Weather for the West Midlandspublished at 07:56 British Summer Time 25 May 2016
Weather for the West Midlands.
Summary
Staffordshire raids find more than 118,000 illegal cigarettes
Australia to deport Stoke-on-Trent mother-of-five to UK
Bid to help Stafford boy with cerebral palsy walk to school
Updates on Tuesday 24 May 2016
Weather for the West Midlandspublished at 07:56 British Summer Time 25 May 2016
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
We're back at 08:00 tomorrow with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather, but keep an eye out here for updates through the evening and into the morning.
On Midlands Today this evening: Bringing gaming tech into the courtroompublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Mary Rhodes
Presenter, BBC Midlands TodayOn Midlands Today this evening we'll show you how virtual reality technology, used in the gaming industry, could be adapted to recreate crime scenes for juries.
Image source, THE LAB BY VALVE CORPORATIONThat's been claimed by researchers at Staffordshire University who are experimenting with technology and techniques to "transport" jurors to virtual crime scenes.
See our full story on what's said to be the first project of its kind in Europe, on BBC One from 18:30.
Convicted drug dealer absconds from Sudbury Prisonpublished at 17:43 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Police are hunting a convicted crack-cocaine dealer, external after he absconded from prison.
Image source, Uttoxeter AdvertiserFootball: Port Vale midfielder taking 'right step' into coaching says Birchallpublished at 17:33 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Ged Scott
BBC SportPort Vale winger Chris Birchall says the appointment of veteran teammate Michael Brown to the coaching staff was an obvious decision.
Image source, EmpicsMuch-travelled ex-Manchester City and Tottenham midfielder Brown will assist chairman Norman Smurthwaite's search for a new manager to replace Rob Page, following his exit for Northampton.
Quote MessageBrowny's close to all the players. He knows their abilities and knows what is needed to come in and interact, and get the players playing for him. But he's still a great player himself. He still thinks he's got a lot to offer on the playing side."
Chris Birchall, Port Vale winger
Raids find more than 118,000 illegal cigarettespublished at 17:27 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio StokeMore than 118,000 illegal cigarettes were seized in an operation targeting 20 sites across Staffordshire.
Image source, Staffordshire County CouncilThe county council, external said it joined other agencies in March to visit premises in Rugeley, Burton, Tamworth and Newcastle-under-Lyme, including shops and pubs.
In addition to the cigarettes, it said 31.75kg in illegal, hand-rolling tobacco was found, with some items concealed in walls and under floorboards.
Virtual reality crime scenes: Lawyer sceptical on benefits of systempublished at 17:16 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local LiveA Staffordshire barrister says he is "sceptical" about using virtual reality technology to recreate crime scenes for juries.
Researchers at Staffordshire University have been experimenting with technology and techniques to "transport" jurors to virtual crime scenes.
However Jason Holt, from Steven Solicitors, is questioning whether it would make a real impact on cases:
"I do wonder how much difference going to a crime scene in 3D will make, compared to a standard DVD and video cameras which are used at the moment to record similar information."
News: Raids find more than 118,000 fake cigarettes; Australia to deport Stoke mother-of-five; disabled boy's bid to walkpublished at 17:06 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeThis evening's Staffordshire and Cheshire headlines include:
- More than 118,000 illegal cigarettes were seized in an operation targeting 20 sites across Staffordshire
- A widowed mother-of-five from Stoke-on-Trent, who has lived in Australia for most of her life, is facing deportation to the UK
- The mum of a three-year-old boy with cerebral palsy says she is trying to raise enough money, external so he can walk to his first day at school
Your pictures: Cheshire park after the rain and historic Rudyardpublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveSome more of your pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire...
This first one's from Jonathan White in Wistaston, Cheshire, who says it's of the Joey the Swan recreation ground at the weekend, when the sun came out after some rain.
Image source, Jonathan WhiteWhile this is from Derek Knapper who took a picture of one of the historic buildings around Rudyard Lake in the Staffordshire Moorlands.
Image source, Derek KnapperAustralia to deport Stoke-on-Trent mother-of-five to UK for crimespublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
A widowed mother-of-five from Stoke-on-Trent, who has lived in Australia for most of her life, is facing deportation to the UK.
Kelly Webb, 30, a recovering drug addict, has been in and out of prison and last April was given an 18-month sentence for aggravated burglary.
Image source, KELLY WEBB/FACEBOOKUnder Australian law, Webb's visa has been cancelled and she must now wait to hear if ministers will let her stay.
Webb, who left Stoke-on-Trent when she was two, fears she and her children would end up living on the streets if deported.
Quote MessageIf I end up in the UK, I'd have no housing, no family, no friends. I could not take the children - I could not be that selfish. I would be living on the streets with the poor little buggers."
Kelly Webb
Two hurt in car crash in Talkepublished at 16:26 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeA man's in hospital and a woman's been checked over at the scene following a two-car crash that closed the A34 in Talke this afternoon.
Image source, GoogleWest Midlands Ambulance Service says one of its crews came across the collision just before 14:00, near the Miller and Carter pub.
Staffordshire Police says a male driver was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital with suspected facial and chest injuries and both cars were extensively damaged.
Watch: Tonight and tomorrow's weather forecast for Stoke and Staffordshirepublished at 16:16 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Lucy Martin
BBC WeatherIf you want to get a latest weather forecast at any other time, head to the BBC website.
Work begins on memorial garden near Lichfield in tribute to Violetpublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Work has begun on a memorial garden in Fradley in the name of Violet Mornington who died 3 years ago, external, aged 5, of a rare blood disease.
Image source, Lichfield MercuryMonths of roadworks set to endpublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeA road near Stone is due to reopen tomorrow the county council says, 12 months after being closed for roadworks.
Image source, GoogleStaffordshire County Council, external says the layout of Meaford Road has been changed to prepare for construction of a new business park and gas-fired power station.
The scheme has also included changes to part of the A34 where a new roundabout has been built.
Twitter revamps 140-character tweet length rulespublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
BBC Technology
Big news if you use Twitter - the social media giant is overhauling some of its rules to try to make itself simpler to use and more attractive to newcomers.
Members will be able to add multimedia to tweets - including pictures, links and videos - without eating into the 140-characters-a-post limit.
The service is also changing the way it handles conversations between users.
Twitter co-founder and chief executive Jack Dorsey told the BBC his aim was to ensure that "when people tweet, it makes sense".
Watch: Bid to help boy with cerebral palsy walk to schoolpublished at 15:27 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
John Acres
BBC Radio StokeThe mum of a three-year-old boy with cerebral palsy says she is trying to raise enough money so he can walk to his first day at school.
Oliver Dempsey from Stafford can currently only crawl or walk with the help of a frame but his mother Abby wants to get him walking independently.
His family has launched a campaign called "Stand Up 4 Ollie, external" to raise thousands of pounds for movement therapy and equipment he cannot get on the NHS.
The Stafford and Surrounds Clinical Commissioning group is responsible for Oliver's healthcare and told BBC Radio Stoke it would be happy to work with the family on getting more NHS support.
Travel: Signalling problem delays Crewe and Stafford trainspublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
BBC TravelThere are delays to London Midland and Virgin Trains services between Crewe and Stafford this afternoon, because of signalling issues.
Keep up-to-date on the BBC Travel website.
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End of twitter postLatest: Enterprise scheme could 'create 20,000 jobs'; scepticism over courtroom virtual reality; 'fall' in Severn Trent complaintspublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeThese are among this afternoon's top stories:
- A new enterprise zone in Cheshire dubbed the "science corridor" will create about 20,000 new jobs, external, it has been claimed
- A Staffordshire barrister says he is "sceptical" about using virtual reality technology to recreate crime scenes for juries
- Customer complaints to Staffordshire water supplier Severn Trent have fallen, external by more than a quarter, the firm says
Football: Crewe chairman facing up to financial impact of relegationpublished at 14:46 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio StokeRelegation to League Two will come at a cost, according to the Crewe Alexandra chairman John Bowler.
Image source, Getty ImagesSome Alex fans have turned their backs on purchasing season tickets although the club reports healthy sales for an early bird offer.
Bowler told BBC Radio Stoke the loss of revenue from visiting fans is where they will suffer.
Quote MessageIt's costly because it means, from our experience, that away gates aren't as big as they are in League One. Central funds are not as great as in League One. We've just got to make sure that we get value for every pound that we've got.
John Bowler, Crewe Alexandra chairman
Severn Trent claims customer complaints down by quarterpublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 24 May 2016
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio StokeCustomer complaints to Staffordshire water supplier Severn Trent have fallen, external by more than a quarter, the firm says.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe group said it was "learning" from a recent chlorine contamination scare in Derbyshire which affected 3,700 homes and businesses and led to the water giant paying compensation to affected homeowners.
Severn Trent's annual results showed customer complaints fell by 28% in the year to March 31.
