Cheadle Hospital post-surgery beds to shutpublished at 15:32 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
All 47 beds to close at a Staffordshire hospital which says many patients will now recover after surgery at home.
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Nic Cruwys attack: Five change plea in Watford football fan trial
Teenagers force train into emergency stop after standing on level crossing
V Festival organiser confident of putting on a show
Updates from Friday 19 August
Cheadle Hospital post-surgery beds to shutpublished at 15:32 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Pensioner dies after 300-mile taxi journey while illpublished at 15:29 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveAn inquest is set to take place in October into the death of elderly holidaymaker from Staffordshire who, it's been revealed, died after being taken home on a 300-mile taxi journey while unwell.
Norma Francis, 79, was on a coach break in the Trossachs with her husband John, 81, when she developed the symptoms of gastric illness in April.
Image source, GoogleStaff at the Loch Achray Hotel in Callander arranged for the couple to be transported by taxi back to their home in Gnosall, Stafford, but on their arrival Mrs Francis could not be roused and later died.
A post-mortem examination revealed she had contracted norovirus. Her family have questioned the decision to send her home while ill.
The managing director at Lochs and Glens says as the matter is still being investigated "it would be inappropriate for us to comment any further at this stage."
Around 200 medical staff at Weston Parkpublished at 15:15 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Last year over 1,000 patients were treated for a variety of injuries at the V Festival at Weston Park, with 36 taken to hospital.
This year there will be around 200 medical staff on the site, including some from St John Ambulance, as well as the West Midlands Ambulance Service.
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End of twitter postNews: Hospital ward closures 'absolutely crazy'; fire crews tackle 100-tonne waste blaze; 'abandoned' baby rabbit diespublished at 15:05 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeThis afternoon's headlines:
- Plans to close two wards at Cheadle Hospital this autumn have been called "absolutely crazy" by the Labour MP for Stoke Central Tristram Hunt
- Fire crews are still damping down at the scene of a major rubbish fire in Stoke-on-Trent last night
- A baby rabbit's died after being abandoned near a landfill site in Stoke-on-Trent, the RSPCA says, external
Meet the robots in Amazon's UK warehousespublished at 14:54 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
BBC Business NewsThese robots are being rolled out to Amazon's warehouses across the UK.
The firm has a distribution centre in Rugeley and announced earlier this month it would be opening a delivery station in Stoke-on-Trent.
Media caption, Meet the robots in Amazon's UK warehouses
Football: Stoke admit TV deal having transfer impactpublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio StokeStoke City's assistant manager Mark Bowen says the increased TV revenue from this season has made it harder than ever to sign new players.
Image source, Stoke CityRamadan Sobhi, Joe Allen and Ryan Sweeney are the club's only additions so far this summer.
From 2016-17 clubs receive even more cash from broadcasters, with Sky and BT Sport paying a record £5.136bn (up from £3.018bn in 2013-16) for live Premier League TV rights for three seasons.
Quote MessageThe bigger pay deal for the clubs, it just seems that everybody, dare I say maybe outside the top two or three clubs, everybody is chasing the same players. They become so precious then because there's only so many of them to go around."
Mark Bowen, Stoke City's assistant manager
Dozens of firefighters tackle 100 tonnes of waste on firepublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeFire crews are still damping down at the scene of a major rubbish fire in Stoke-on-Trent last night.
Image source, GoogleStaffordshire Fire and Rescue Service says at its height, 45 firefighters were involved in dealing with the blaze on Milvale Street in Middleport., external
They say it involved up to 100 tonnes of commercial refuse and they were first called at 21:30.
The service says the cause of the fire is yet to be established
Travel: Lane closed on M54published at 14:01 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
BBC TravelOne lane's closed on the M54 westbounds between J2 for Wolverhampton and J3 for Albrighton, due to a broken-down vehicle.
BBC Weather Watcher pictures: Picturing the moon over Staffordshirepublished at 13:58 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Last night was a clear one in many places and it proved a good time for our BBC Weather Watchers to snap pictures of the moon.
These two are from Ipstones and Stowe in Staffordshire - head to the website to see more great pictures and to sign up.
Image source, AppyIppy
Image source, DodgerBaby rabbit dies after being 'abandoned' near landfillpublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Sarah Robertson
Producer, BBC Radio StokeA baby rabbit's died after being abandoned near a landfill site in Stoke-on-Trent, the RSPCA says. , external
Image source, RSPCAThe organisation say two of the domestic pets, thought to be around three-months-old, were found on 11 August on land near Newford Valley Landfill, Sneyd Green and were "emaciated, dehydrated and had diarrhea".
The RSPCA says one died later that day and the other, a grey rabbit, has been named Thumper and is being cared for by a vet nurse who helped treat him.
Quote MessageThe condition that the rabbits were in, and the location where they were found, do lead us to believe that they were deliberately abandoned. "
Jenny Bethel, RSPCA Animal Collection Officer
On Midlands Today from 13:30: Joy or despair on A-level results daypublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Elizabeth Glinka
BBC Midlands TodayOn Midlands Today this lunchtime, the university admissions service UCAS says a record number of students have been offered places on courses.
It comes as thousands of teenagers across the West Midlands receive their A-level results.
The number of offers are up by 3% compared with last year - we'll have more from 13:30 on BBC One.
Your say: Backing for Olympic gold postboxespublished at 13:13 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveYou've been weighing in on the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page , externalover whether Staffordshire's Olympic gold medal winners Joe Clarke and Adam Peaty should have gold postboxes painted in honour of their victories.
Royal Mail's already ruled out the idea, saying it won't be doing the same as it did for London 2012 winners because Brazil is now the host nation.
Image source, Getty ImagesBut on Facebook Sara Pointon posted, external: "I really hope they get these. Might seem daft, but we really need to keep celebrating the achievements of these young chaps."
And Christopher Carr was among many agreeing, external: "Of course they should. What's a bit of gold paint, come on Royal Mail sort it out."
While Chell Taylor had an idea of an alternative, external: "If we can't have a gold post box, how about approaching BT and having a gold phone box?"
Royal Mail not happy after Uttoxeter post box is painted goldpublished at 12:58 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Uttoxeter briefly got its wish for golden post box in honour of Adam Peaty - but Royal Mail did not see the funny side of the prank. , external
Image source, Uttoxeter AdvertiserLatest: Celebration planned for Rio winner's return; A-level results opened today; baby rabbit dies after 'abandoned'published at 12:33 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeThe top stories this lunchtime include:
- Stone's gold medal-winning kayaker Joe Clarke will receive a homecoming in the town at the end of this month
- Across Staffordshire and Cheshire, students have been getting their A-level results today and finding out if they've made it to the university of their choice
- A baby rabbit's died after being abandoned near a landfill site in Stoke-on-Trent, the RSPCA says, external
Watch: Stoke-on-Trent students celebrate A-level resultspublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Victoria DerbyshireThe BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme's been in Stoke-on-Trent today where boys traditionally don't do as well with their A-level results.
Gillian Hargreaves has been meeting one boy who has done well and also hearing what the general situation is in the city.
Media caption, Students celebrate A-level results at Stoke-on-Trent sixth form college.
Your pictures: From a Cheshire canal and lake side in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveThere's a water theme to these first couple of pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire that you've sent in.
Sean Williams took this at the canal in Tiverton, Cheshire.
Image source, Sean WilliamsWhile from earlier this summer, Jayne Massey was by the lake in Central Forest Park when she took this in Stoke-on-Trent.
If you want to share a photo, taken in the area, and see if featured on a future live page - send it in on email, Twitter, external or use Instagram (just add the tag #bbcstoke so I can find it)., external
Image source, Jayne MasseyWatch: This afternoon's Stoke and Staffordshire weather forecastpublished at 11:49 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Alexandra Hamilton
BBC WeatherThe BBC Weather website is also a great source of the latest forecasts for Staffordshire and Cheshire.
Media caption, The weather for the West Midlands.
Travel: Broken-down lorry on A50 in Uttoxeterpublished at 11:37 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
BBC TravelA lane's shut on the A50 westbound in Uttoxeter near the Little Chef roundabout because of a broken-down lorry.
V Festival 2016: Drones banned at Weston Park eventpublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
Drones have been banned at this weekend’s V Festival with an air exclusion zone set up at Weston Park, external.
Watch: Students open A-level results at Staffordshire collegepublished at 11:08 British Summer Time 18 August 2016
John Acres
BBC Radio StokeStudents at Newcastle College, external in Staffordshire have been among thousands getting their A-level results today.
Media caption, Students open A-level results at Staffordshire college.
BBC Radio Stoke heard from two of them - Josh secured a place at Staffordshire University while Beth will study at Southampton University.
Across the country, a record number of students have been accepted for university places.
