Blocked drains in Uttoxeter spark safety fearspublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Blocked drains have sparked safety fears among some residents, external on one of Uttoxeter's busiest roads.
Image source, Uttoxeter AdvertiserSummary
Thousands of statues being planted in Somme commemoration
New owners of pottery firm eyeing new business
Damaged manhole shuts M6 lane in Cheshire 'for rest of today'
Updates on Friday 1 July 2016
Blocked drains in Uttoxeter spark safety fearspublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Image source, Uttoxeter AdvertiserNews: Rescued pottery firm eyeing new trade; wooden statues planted in Somme ceremony; Port Vale make third signing of weekpublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeThe latest news stories for Staffordshire and Cheshire include:
- The new owner of a Stoke-on-Trent pottery firm, rescued from administration, says he's already got overseas companies interested in doing business with them
- Special commemorative events have taken place at the National Memorial Arboretum to remember the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme
- Port Vale have announced their third signing this week with French midfielder Quentin Pereira joining on a two-year deal, external
Football: Port Vale make Pereira their third signing of weekpublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio StokePort Vale have announced their third signing this week with French midfielder Quentin Pereira joining on a two-year deal., external
Image source, Port Vale FCPereira, 24, has an option to stay beyond the initial two seasons if he proves a success at Vale Park.
The midfielder joins from Stade De Reims and follows Rigino Cicilia and Kjell Knops to Vale Park as new manager Bruno Ribeiro adds to his squad.
Battle of the Somme: Eddie Redmayne joins Lichfield projectpublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Rebecca Bradshaw
Journalist, BBC Radio StokeThe Battle of the Somme is going to be commemorated this summer at Lichfield Cathedral with a project involving poetry read by the Oscar-winning, external actor Eddie Redmayne.
Image source, Lichfield CathedralThe exhibition is due to be held between 4-6 August and the cathedral says the star of The Theory of Everything and Les Miserables visited them this week to record a "selection of well-known war poetry".
'Significant amount' of cocaine seized by policepublished at 14:35 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio StokeA "significant amount" of cocaine has been seized by police after they pulled a car over, external in Burntwood, Staffordshire.
Image source, GoogleStaffordshire Police say they arrested three men who were in the black Ford Focus yesterday on Water Street on suspicion of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.
The force wouldn't put a figure on the amount seized but said it was "around 60 rocks" of cocaine.
In photos: Statues planted for Somme anniversary and Stoke-on-Trent war memorialpublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LivePeople across Staffordshire and Cheshire have marked the day 100 years ago when the soldiers marched forward on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
BBC Radio Stoke's Emma Thomas has been at the National Memorial Arboretum where the first painted soldier statues have been planted for each soldier killed on 1 July 1916.
While in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, BBC Radio Stoke's Perry Spiller took this poignant picture today at the town's war memorial.
Image source, Perry SpillerTravel: Emergency repairs shut lane of M6 in Cheshirepublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
BBC TravelA lane is shut on the M6 northbound in Cheshire between junctions 18 and 19 because of emergency repairs.
Congestion is back to junction 17.
Fitting tribute in Tamworth to remember horrific battlepublished at 14:09 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
A special screening of a poignant documentary went ahead to commemorate, external the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.
Image source, Tamworth HeraldMidlands business leaders expect the unexpectedpublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Patrick Burns
Political editor, MidlandsMy latest blog post takes the temperature among Midlands decision-makers at the launch event for the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The atmosphere was spiced-up of course by the Brexit vote.
Image source, Getty ImagesLord Heseltine was the star attraction, but I spent plenty of time mingling with the men and women at the sharp end of economic decision-making during the lunch and coffee breaks.
Their mood was, above all, uncertain.
Football: Crewe boss 'not satisfied' with young players performancepublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio StokeCrewe Alexandra's manager Steve Davis has admitted he's not been satisfied with the progress of the young players in his squad.
Image source, Getty ImagesAll but two of the Alex's current playing staff are 25 or under and five of them will only be 19 when the season starts.
Davis told BBC Radio Stoke it's time for them to prove they can take the club back to League One.
Quote MessageThey're young lads, young-ish players but have experience and I'm looking for them to push on. A lot of them have stood still, haven't shown enough in League One."
Steve Davis, Crewe Alexandra's manager
Why was first day of Somme battle such a disaster?published at 13:21 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
The first day of the Battle of the Somme, in northern France, was the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army and one of the most infamous days of World War One.
But why was 1 July 1916 such a disaster? We've been looking it in detail on the BBC iWonder website.
On Midlands Today this lunchtime: Commemorating the Somme fallenpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Amy Cole
BBC Midlands TodaySpecial commemorative events have taken place across the Midlands to remember the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme.
At the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire a two-minute silence was observed at 07:28 this morning, marking the moment thousands of troops went over-the-top to advance on German lines.
We'll be reflecting on the day's events on our lunchtime update from 13:30 on BBC One in Midlands Today.
Football: Stoke's Butland back in training after ankle breakpublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio StokeGoalkeeper Jack Butland is back in training with Stoke City, the club say.
He's recovering after fracturing his ankle during an England match in March which ruled him out of Euro 2016
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End of twitter postLatest: Historic pottery firm saved in buyout; children part of Somme commemoration; Stoke MP gets walkout apologypublished at 12:27 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeHere are your lunchtime headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire:
- A historic pottery firm in Stoke-on-Trent has been bought out of administration saving "at least 25" jobs
- Children have taken part in a service at the National Memorial Arboretum, external to remember the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Somme
- The Stoke North Labour MP Ruth Smeeth has had an apology from the chair of a press conference which she walked out ofafter being accused of "colluding" with the media
Pottery firm sale: No exact figure on number of jobs savedpublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Sarah Robertson
Producer, BBC Radio StokeMore now on the news that an historic pottery firm in Stoke-on-Trent has been bought out of administration.
Hudson and Middleton has been acquired by BID Group, which helps turn around struggling businesses.
Its spokesman Lee Smith hasn't guaranteed all 45 employees will get their jobs back, saying they'll be employing "at least 25 people" but said he couldn't give an exact figure.
He also said they'd been in contact with a large firm in China about a partnership - but added that didn't mean they'd move production to China.
Quote MessageDefinitely not, that's not what we are about. We are passionate about UK-made products."
Lee Smith, Managing Director of BID Group
Battle of the Somme: Families remember loved ones who foughtpublished at 11:52 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Lauren Turner
BBC NewsA man from Stoke-on-Trent has travelled to France to mark the anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme.
Image source, Callan ChevinCallan Chevin, 24, is there to honour his great-grandfather John Chevin and his great-great-grandfather's cousin Alfred Saunders.
"It's important for me to remember the men in my family who fought so bravely," he said.
Watch: Stoke and Staffordshire's afternoon weatherpublished at 11:35 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Sara Blizzard
BBC WeatherYou can also get weather updates at any time from the BBC Weather website.
Cheshire MP backs Theresa May's leadership bidpublished at 11:19 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC NewsThe Cheshire Conservative MP Antoinette Sandbach has announced her support for Theresa May, external as the home secretary bids to become Tory leader.
The Eddisbury MP told BBC Radio Stoke the next Conservative leader will have a big affect on people's lives in her constituency.
Quote MessageThe decision to leave the EU is one of the most momentous decisions that's been taken for many, many years. It's going to impact on all my constituents and I think it's really important to have somebody who will unite both sides of the party."
Antoinette Sandbach, Conservative MP for Eddisbury
How the Midlands marked the anniversary of the Battle of the Sommepublished at 11:03 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
The nation has fallen silent to honour thousands of soldiers killed in the Battle of the Somme 100 years after the bloodiest day, external in British military history.
Image source, Express and StarWatch: Battle of the Somme remembered at National Memorial Arboretumpublished at 10:51 British Summer Time 1 July 2016
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local LIveChildren have taken part in a service at the National Memorial Arboretum, external to remember the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Somme.
A two-minute silence was held as people marked the start of the battle 100 years ago in World War One.
