Updates from Friday 15 July 2016
Welcome to Stoke and Staffordshire Live on Friday morning.
We'll be bringing you all the news, sport, travel and weather as it happens.
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Delays on the M6 at J13 are continuing as emergency services battle to clear up an oil spill caused by the earlier crash.
Two lanes are currently closed northbound.
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BBC Travel
There's still heavy congestion northbound on the M6 at J13, Highways England says, although one lane has been reopened.
The A500 is also seeing long queues as a result of the earlier crash.
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We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.
Find out what the weather's got in store.
Shefali Oza with the weather forecast for the West Midlands
The colourful building's been nominated for the Carbuncle Cup - a prize awarded to the ugliest buildings built in the last year.
Building Design Magazine says its multi-coloured cladding has acted as an "unfortunate beacon" and despite being inspired ceramic artist Clarice Cliff, "it has more in common with a Rubik's cube than art deco pottery".
It's home to the city council, whose leader Dave Conway told BBC Radio Stoke that he was never a fan of the design but love it or hate it, it's there to serve a purpose.
Previous winners of the award include the Walkie Talkie building in London, and the BBC's own MediaCity development in Salford. The winner is revealed later this year.
BBC Travel
The M6 is closed northbound near Stafford after a crash.
The carriageway is blocked at J13 for the A449 (Stafford South).
Highways England says traffic should be moving again soon.
Gerald Scott
BBC Sport Online
Robert Rock has made a tidy start to the 145th Open Championship in Scotland as he carded an opening day level-par 71 at Royal Troon.
Playing in his seventh Open, and his first in four years, Rock made a great start, birdieing three of his first six holes.
Image source, PABut, having gone out in 33 shots, the man from Rugeley came home in 38, bogeying 10, 15 and 16.
"I’m disappointed. I hit the ball well enough to be three or four under," Rock told BBC Sport.
"The back nine’s just harder, that’s all."
The news that GHA Coaches has gone into administration came as a surprise to staff.
They were called into a meeting this morning, to hear the news they had all been made redundant.
The BBC caught up with these workers in Wales.
Chairman Norman Smurthwaite expects Port Vale to be in League One's top six by Christmas after sanctioning 11 new signings.
Read MoreHere's the latest from the newsroom:
- Two Staffordshire MPs are brought into Theresa May's cabinet as part of the reshuffle
- Passengers are affected after coach firm that serves Cheshire ceases trading with immediate effect
- Inquest hears toddler died after getting blind cord wrapped around her neck
Staffordshire Moorlands MP Karen Bradley is to replace John Whittingdale as culture secretary in the government reshuffle.
Bradley previously worked under Theresa May as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Home Office.
BBC Travel
There are currently no reported incidents in and around the Stafford area.
A campaign is launched to secure £1bn of rail improvements for north Wales and Cheshire to help link the region with the planned HS2 line.
Read MoreLeek Post and Times
Work on a new road crossing in Leek , externalis to get under way after plans for a loading bay nearby were dropped.
James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News
Women Against State Pension Inequality are in Stoke campaigning against changes to the state pension.
They're at a meeting of Stoke-on-Trent City Council to hear a motion asking government to rethink pension changes for women born in the 1950s.
Gnosall residents are devastated after a popular village beauty spot was targeted by arsonists., external
Here's the latest from the newsroom:
- A toddler from Stoke-on-Trent died after getting her neck tangled in a blind cord, an inquest hears
- South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson is appointed Tory chief whip by Theresa May in her cabinet reshuffle
- The One Smithfield building in Hanley is in the running to be named the ugliest new building in Britain
Administrators for GHA Coaches say all 320 staff have been made redundant after the firm ceased trading yesterday.
Accountancy firm Grant Thornton revealed the company was a family business, run by directors Gareth and Arwyn Lloyd Davies, and that they recently received a winding up petition from HM Revenue and Customs for unpaid taxes.
The administrators say the directors tried to get an emergency funding package but were unsuccessful, so they placed the company in administration.
Quote MessageWe will explore all options in terms of bringing any part of the business back to life. However, our immediate responsibility is to look after the interests of the creditors."
Jason Bell, Grant Thornton
Police are hunting two bogus officials who cheated residents out of money after calling at their homes.
Elderly people in Alrewas, Lichfield and Tamworth, have been tricked out of cash, jewellery and other items, police said.
On each occasion the conmen visited homes at about 09:00, external.
"If residents are contacted out of the blue by a company or charity then be on your guard and do not get drawn into accepting a service you have not asked for," a police spokesman said.