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V Festival organiser confident of putting on a show
Updates from Friday 19 August
Nicola Beckford
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today
It's been a damp start to the V Festival weekend and more rain is forecast for tomorrow, but the organisers are in a confident mood.
The V Festival organisers are confident of putting on a show despite the wet weather
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
The success of Team GB at Rio 2016 has been "great for Britain's profile abroad", the culture secretary Karen Bradley says.
Bradley, who is also MP for the Staffordshire Moorlands, has written a government blog saying she's been out at the Olympics, external for several days.
Image source, Department for Culture, Media and SportShe says she's seen Laura Trott win gold for Team GB and the women's hockey team make their final as well as spent time promoting Britain in Rio.
In her blog post, the culture secretary says she's now got to build on the British Olympic success.
Hundreds of customers will be forced to travel out of town to do their banking , externalafter a valuable Uttoxeter facility announced its closure.
Image source, Uttoxeter AdvertiserFor everyone heading to or already at V Festival at Weston Park this weekend, the Met Office have come up with a local forecast for the site.
(Whisper - it's not going to rain all the time).
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BBC Travel
Two lanes are closed on the M6 northbound between J10 and J10a after a crash near the M54 turn-off.
Not great news, particularly with V Festival traffic on the road.
John Acres
BBC Radio Stoke
People arriving at Stafford Railway Station who are heading to Weston Park for this weekend's V Festival say the wet weather's not put them off.
V Festival goers
The forecast for the weekend at the site includes rain and showers.
Thousands are expected for the event which will be headlined by Rihanna and Justin Bieber.
BBC Travel
The A53 Priory Road in Newcastle-under-Lyme is partially blocked near the A519 Friarswood Road junction after a fuel spillage.
Oxford United sign right-back Phil Edwards on a season-long loan deal from Burton Albion.
Read More
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
This afternoon's headlines include:
- An 18-year-old man from Middlewich is charged with two counts of rape and one of kidnap, external after an incident in Crewe
- A police officer's been taken to hospital after their marked motorbike collided with a car near the V Festival at Weston Park, external today
- Meanwhile thousands of festival-goers arriving at the Staffordshire site have been greeted by rain and mud
Nicola Beckford
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today
It's August, it's not particularly warm, it's wet and it's muddy - welcome to V Festival at Weston Park.
The three-day event at Weston Park is the biggest in the West Midlands and attracts tens-of-thousands of visitors.
Roads around the site have been getting busy since early this morning.
V Festival being set up
James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News
Staffordshire's fire service says it's looking for more retained firefighters after concerns have been raised that a shortage means some fire engines aren't always able to respond to emergencies.
The deputy mayor of Cheadle Julie Bull says she has written to fire bosses claiming there weren't enough retained staff available for more than half of last weekend.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service , externalsays cover will always be provided from other areas if there's an emergency.
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local LIve
A police officer's been taken to hospital after their marked motorbike collided with a car near the V Festival at Weston Park, external today.
Image source, GoogleStaffordshire Police say it was around 09:00 on Watling Street and both officer and the woman driving the Fiat 500 were treated by paramedics.
The force says their injuries aren't thought to be serious and an investigation's now under way into what happened.
Crewe sign ex-Bournemouth and Portsmouth midfielder Danny Hollands on a short-term deal until January.
Read MoreDon't bring a drone to V Festival say police - they've set up an air exclusion zone at Weston Park.
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Tom Turrell
BBC Midlands Today
Some of the items stolen from police forces in the West Midlands have been recovered over the past five years.
When thieves made off with a blue flashing lamp, officers in Warwickshire managed to get it back.
But cops in our region haven't always been so lucky. When four horses were pinched from West Mercia Police the thieves got away scot-free.
Whether items were retrieved or not, some people are already asking whether the boys and girls in blue need to be a little more careful with their own property.
Gary Smee
BBC Sport
Burton manager Nigel Clough has insisted that Chris O'Grady's work-rate more than makes up for his lack of goals so far this season.
O'Grady, 30, joined on a season-long loan from Brighton this summer, having struggled for goals there and during a loan spell at Nottingham Forest.
Image source, Getty ImagesHe has yet to score for promoted Burton but has impressed in their three Championship games.
"I've always liked Chris. He's a team player," Clough told BBC Radio Derby.
Tom Turrell
BBC Midlands Today
Handcuffs, emergency vehicles and more than a £100,000 in cash - all items stolen from the police in our region in the last few years.
The figures were released as part of a Freedom of Information request and the items were taken from both individual officers on the beat and police stations.
We'll have a fuller look at what's been taken, from which force and reaction to the news, on Midlands Today from 13:30 on BBC One.
Alexandra Hamilton
BBC Weather
An early yellow weather warning for wind has been issued for Saturday., external
The Met Office says there may be gusts of 40-45mph which have the potential to cause disruption to travel and outdoor activities.
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With the wet weather expected to remain tomorrow, here's a reminder from the police.
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Simon Stone
BBC Sport
This could be bad news for Stoke City's transfer plans - West Brom's England U21 striker Saido Berahino could remain at the club for the rest of the season.
Baggies boss Tony Pulis says the 23-year-old will only leave if there is an "unbelievable offer" and Berahino is wary of going with the season started.
Image source, Getty ImagesStoke and Crystal Palace made bids for Berahino, whose contract expires next summer and who has turned down an extension to the deal.
"Nobody is more keen for Saido to stay than me," said Pulis.
