James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

As a Stoke-on-Trent MP today demands more funding and support for the local NHS, latest figures show that in May, 79.4% of A&E patients at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, external were seen within four hours.

The NHS target for accident and emergency departments is 95%.  

The figures also reveal 12 people waited on trolleys at Royal Stoke hospital for 12 hours or more in May - the national standard is zero. 

In 2015-16, there were 103 12-hour trolley waits at the same hospital.

The famous blue and white striped Cornishware pottery, could be made in the county it was named after for the first time.

BBC Weather Watchers

It's not all been grey skies over Staffordshire and Cheshire today from the look of some photos taken by our BBC Weather Watcher volunteers.

This picture - with more than a hint of blue - was uploaded this morning by user Wendles in Yoxall.

Image source, Wendles

Graham McGarry
BBC Radio Stoke Sports Editor

From this season there are changes to the live football frequencies on which you can hear your team on BBC Radio Stoke:

- You can hear Stoke City on 94.6FM and from this season on Freeview channel 734 

- All Port Vale matches will be on DAB digital radio 

- Crewe Alex make the move to 1503MW 

Remember BBC Radio Stoke is still the only station that covers all three local teams, Stoke, Vale and Crewe - with every match live.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Travel

A lane is shut on the M6 northbound between junctions 15 and 16 near Stoke-on-Trent because of a crash between a van and a car.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Let's get you updated with the latest main stories:

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

- Four men have been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with robbing a Nantwich jewellers

- Ken Barrie, the Stoke-on-Trent-born voice of children's TV favourite Postman Pat, has died aged 83

Lee Blakeman
BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Fifty years ago, the 1966 World Cup was taking place in England - still the only time the football tournament has taken place in this country.  

The BBC News website has published today a host of images of the competing teams' off-the-field activities which show a football tournament happening in more innocent and relaxed times.

Image source, Getty Images

Meanwhile the former Stoke city goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who was also the England number one in the tournament, has been speaking to me on BBC Radio Stoke.

He's shared his memories of the event along with the build-up to the final itself and you can hear those on-air on Saturday morning.

Nantwich News

The International Cheese Awards at Nantwich proved another massive success , externaland the largest of its kind in the world.  

Image source, Rod Kirkpatrick/F Stop Press

BBC Archive

Sixty seven years ago today, the BBC broadcast its first ever TV weather forecast.

Oh dear it appears not much changes... rain is forecast today and there were showers back in 1949 as well.

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Roadworks on the A34 near Stone are due to be officially completed today. 

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

The Meaford stretch has been dug up and moved over the last year, external as part of "infrastructure works" by the county council and contractors. 

The improved layout includes a road to a new business park which will include a gas fired power station.

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.

Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this lunchtime we'll see how rail passengers in Birmingham are more likely to be forced to stand on a peak-time train than in any other major city in England and Wales outside London.  

Plus there's news of a revolutionary blood test to detect brain injuries which has been developed in the region. 

We'll have more on those stories and much more from 13:30 on BBC One.

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

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

This lunchtime's headlines:

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

- Today's the final day for people to have their say on plans for a rabbit farm near Stafford - animal rights campaigners are objecting to the proposals    

- The debut album from Cheshire band Viola Beach, whose four members and manager died in a crash in Sweden in February, has been released today

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. 

Express and Star

The end is in sight for motorists in Stafford as more than a year’s worth of works by Severn Trent Water in the town are set to finish in a matter of weeks.  , external

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

Alexandra Hamilton
BBC Weather

The BBC Weather website's also a great place to head to get the latest forecasts for where you live.

BBC Newsbeat

The debut album by Cheshire band Viola Beach is finally released.

The four-piece and their manager died when their vehicle plunged off a bridge in Sweden in February.  

But the album is not the one Viola Beach planned to release.

It's a collection of tracks put together during their short career, many of which were destined for an EP rather than a full-length release.