Staffordshire hospital under 'unacceptable strain', MP says
Drugs worth £7,000 seized in raids, police say
Four in court charged with robbing jewellers
Voice of Postman Pat Ken Barrie dies
Updates from Friday 29 July 2016
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, SPLDistrict 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.
Chris King
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
This morning's latest headlines include:
- 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
- Smoking e-cigarettes in taxis could soon be banned in the Staffordshire Moorlands, under plans, external being discussed today
- Roadworks on the A34 near Stone are due to be officially completed today
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, InphoAnnouncing 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.
Alexandra Hamilton
BBC Weather
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Well-known scrap dealer David McGuinness has thanked the people of the Potteries for their support – as his firm closes down , externalafter more than 75 years.
Image source, The Sentinel
Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Animal rights campaigners are objecting to plans , externalto build a rabbit farm in Staffordshire, calling it "cruel" and "outdated".
Image source, GooglePOE Limited, a Romanian food company which is based in Rugeley, has submitted an application to breed the animals, external "for food, skins and as pets" in a field on Radmore Lane near Gnosall.
The BBC has asked the company for comment.
Stafford Borough Council says no date has been set for its planning committee to consider the proposal.
Chris King
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
This morning's headlines include:
- Animal rights campaigners are objecting to plans to build a rabbit farm in Staffordshire, external
- Today's the deadline for volunteers interested in applying to run their local library, external in Staffordshire
- 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
Alexandra Hamilton
BBC Weather
Here's how Friday morning is looking - get a latest weather forecast at any other time from the BBC Weather website.
Latest weather for the West Midlands
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.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Good morning, the cloud has rolled in this morning and it's looking pretty grey over Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.
To find out how long the cloud will last and whether it'll bring rain, we'll have a weather forecast shortly from Alex Hamilton.
Plenty more updates to come too for Staffordshire and Cheshire including your pictures - share them of the area on email, Twitter, external or Instagram, external.
Firefighters have rescued a squirrel from a car dashboard - in where else but Knutsford?
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service says the animal worked its way inside via the car's glovebox. Two women had scooped up the injured animal from the roadside on Wednesday.
It was found thanks to a "snake eye camera" at Knutsford fire station, with four firemen needed to remove the dashboard and bring the squirrel to safety.
Firefighters rescue squirrel from car dashboard - in Knutsford
The bushy-tailed creature has been taken to a rescue centre and will be returned to Delamere Forest. Any guesses for what it's been called? Hazel, of course.
Image source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue ServiceWe'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.
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 ImagesThe 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.
Quote MessageWe're looking for one more striker who can also play on the wing. Maybe we can get one in the next few days. It is important to score goals and I am confident we will score goals when the season starts."
Bruno Ribeiro, Port Vale manager
A woman competing in the British Transplant Games says if she wins a medal she will give it to her donor's family.
Read More
Tom Turrell
BBC Midlands Today
This evening on Midlands Today - the region has around 100 fewer pubs than it did six months ago, according to figures from the Campaign for Real Ale.
While new pubs have opened, more have closed and it's rural and suburban pubs which are the worst hit. That's despite an increase in demand for craft beer.
I'll be seeing if there's any brightness for the industry in the Midlands on BBC One from 18:30.
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.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Let's get you updated with our headlines this evening:
- Drivers in Nantwich are being asked by police for footage from dashboard cameras after a jewellers was robbed in broad daylight
- Plans to build more than 400 new homes on a former university campus, external in south Cheshire have been approved
- A rare collection of documents from World War One has been put online, external
