BBC Travel

The A34 Newcastle Road in Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent is partially blocked in both directions near the Crosby Road junction because a large hole's reportedly appeared in the road.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Howard Williams managed to get this photo with his vehicle's dashboard camera of lightning in Kidsgrove during last night's storm.

He shared it via the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page., external

Image source, Howard Williams

Follow live text and radio coverage from the Premier League as Crystal Palace welcome Stoke to Selhurst Park.

BBC Weather

Today's balmy weather won't last for long - the Met Office has issued a yellow warning of rain for tomorrow. 

Thundery showers which may lead to torrential downpours across the area, with the risk of frequent lightning.

Umbrellas at the ready, folks. 

Alice Bentley
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

More than £13m of council tax went unpaid across Staffordshire and Cheshire last year, according to a BBC investigation.

Image source, PA

In Stoke-on-Trent, external £4.2m was withheld from the city council and that number was only topped by Cheshire East Council, external who are owed £5.3m - about double the year before.

Despite prosecutions increasing against people trying to avoid the tax, Cheshire East Council revealed they wrote off more than £4m of debts.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

This afternoon's main stories include:

- The number of people without jobs and looking for work increased in the West Midlands by 17,000 to 176,000 between May and July, external, official figures show  

- A primary school in Stoke-on-Trent has been closed today because of flood damage caused by last night's storm

- Stafford's old Carnegie Library is on a list of the top 10 most endangered buildings in England and Wales, external, according to one heritage group

Matt Lee
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

Stafford's old Carnegie Library is on a list of the top 10 most endangered buildings in England and Wales, external, according to one heritage group. 

Architecture charity The Victorian Society wants the borough council to consider a compulsory purchase order for the Grade II listed library on Lichfield Road, to bring it back into use. 

The private owner of the building doesn't want to comment.

The former home of explorer Gertrude Bell, a grade II* listed church and two derelict hospitals are among 10 of the most endangered historic buildings, according to the Victorian Society.

Crewe Chronicle

A Nantwich community pub which is being bulldozed for housing could have been saved if it had been in Sandbach, Alsager or any former Congleton borough, external town.  

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Image source, Getty Images

If you're keeping track of the Paralympic Games in Rio, we'll flag this up for you - the Staffordshire Moorlands equestrian rider Lee Pearson is going for his 11th gold medal this evening. 

He's competing in the Individual Championship Test - Grade 1b on his horse Zion with the event due to start from 18:00 UK time.  

Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A primary school in Stoke-on-Trent has been closed today because of flood damage caused by last night's storm.

It's not the first time this year Clarice Cliff Primary, external in Fenton has been closed because of flooding.  

Twice in June water damaged the school, which led to plans being drawn up to flood-proof the site.

After last night's thunderstorms, the school hall and reception were covered in water which came flooding down from the playing fields behind.  

BBC News UK

A Cheshire mum's Facebook post has gone viral, after she jokingly tried to give away her "stroppy" teenage son.  

Ella Brookband wrote the "free to a good home" advert, about her 14-year-old son, Bradley, with a warning that he "thinks he's 32 but could pass for four".  

She told BBC Radio 5 live's Adrian Chiles that she posted the advert because she was fed up with her son Bradley's mood swings.

"The post was lovely, it was just about him having a bit of a mood and taking his strops out on us".

Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite anticipates "interest" in the club's new defensive discovery, Nathan Smith.

BBC Midlands Today
Hilary McConnell, Producer

We hear from the family of Akhtar Javeed who was killed during a robbery in Birmingham.  

Suraj Mistry, 26, was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court ofmanslaughter and possession of a firearm. 

Mistry, of Laundon Way, Leicester, was also convicted of plotting to commit robbery along with Lemar Wali, 19. Both men were found not guilty of murder.

Congestion - how bad is your commute, and has it got worse? We’re investigating why the West Midlands is getting worse for those travelling to work, especially by car.

And we’re catching with wheelchair tennis player Jordanne Whiley who won bronze in the doubles at Rio.  

Nicola Beckford
BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this lunchtime we'll be looking at why unemployment has risen in the West Midlands, according to the latest official figures. 

Image source, Getty Images

As part of that we'll hear from one regional businessman who says the weaker pound after Brexit has hit his company, but could boost exports. 

More on this story and others, plus your afternoon weather, on BBC One from 13:30.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The sunshine returned this morning after the heavy rain last night - BBC Radio Stoke's Perry Spiller took this in Central Forest Park in Stoke-on-Trent before getting to work today.

Image source, Perry Spiller

Meanwhile, we also have something completely different as Jon Kelso emailed in this picture of mining equipment.

He said he'd taken it at the Chatterley Whitfield open day which is the former mine and museum in Staffordshire. , external

Image source, Jon Kelso

David Lumb
BBC News Online

A charity that donates tents to Stafford's homeless has been ordered to stop by police after complaints.

House of Bread has issued around a dozen tents to people claiming they have nowhere to live.

Image source, House of Bread

But police said a "tent community" is developing in the town centre, with complaints of a rise in drinking and drug abuse.

The charity has been issued with a Community Protection warning, external. A meeting of trustees takes place on Thursday.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

This lunchtime's headlines include:

- The number of people without jobs and looking for work increased in the West Midlands by 17,000 to 176,000 between May and July, external, official figures show

- MPs say the HS2 rail link, which is planned to run through Staffordshire and Cheshire, needs a "realistic timetable", and believe the current schedule is "overly ambitious"  

- More than £13m of council tax went unpaid across Staffordshire and Cheshire last year, according to a BBC investigation

BBC Business News

MPs say the HS2 rail link, which is planned to run through Staffordshire and Cheshire, needs a "realistic timetable", and believe the current schedule is "overly ambitious". 

The Public Accounts Committee says "it is not convinced" that the first phase of the £56bn rail line - linking London and Birmingham - will open at the end of 2026 as planned.

Image source, HS2

It also urged the government to clarify the route and costs for the second phase, linking to Manchester, via Crewe, and Leeds.

A government spokesperson said the project was "on time and on budget".

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The number of people without jobs and looking for work increased in the West Midlands by 17,000 to 176,000 between May and July, external, official figures show.

It's the biggest rise, compared with the previous quarter, for any region in the UK. 

Image source, EPA

Across the country, unemployment fell by 39,000 to 1.63 million for the same period. 

The ONS said the figures, which only cover one month since the result of the EU referendum, show "continuing improvement" in the jobs market.