Ian Winter
BBC Midlands Today Sport

During Stoke City's FA Cup fifth round defeat by Blackburn at Ewood Park in February 2014, long-serving defender Andy Wilkinson was hit full in the face by a fiercely-struck shot.  

It left him with blurred vision, dizzy spells and then to being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome.  

After 192 appearances in his 14 years on the books at Stoke, the tough-tackling full-back's career is now over, at 31.  

Lucy Martin
BBC Weather

Some sunny intervals expected this afternoon with highs of 16C (60F).  

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

Saturday night marks the 61st Eurovision song contest. Joe and Jake are hoping to woo the crowds for the UK with their song You're Not Alone.

Go back 18 years - the last time the UK hosted the contest was in 1998 at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena.

Ulrika Jonsson and Terry Wogan hosted the 43rd contest after Katrina and the Waves, Love Shine A Light won in the previous year.

It was the last year that a live orchestra was used but more importantly Dana International won with Diva... Here she is performing at the BBC Greatest Hits events last year.  

Don't miss it on Saturday from 20:00 on BBC One.

Nantwich News

Two elderly bus passengers had a lucky escape when a bus hit and destroyed a glass shelter, external they were in at Nantwich bus station.  

Image source, Nantwich News

BBC Travel

There's slow traffic through roadworks on the A53 in Staffordshire in Baldwin's Gate at the Common Lane junction.

Andrew Dawkins
BBC News Online

A whistleblower at a health trust was "not treated fairly," an independent inquiry for the NHS has found.

Head of clinical coding and data quality, Sandra Haynes-Kirkbright, who raised concerns about hospital records and finances, was suspended by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.

The trust said it acknowledged the report's findings, "none of which" relate to issues around patient safety.

Ms Haynes-Kirkbright, from Stafford, said she hoped her reputation would now be repaired.

Jennifer Meierhans
BBC News Online

Here are some of the stories we are looking at in Staffordshire and Cheshire this morning:

- NHS whistleblower 'treated unfairly' inquiry finds

- Drug-driving charges in Staffordshire almost doubled last year

- Car crash man left hanging upside down for 45 minutes

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Joe Woolford and Jake Shakeshaft, who's from Newcastle-under-Lyme, will represent the UK in the Eurovision song contest tomorrow night.

And the people of Jake's home town are sending the pair good luck wishes.

The Sentinel

Staffordshire's biggest hospital has been fined £9.3m for failing to treat patients soon enough, external – then missing improvements demanded by NHS commissioners.

The number of people charged with drug driving in Staffordshire almost doubled last year. 

Police charged 44 motorists in 2015 - a rise of 83% on the previous 12 months. 

Matt Lloyd, a motoring expert who produced the research, says a lot of people don't realise that some prescription drugs can give a positive test. 

He said more people should read medication advice leaflets. 

A man was left hanging upside down by his seatbelt for nearly an hour after the van he was in collided with a car.  

The man, who was cut free, suffered arm and chest injuries in the collision at the junction of Penkridge Bank and Broadhurst Green.  

Image source, West MIdlands Ambuance Service

Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Here are some of the main stories we are looking at in Staffordshire and Cheshire:

- The number of people charged with drug-driving in Staffordshire almost doubled last year

- Veterans of the Korean War say they're honoured a navy captain from Seoul has visited Staffordshire to award bravery medals

- A new rollercoaster restaurant opens at Alton Towers today

BBC Weather

After a rather dull start, the cloud will tend to break up to allow some warm sunny spells.

However, the odd shower may develop in the south later, whilst it will turn noticeably fresher and cloudier in the north - highs of 20C (68F).

BBC Travel

There is slow traffic on the A452 Chester Road in Wylde Green at the B4142 Boldmere Road junction in the roadworks area, drivers are warned.

Welcome to the Local Live service for Staffordshire and Cheshire on Friday morning. 

We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather as it happens. 

If you'd like to get in touch you can email, tweet us on @RadioStoke, external or message via Facebook, external.