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
The red carpet will be rolled out for the great and good of the town at the inaugural Pride of Crewe , externalgala awards dinner.
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.netThe 18-year-old broke into the first team last season, external, but he's yet to score his first senior goal.
Quote MessageCharlie will get goals. We're doing a lot of work pre-season about him getting in the box more and I think there were signs of that. It's one step at the time."
James Collins, Crewe Alexandra assistant manager
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, GoogleNew 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 GuestPaul 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
Lynette Horsburgh
Reporter, BBC News Online
This week's NME magazine pays tribute to Cheshire band Viola Beach, who were killed along with their manager in a car crash in Sweden
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Band members Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Jack Dakin and Tomas Lowe died near Stockholm on 13 February.
The NME describes the band as "talented, ambitious and fun-loving musicians".
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 ServiceThe 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.
Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today
For weather forecasts at another time, bookmark our BBC Weather website.
The weather for the West Midlands.
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.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Alex Homer
BBC Local Live
Car manufacturing in the West Midlands has surged and is at its highest level since the year 2000, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders., external
Across the country, almost 900,000 cars have rolled off production lines so far this year - a 13% increase on last year.
Image source, PA
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Drivers in Nantwich are being asked by police for footage from dashboard cameras after a jewellers was robbed in broad daylight.
Cheshire Police say they want to hear from anyone who was driving on Wellington Road, Audlem Road or Peter de Stapleigh Way after 11:00 yesterday.
The force says it's still questioning four men on suspicion of robbery after watches were taken following the smashing of windows, external at Moody C H & Son Ltd on Pillory Street.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
This afternoon's top stories include:
- A manager at a drug and alcohol misuse rehabilitation centre in Staffordshire says cuts to the service will be 'very, very damaging'
- Drivers in Nantwich are being asked by police for footage from dashboard cameras after a jewellers was robbed in broad daylight
- A rare collection of Staffordshire documents from World War One has been put online, external
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale defender Adam Yates says he's determined to recover from his long-term knee injury ahead of schedule.
Image source, Getty ImagesYates has been ruled out for at least seven months and is likely to miss most of the coming season.
But he told BBC Radio Stoke he'll work with the club's physio to make sure he returns as soon as possible.
Quote MessageI've got to take every day and week as it comes and not push too hard or too early and listen to the advice of James Rowlands (head physiotherapist). He's been fantastic with me so far so I'll place all my trust in him."
Adam Yates, Port Vale defender
Sima Kotecha
Reporter, BBC Radio 4 Today programme
By the end of this year, HMP Oakwood will be the largest prison in the UK, with more than 2,000 inmates.
Run by private firm G4S, the reputation of the site in Featherstone, near Wolverhampton, was dented in 2014 when a wing was taken over by inmates.
Sima Kotecha reports from Oakwood prison after criticisms of its conditions.
I've been inside the complex which covers 50 acres and has two workshops, one the size of a football pitch.
You can read more on what I heard from prisoners and the G4S management team in my report on the BBC News website.
BBC Travel
Rangmore Hill in Dunstall near Burton is partially blocked at the Dunstall crossroads because of an overturned lorry.
Lifesaving air crews which helped rescue victims trapped at Alton Towers during the devastating Smiler rollercoaster crash have been honoured for their work. , external
Image source, Uttoxeter AdvertiserThe sunrise grabbed the attention of our BBC Weather Watchers today.
Here are a couple of examples, from users Jon in Barlaston and Foggy-Specs in Burntwood.
Image source, Jon
Image source, 'Foggy-Specs'
James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News
There's been strong interest from companies interested in moving into an enterprise zone in Stoke-on-Trent, external, according to agents for one of the sites.
Tunstall Arrow on James Brindley Way is one of six sites given the status earlier this year to help generate jobs.
Image source, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise PartnershipThe city council says it wants to create 9,000 posts and a handful of businesses have confirmed they want to move to the Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone.
Agent for Tunstall Arrow, Mounsey Chartered Surveyors, says it's had "several further strong enquiries" from companies looking to relocate.
Firms moving in will get business rate reductions and tax breaks.
Richard Williams
BBC Sport Wales
Joe Allen could be a future Wales captain, according to Stoke City assistant manager Mark Bowen.
Midfielder Allen completed his £13m move to Stoke from Liverpool on Monday despite interest from his former club Swansea City.
Image source, Getty ImagesBowen believes the 26-year-old can be a leader on and off the field for Stoke.
Asked if Allen was a potential international skipper, Bowen told BBC Wales: "I think so, no doubt he's got those qualities in him."
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
A man who's had his mobility scooter stolen in Stoke-on-Trent says "it's like somebody's taken my legs from me".
Marcus Murray, 45, was in a road crash in 2001 and suffered serious injuries to his back which means without the scooter, he can't travel far.
He told BBC Radio Stoke it was taken yesterday morning from the side of his canal boat where he lives near Etruria Marina.
Staffordshire Police, external says its investigation into the theft is ongoing and is appealing for witnesses.
Ben Godfrey
BBC Midlands Today
Tomorrow, the British Transplant games, external begin with athletes from across the West Midlands making the journey to Liverpool to compete.
One person hoping to bring home a medal is a mother-of-three from Staffordshire, whose life was saved by an organ donor just over a year ago.
We'll have her story from 13:30 on BBC One in Midlands Today.
