Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Two men have been charged in connection with thousands of litres of diesel being stolen in Burton. , external

Staffordshire Police say on Monday, 2,064 litres was reported missing from fuel tanks on Millers Lane.

Image source, Google

The force says, as well as that, a total of 6,000 litres was also stolen across three days this month and 3,486 litres also went missing, again on Millers Lane. 

Officers say two men, aged 22 and 27, were arrested and have been charged with going equipped to steal.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

A police cordon remains in place as investigations continue into the deaths of an eight-year-old boy and a girl aged 6.

A police press conference was held this afternoon in which the leading officer said the force was speaking to the mother of the children to get more information into the events leading up to the "suspicious fire".

Image source, PA

A man, thought to be the children's father, is being treated in hospital for serious burns after emergency services were called to a car fire in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

Police are not looking for anyone else in connection to the incident but continue to appeal for witnesses.

Image source, PA

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Port Vale's first team coach Andy Smith says he's satisfied with the team's current position in League One. 

Image source, Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

The Vale go to second-placed Bolton tomorrow seventh in the table. 

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A man who suffered life-threatening injuries in a burglary in Uttoxeter, external is still in hospital, police say. 

Three masked men attacked the victim after he disturbed them in the rear yard of his house in Windsor Road on Saturday 15 October.

Image source, Google

The force says their attack continued into the man's home and the trio also assaulted a second man, a friend of the victim, who also lived there.

Officers say the 52-year-old man, the first attacked, suffered serious injuries to his face and chest which were considered life-threatening and, almost a fortnight later, he's in a stable condition in hospital. 

Cash, keys and a cross bow were stolen in the burglary.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Here's our last look at the evening's headlines:

- The father of two children, whose bodies were found after a fire at a house in Birmingham, has suffered critical injuries after being found in a fire-damaged car in Staffordshire

- A man's been jailed after being convicted of causing the death of a car driver, external in Stoke-on-Trent

- Waterway and canals are being searched as part of the operation to find a missing Stone man,, external police confirm

The A53 Whitmore Road in Butterton, Staffordshire is closed after a man was seriously injured in a car fire - the incident is believed to be linked to the deaths of two children in Birmingham.

Police said the man who is critically ill after extensive burns is thought to be the children's father.

The lead officer in the case said the force isn't looking for anyone else as part of their investigation, 

The man thought to be in his 30s was found with the car at about 07:15 and taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital. 

Sarah Robertson
Producer, BBC Radio Stoke

Waterway and canals are being searched as part of the operation to find a missing Stone man, police confirm. 

Staffordshire Police says its now a "substantial search" with Joshua Smith, 27, not having been seen since Tuesday morning.

The relationship support charity, Relate, has announced it is shutting down its services in Herefordshire, Shropshire and north Staffordshire. 

Seventy two jobs will be lost across all three counties, with three of them at the Herefordshire centre which is to close completely.

Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today

Here's a look ahead to what's in store on Saturday and Sunday.

You can also find the latest weather forecasts on the BBC Weather website at any other time.

Tamworth Herald

Five down, five to go - that is the message from the Tamworth Herald as the town's fifth defibrillator is installed in the town, external, ready to be called upon 24 hours, seven days a week, if required.

Image source, Tamworth Herald

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A motorcyclist who died in a crash with a car near Burton, external was "taken far too soon" his family has said in a statement. 

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Chris Keith Johnson, 35, of Swadlincote was pronounced dead after the collision on Monday on Claymills Road at the junction with the A38. 

His family adds that "a light has gone out in our lives" and "his memory will forever be in our hearts".

BBC Weather Watchers

Autumn is featuring heavily in the many great pictures our BBC Weather Watcher volunteers are uploading.

This one's from user Sunny63 in Audlem, Cheshire.

You can become one of the team by heading to the website where you can also keep us updated on the forecast from where you are.

Image source, Sunny63

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

We told you earlier this week that Stone's Olympic gold medal winner Joe Clarke was part of a Strictly Come Dancing Special for BBC Children in Need.

Well he's tweeted a video of his first steps on the dance floor with dance partner Janette Manrara.

The special show will feature as part of the Children in Need 2016 Appeal Night on BBC One. 

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A man's been jailed after being convicted of causing the death of a car driver, external in Stoke-on-Trent. 

Staffordshire Police say Nathan Smallwood, 28, died after the crash between a Volkswagen Touran and a Renault Megane on the A500 in December 2014.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Nathan Confrey, 33, from Crossley Road in the city was given 15 months in prison and banned from driving for two years.

He'd pleaded not guilty to causing death by careless driving but was found guilty last month at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

Laura Mcmullan
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

The family of a man missing in Staffordshire say they're "desperate" to find him.

Joshua Smith, 27, hasn't been seen since Tuesday when he didn't turn up for work, external.

His mother Sara Buckley told me they want people to keep searching for him. 

Supt Stephen Morrey, from Staffordshire Police, says they want anyone who may have seen him to contact officers as soon as possible.  

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

This afternoon's headlines include:

-  A car fire in north Staffordshire this morning is being linked with a house fire in Birmingham in which two children died

- A man's been jailed after being convicted of causing the death of a car driver, external in Stoke-on-Trent

- The family of a man missing in Staffordshire, who's not been seen since Tuesday, external, say they're "desperate" to find him

The father of two children who died after a suspicious house fire in Birmingham is found critically injured 40 miles from the property in a burnt-out vehicle.

Police say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths of two young children pulled from a house fire in the early hours of this morning.

A man in his 30s and believed, external by police to be the children's father is being treated for serious injuries after he was found in a fire-damaged car in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. 

The boy and girl, aged eight and six respectively, were given CPR by emergency workers on the front lawn of the home in Hamstead, near Birmingham. They were pronounced dead at hospital.

James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

A teenage boy from Sudan is one of a small number of children who have arrived in Staffordshire from the "Jungle" migrant camp in Calais, which was closed earlier this week.  

Image source, EPA

The county council says the 17-year-old boy is thought to have been a victim of trafficking - more children are due to arrive in the next three weeks.

The authority says that will be on top of 84 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children already being looked after in the county, including three found in the back of a lorry in Doxey in the last fortnight.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

More now on the car fire on the A53 near the M6 in Staffordshire - West Midlands Police now say it is now being linked to a fatal house fire in Birmingham. , external

Two children died after a fire in the hallway of the house in Holland Road, Hamstead this morning.

The force say a man in his 30s, thought to be the children's father, was found inside the car on the A53 Whitmore Road at about 07:15. 

They say he's in hospital having suffered life-threatening injuries. 

A police spokesperson said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the fire near Birmingham