Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Our headlines this lunchtime include:

- The West Midlands was one of only two regions in the UK to see unemployment rise between April and June, official figures indicate

- A woman's suffered a serious injury after her motorbike collided with a car in Featherstone, Staffordshire , externalthis morning  

- The leader of Staffordshire County Council, Philip Atkins, says he's written to Royal Mail asking for Adam Peaty and Joe Clarke's local postboxes to be painted gold  

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The leader of Staffordshire County Council, Philip Atkins, says he's written to Royal Mail asking for Adam Peaty and Joe Clarke's local postboxes to be painted gold.

Adam, from Uttoxeter, was victorious in the men's 100m breaststroke while Joe from Stone won gold in the Kayak K1.

After London 2012, Royal Mail said 110 postboxes, repainted to celebrate Britain's Olympic and Paralympic champions, would stay gold on a permanent basis.

We've asked the firm for their response to the call for a similar honour after Rio 2016.

BBC Business News

The West Midlands was one of only two regions in the UK to see unemployment rise between April and June, official figures indicate.

Image source, Getty Images

Across the UK the total fell by 52,000 to 1.64 million - in the West Midlands it increased by 18,000 to 173,000, external compared with January to March. 

The only other region to see unemployment rise was London where it rose by 7,000 people.

Birmingham MP Gisela Stuart is to chair an inquiry into the rights of EU migrants living in the UK, but how will the immigration issue be tackled?

Kay Crewdson
BBC weather presenter

If you want the latest weather forecasts at another time, head to the BBC Weather website.

Express and Star

Parking charges at Stafford railway station are set to be rise by almost 50%,, external raising concerns that cars will be left on surrounding roads.  

Image source, Express and Star

Matt Sandoz
BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Stoke-on-Trent's Jazmin Sawyers has made it through to the final of the women's long jump at Rio 2016  

Image source, Getty Images

Sawyers recorded a leap of 6.53m to reach Thursday's final alongside Lorraine Ugen who jumped 6.65m - fellow Briton Shara Proctor failed to progress.

BBC Travel

The A5 in Horsebrook, Staffordshire is partially blocked at the School Lane junction due to an accident.

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Court summons have been sent to 189 traders who have failed to pay into Newcastle-under-Lyme's Business Improvement District (BID), external. 

The organisation is funded by charging traders a levy on top of their business rates, which is then used to promote the town. 

Some of the traders have told BBC Radio Stoke they don't think it's working and they aren't noticing the benefits.

Viv Bradford is chair of the BID board and says she's disappointed so many firms are yet to pay: "Perhaps the tangible benefits of the BID are not visible to them at the moment and that's something that the BID board needs to look at."

Graham McGarry
BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Last night proved to be a historic day for Burton Albion as the side earned their first-ever victory in the league's second tier, beating Sheffield Wednesday 3-1.

Image source, Getty Images

Elsewhere, in League One Port Vale continued their unbeaten start to the season with a narrow 1-0 home win against Rochdale.

In League Two, Crewe Alexandra blew a 3-1 scoreline to draw 3-3 at home to Hartlepool.

And Kingsley James's strike on his home debut helped Macclesfield to a comfortable 3-1 win over Southport in the National League.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

This morning's top stories include the following:

- The group behind a scheme to promote Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre, external has been defending the levy traders have to pay 

- Unions say they'll fight plans to cut redundancy pay at Staffordshire County Council by 30%, external

- The rear wheels came off a van in a single vehicle crash on the M6 between Stoke and Stafford this morning, police confirm

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

More now on crash on the M6 we told you about earlier - and police say the rear wheels did come off a van in a single vehicle crash on the M6 between Stoke and Stafford.

Staffordshire Police say it happened in the early hours of this morning - a 32-year-old man from County Durham, arrested at the time, has been released without charge.

James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

Unions say they'll fight plans to cut redundancy pay at Staffordshire County Council by 30%, external. 

The authority says it pays staff well above what they're legally entitled to and the changes will save them more than £2m a year. 

Councillors are expected to approve a review of redundancy pay this morning in the council's cabinet meeting. 

BBC Travel

The A51 Lichfield Road in Tamworth is partially blocked at the Downing Drive junction due to an accident, debris on the road and a fuel spillage.

The Sentinel

Residents have been left furious after a series of missed bin collections left rubbish bags, external rotting in the street.

Image source, Leanne Bagnall/The Sentinel

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A man's been arrested after a crash on the M6 in Staffordshire that police say ended with the vehicle "losing both rear wheels".

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

This morning's first batch of headlines include:

- After failing to pay money towards Newcastle-under-Lyme's business improvement district, 189 firms in the town are being threatened with court action 

- Staffordshire County Council is considering a 30% cut to its staff redundancy payments to save £2m a year, external

- Stoke-on-Trent's Jazmin Sawyers has made it through to the final of the women's long jump at Rio 2016

BBC Travel

We've got slow traffic this morning on the A38 southbound in Burton at the Branston Interchange.

Kay Crewdson
BBC weather presenter

Here's how your morning is looking - you can also find latest forecasts on the BBC Weather website.

BBC Travel

One lane's closed and there is slow traffic on the M42 southbound between J11, for the A42 and J10, at the A5 (Tamworth), because of a broken down lorry.