James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

The Stoke Central MP Tristram Hunt is demanding the Health Secretary comes to Stoke-on-Trent to sort out what he calls an NHS at "breaking point". 

He's written to Jeremy Hunt saying closing the A&E unit overnight at Stafford's County Hospital has led to a big surge in patients at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and is demanding more funding and support. 

Pictures which claim to show patients waiting on trolleys in the accident and emergency unit at Royal Stoke on Tuesday morning were on the front page of today's Daily Mirror., external

In response, the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs the sites, said there were around 80 patients in the department at the time.

It added that the area was being monitored by clinical staff at all times.

BBC Entertainment and Arts

Ken Barrie, the voice of children's TV favourite Postman Pat, has died at the age of 83.  

Barrie, who was born Leslie Hulme in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, provided the voice for Pat and many of the other characters in the animated series.  

He also famously sang the show's theme tune, which was released as a single and spent 15 weeks in the top 75.

A family member told BBC News that Barrie died at his home in Uxbridge, London, after a short battle with cancer.

Lichfield Mercury

A Lichfield hotel has pleaded guilty to food hygiene offences after 33 wedding guests became ill after eating contaminated pate., external

Image source, Lichfield Mercury

James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

Today's the deadline for volunteers interested in applying to run their local library, external in Staffordshire.  

Image source, Thinkstock

Of the county council's libraries, 11 are already community run and it is looking for volunteers to run another 12. 

The authority says it's because fewer people are using them. 

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

I ask for your pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire and you never disappoint, they keep coming in.

Jane Stanway says she took this picture on a walk along a canal in Sandbach.

Image source, Jane Stanway

Meanwhile, William Lainton posted this picture in Trentham, of his dog, using the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page.

If you've got a picture of the area and you want to share it, send it in on email, tweet it to @BBCRadioStoke, external or put it on Instagram with the tag #bbcstoke - it helps us find it., external

Image source, William Lainton

Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Four men have been charged with robbing a jewellers in Nantwich in broad daylight this week.

Cheshire Police, external says a hole was made in the window of Moody C H & Son Ltd on Pillory Street from which several watches were stolen.

The four men are due before magistrates today.

BBC WM

Lichfield library is being moved into an old church. 

Plans for it to be at St Mary's for the next 30 years have been approved. , external

It's already home to a museum, café and tourist information. 

Image source, Google

Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Any smoking of e-cigarettes in taxis by drivers or passengers could soon be banned in the Staffordshire Moorlands under plans, external being discussed today.  

Image source, SPL

District councillors are being asked to approve plans to ban vaping in all private hire cabs and hackney carriages from next year. 

It's part of a new taxi licensing policy - any taxi drivers caught vaping could be fined or get points on their licence. 

BBC Sport

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given has announced his retirement from international football aged 40.

The Stoke City keeper, formerly of Aston Villa, Newcastle, Celtic and Blackburn Rovers, won 134 caps over 20 years and was part of the Republic's Euro 2016 squad.

Image source, Inpho

Announcing his decision on social media on Thursday, the Donegal native wrote: "I was one of the lucky ones... but now it is time to hang up the gloves."

He is set to continue his club career with Stoke.

BBC Travel

Two lanes are closed on the M6 southbound between J7, A34 (Great Barr) and J6, for the A38(M) Aston Expressway, because of a broken down vehicle and recovery work. 

Travel time is at about an hour and cars are queuing to J10a, for the M54.  

BBC Travel

It's congested this morning on the A38 southbound in Branston, near Burton, at the Branston Interchange.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

The Port Vale manager Bruno Ribeiro says he wants to sign one more striker before the start of the season.

Image source, Getty Images

The Vale have failed to score in any of their last three pre-season friendlies and Ribeiro told BBC Radio Stoke another forward would be ideal.  

A woman died from the untreated side effects of the combined contraceptive pill, a coroner concludes.

A woman competing in the British Transplant Games says if she wins a medal she will give it to her donor's family.

BBC Travel

The B5368 Milehouse Lane in Newcastle-under-Lyme is partially blocked in both directions near the A34 Liverpool Road junction because of an accident.

Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Crewe Alexandra teenager Charlie Kirk will score goals in the football league this season, according to assistant manager James Collins.

Image source, crewealex.net

The 18-year-old broke into the first team last season, external, but he's yet to score his first senior goal. 

Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

Plans to build more than 400 new homes on a former university campus, external in south Cheshire have been approved. 

Image source, Google

New sports facilities will also be built at the former Manchester Metropolitan University site on Hassall Road in Alsager. 

It's despite concerns raised in the planning application over traffic and the impact on local schools.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

I've had a couple of lovely pictures shared by you, our audience, via Instagram, external.

Firstly, Paul Guest took this photo of flowers growing near the canal at Birches Head and Northwood, Stoke-on-Trent.

Image source, Paul Guest

Paul Morris captured this morning's sunrise over the Westlands in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

If you use Instagram, external too and want to share pictures of Staffordshire or Cheshire, add the tag #bbcstoke.

Image source, Paul Morris

Alice Bentley
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

A rare collection of documents from World War One have been put online. , external

The records, which would have been destroyed but for an oversight, document the Staffordshire tribunals for men appealing against conscription - introduced in 1916. 

Image source, Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Archive and Heritage Service

The archive, held at the records office in Stafford, has been put online after £37,600 of Heritage Lottery Funding and the work of more than 50 volunteers and the county's archive team.

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

The amount of waste collected for recycling in the Newcastle-under-Lyme area's increased by a fifth, according to the borough council.

Under a new scheme introduced earlier this month, nine recycling containers were replaced by three boxes and two wheelie bins and weekly collections.

The council had to apologise last week for problems with the system, with residents telling BBC Radio Stoke their waste hadn't been collected. Extra vehicles were put on in response.