Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Live updates for Staffordshire and Cheshire have finished for the day but we'll be back from 08:00 Wednesday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather.
Summary
Updates on Tuesday 5 April 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates to resume at 08:00 on Wednesday
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Coming up on Midlands Today: Misery for train passengerspublished at 17:50 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Nick Owen
Presenter, BBC Midlands TodayThere's severe disruption to train services tonight due to a power fault in the overhead lines at Birmingham International Station.
A train brought down the wires early this morning and the fault is unlikely to be fixed until at least 20:00.
Image source, Network RailIt's affecting Virgin, London Midland, Cross Country and Arriva Trains Wales services to locations including Coventry, Shrewsbury, London Euston, Reading, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh.
We'll bring you the latest at 18:30 on Midlands Today.
Cheadle town centre roads set to be improvedpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeWork to improve roads in Cheadle town centre is due to start next week.
The £90,000 investment will see Chapel Street, Bank Street and Watt Place resurfaced. Starting on Monday, 11 April, the scheme will take three weeks to complete.
Image source, GoogleImprovements to kerbs and drains will be carried out during day times from 11 April with temporary traffic controls in place.
To allow the resurfacing work to be carried out safely and promptly, overnight road closures will need to be in place between 19:00 and 07:00 from 25 April to 29 April. People will be able to access homes and businesses throughout the project.
Watch: Latest forecast for Staffordshire and Cheshirepublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Sara Blizzard
BBC WeatherIt should continue to be dry and bright into the evening, with an increased chance of the odd light shower.
Lows of 6C (42F).
Vale 'comedy of errors' infuriates Pagepublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio StokePort Vale boss, Rob Page, says his side's second-half display in their 4-2 defeat by Chesterfield was comical.
Last attempt to save former school failspublished at 17:10 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
James Bovill
Political reporter, BBC Radio StokeA last ditch attempt to save a former Newcastle school from demolition has failed.
St George and St Giles Primary, on Barracks Road, is being knocked down to make way for a new civic hub containing the library, register officer, police and borough council staff.
Campaigners had tried to get the Victorian building listed, but Historic England, external turned the application down.
Latest: Last attempt to save former Newcastle school fails; Cheshire's Chief Fire Officer to spend time in Cumbria; chip pan fire nearly claimed the life of a Newcastle manpublished at 16:59 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio StokeThis evening's headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire:
- St George and St Giles Primary on Barracks Road is being knocked down to make way for a new civic hub
- The chairman of Cheshire's Fire Authority, external is reassuring people that sharing the county's Chief Fire Officer with Cumbria won't cause any problems
- A smoke alarm saved a man's life in Newcastle last night, after a neighbour heard the alarm in a flat on Ford Street, Silverdale just after midnight
Your pictures: Cloudy Ipstonespublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
BBC Weather Watcher 'AppyIppy' sent in this snap from Ipstones.
There is some blue sky at least.
Image source, AppyIppyEggcellent news - first penguin chicks of the year hatch at Chester Zoopublished at 16:17 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Sarah Robertson
Producer, BBC Radio StokeFour fuzzy penguin chicks named Wotsit, Quaver, Frazzle and Cheeto have become the first of their kind to hatch at Chester Zoo, external, Cheshire this year.
Wotsit broke out of its egg on Easter Sunday, quickly followed by Quaver (Sunday) and Frazzle (Monday), with Cheeto arriving just this morning weighing a mere 75g.
The tiny youngsters – threatened Humboldt penguins from South America – have been named after their keepers’ favourite crisps.
Football: Butland has great future says club chairman Coatespublished at 16:01 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio StokeStoke City chairman, Peter Coates, backs goalkeeper Jack Butland to recover from injury and have a successful England career.
Image source, Getty ImagesDelays in Stafford expected ahead of construction workpublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeDrivers in Stafford are being warning to expect delays leaving the town centre as roadworks begin.
Severn Trent Water, external is carrying out construction at the Queensville roundabout on the A34 until 25 April.
There are also temporary traffic lights on Radford Bank and the Wolverhampton Road causing delays.
Update: Disruption to rail servicespublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
BBC Midlands TodayAn empty train and overhead cables were severely damaged on a railway line between Birmingham and Coventry, closing the line this morning.
A Network Rail spokesman has been talking to BBC Midlands Today.
Latest: Cheshire's Chief Fire Officer to spend time in Cumbria; severe delays to the trains; last day to get your dog micro-chippedpublished at 15:04 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio StokeThis afternoon's headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire:
- The chairman of Cheshire's Fire Authority, external is reassuring people that sharing the county's Chief Fire Officer with Cumbria won't cause any problems
- There's major disruption to the train services across the region this afternoon, after problems with overhead cables at Birmingham International
- Dog owners of Staffordshire and Cheshire could be landed with a £500 fine if they don't follow new rules coming in this week
Huge snakes spotted and snapped on Cannock Chasepublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
When photographer Lee Chapman went out onto Cannock Chase, there was one animal he hoped he'd snap, external – the elusive adder.
Image source, Express and StarYour pictures: Ominous clouds in Leekpublished at 14:07 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
'Videoman' sent in this picture from the Moorlands. Some rather ominous grey clouds are heading over.
You can sign up and become a BBC Weather Watcher by heading to the website.
Image source, videomanCheshire's Chief Fire Officer to spend time in Cumbriapublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeThe chairman of Cheshire's Fire Authority, external is reassuring people that sharing the county's Chief Fire Officer with Cumbria won't cause any problems.
Paul Hancock will spend two days a week 111 miles (180km) away in Cumbria, where he'll train officers to do the role long term.
Councillor John Joyce told BBC Radio Stoke's Morgan in the Morning, they already have close links.
Quote MessageThey already collaborate with Cumbria on a number of issues - we work quite closely with them under the control sense and do a lot of work with them on emergency."
John Joyce, Councillor
Football: Port Vale star keen to staypublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio StokePort Vale striker, Ajay Leitch-Smith, says the chance to continue working with manager Rob Page is the main factor in him wanting to stay.
Leitch-Smith signed from Yeovil Town last summer and has gone on to score 11 goals for Vale this season.
He's out of contract in the summer, but he says he wants to work with Page again next season.
Image source, Rex FeaturesThis lunchtime on BBC Midlands Today: Severe delays to the trainspublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Qasa Alom
BBC Midlands TodayOn Midlands Today this lunchtime, we're looking at major disruption to the train services across the region this lunchtime, after problems with overhead cables at Birmingham International.
Trains which run through the station have had to be cancelled, meaning delays for thousands of commuters.
Image source, Danielle CurrieWe'll have more on BBC One from 13:30.
Watch: Latest weather forecast for the Staffordshire and Cheshirepublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Sara Blizzard
BBC WeatherA dry and bright day with some sunny spells, but there is the chance of the odd light shower later.
Feeling pleasant in the sunshine - highs of 13C (55F).
Latest: Cheshire to share its Chief Fire Officer; roadworks start in Stafford; Staffordshire couple reunited after 70 yearspublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 5 April 2016
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeThis afternoon's headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire:
- The chairman of Cheshire's Fire Authority is reassuring people that sharing the county's Chief Fire Officer with Cumbria won't cause any problems
- Drivers in Stafford are being warning to expect delays leaving the town centre as roadworks begin
- Roy Vickerman and Nora Jackson called off their wedding in 1946 but were reunited when Roy called Graham Torrington's BBC Radio Stoke show 70 years later
