Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

People in south Cheshire are expected to spend less time in hospital after a new £27m health contract starts next month.

That's according to local health bosses who say the five-year deal will allow them to offer a range of services in the community - from physiotherapy to speech therapy. 

Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership, which is made up of GPs and two health trusts has taken on the work from East Cheshire NHS Trust.

A man from Staffordshire missing for two days has been found safe and well. 

Staffordshire Police say Grant Blacker, 22, was found in Macclesfield yesterday.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online

A man has been charged in connection to a burglary at a Hanley shopping centre earlier this year.

Cosmin Constantin Maroo, 25, of Spring Grove in Birmingham, has been charged with one count of burglary and one count of conspiracy to commit burglary, after Beaverbooks at Intu Potteries was targeted in March. 

Some £400,000 worth of jewellery and watches was stolen in the heist. 

The man will appear at Newcastle Magistrates' Court later this morning. Six other men arrested in connection with the break-in remain in custody.  

A family that ran a global drugs operation from a luxury villa in Spain is sentenced.

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

This morning's headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire include:   

- A 25-year-old man from Birmingham is charged with burglary after a raid on a jewellers in Hanley earlier this year

- Stoke City boss Mark Hughes denies suggestions made by some of the national newspapers of "unrest" surrounding Potters' on-loan striker Wilfried Bony

- Plans for a multi-story car park in Hanley have been put on hold - despite people struggling to find a space

Graham McGarry
BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Stoke City boss Mark Hughes denies suggestions made by some of the national newspapers of "unrest" surrounding Potters' on-loan striker Wilfried Bony.

BBC Weather Watchers

BBC Weather Watcher Thornhill Watch has sent in these great pictures from Hednesford. 

If you have some pictures you would like to share, you can sign up to become a BBC Weather Watcher here. 

Image source, Thornhill Watch

Image source, Thornhill Watch

Express and Star

Controversial plans for a £6m poultry farm to house nearly half-a-million chickens have been given the green light, external.

BBC Radio Stoke

A 25-year-old man from Birmingham has been charged with burglary after a raid on a jewellers in Hanley earlier this year

He will appear before magistrates this morning.

Six other men, arrested in connection with the break-in, remain in police custody.

Sarah Robertson
Producer, BBC Radio Stoke

Adam Peaty is to have an open-top bus tour through Uttoxeter. 

The Olympic gold medal winning swimmer and his parents will tour the town on the 1 October to celebrate his achievements in Rio. 

The Mayor of Uttoxeter will also present Adam with a "book of pride" from residents in the town.

Image source, PA

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

This morning's headlines for Staffordshire and Cheshire include: 

- A main road in Stoke-on-Trent remains closed this morning after a water mains pipe burst 

- Adam Peaty is to have an open-top bus tour through Uttoxeter. The swimmer and his parents will tour the town on the 1 October to celebrate his achievements in Rio

- A Stoke-on-Trent street has been named after a war hero. Sampson Bridgwood Close honours the Second Lieutenant who was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery 

BBC Weather

After a rather cool start with one or two mist patches, most places will have a dry bright day with plenty of warm sunshine. 

Highs of 17C (63F). 

Monica Rimmer
Journalist, BBC Online

Welcome to Friday's news, sport, travel and weather updates. We'll be here until 18:00.

Comment on today's news and share your pictures by emailing us, tweeting us, external or reaching us on our Facebook page, external.

Prosecutors are asked to consider possible charges against three police officers after the death of a man who had been Tasered.

We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.    

BBC Weather

We've got a clear evening and night ahead, but the temperatures will drop quickly after the sun sets. 

Minimum overnight temperature overnight of just 8C (46F). 

Phil Bowers
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Police use of stop-and-search powers in Staffordshire and Cheshire now fully comply with official guidelines, according to inspectors.

Last year, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary raised concerns about the way both forces were carrying out the checks.

Image source, Reuters

Staffordshire Police say the power to stop and search is essential, and it has now trained a panel of local people to scrutinise how it does it. 

Cheshire Police says it's also improved training for officers. 

Five people have been sentenced after police uncovered a "family-run" operation to export drugs across the world.

The group, originally from Burntwood in Staffordshire, ran the business from a luxury villa in Spain.

The synthetic drugs, sourced from Holland, were sent to customers via a fast parcel system all over the UK and as far afield as Japan, New Zealand, Brazil and America, the National Crime Agency said.   

Image source, National Crime Agency

Packages were intentionally mis-labelled and mis-described as sports supplements such as protein or whey powder in an attempt to avoid detection, officers said.

• Adam Maybury, 28, of Woodfield Crescent, Burntwood was jailed for nine years after admitting conspiring to import and supply class A and B drugs and money laundering
• Dean Russell 27, of Boney Road was jailed three years after admitting conspiring to import class B drugs and money laundering
• Caroline Wakefield, 57, of Dunston Drive, was sentenced to 12 months suspended for 18 months after being found guilty of money laundering

• Thomas Marshall, 28, of Leafenden Avenue,was jailed for two years and nine months for conspiracy to supply and import class B drugs and money laundering following a trial in July
• Faye Maybury, 30, of Grenfell Road, Bloxwich, was sentenced to two years suspended for 18 months, after admitting conspiring to supply class B drugs and money laundering

BBC Weather Watchers

BBC Weather Watcher Bucko has sent in this gorgeous photo from Uttoxeter. 

If you have a great photo you would like to share, you can do so by emailing us, tweeting us, external or reaching us on our Facebook page, external.

Image source, Bucko

Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

The man at the top of Cheshire Police has been given a new national role. 

Chief Constable Simon Byrne has joined the Sentencing Council for England for the next three years. 

It sets guidelines to ensure consistency of sentencing for offenders.