving evidence in courts or police stations under new plans unveiled today
- The organisers of the Stafford Half Marathon, external say yesterday's event was another great success
Watch: Stoke and Staffordshire's weather for todaypublished at 08:29 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
You'll also be able to get your latest weather forecast for Staffordshire and Cheshire at any time from the BBC website.
Travel: A500 congested in Audleypublished at 08:12 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
BBC Travel
There's slow traffic on the A500 northbound in Audley between the Audley turn off and Crewe.
Good morning - join us for today's live coverage for Staffordshire and Cheshirepublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Welcome to Monday, we hope you had a nice weekend - Hanley has started off cloudy and cold this morning.
We'll have your full weather forecast for the day shortly and the latest news, travel, sport and your pictures throughout the day.
You can send your own photos of the area in on email, tweet @BBCRadioStoke, external or use Instagram, external.