BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire on Friday 28 October 2016

Summary

Father found in fire-damaged car after fatal house fire
Man jailed after fatal Stoke-on-Trent crash
Missing Stone man: Canals and waterways being searched
Man still in hospital a fortnight after being attacked by burglars
Updates from Friday 28 October

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

Man rescued from burning carpublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A man's been rescued from a burning car today near the M6 in north Staffordshire.
Staffordshire Police say they were called to A53 Whitmore Road in Butterton just after 07:00 to reports of a Vauxhall Insignia on fire.
Image source, Google
West Midlands Ambulance Service say a man was anaesthetised at the scene to stabilise his condition before he was taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
They say he's believed to be in his 30s and is in a serious condition after suffering burns to his face, head and hand.
First staff leave General Electric site after closure announcedpublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke
The first of more than 230 workers to lose their jobs at the General Electric factory in Kidsgrove are leaving the firm's site today.
It is set to close by the end of March with the loss of 232 jobs.
Drives and converters to produce electricity are made at the plant.
General Electric says production capacity at its Kidsgrove facility outweigh demand and adds that workers have been given a comprehensive severance package.
Woman, 98, 'terrified' burglar will return after rings stolen off fingerspublished at 13:32 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Pete Morgan
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
A 98-year-old bed-bound woman from Trentham, who was robbed in her own home,, external says she's terrified that a burglar is going to come back.
Image source, Staffordshire Police
The pensioner, who was in bed at the time, had several rings forced off her hand and a necklace ripped from her neck during the break-in on 21 October.
Staffordshire Police have called it a "truly atrocious and despicable act" and her family say she's been left with badly bruised fingers and was left shaken by what happened.
Quote Message
She's in tears quite a lot. Every time we go in, she goes on about this bloke leaning over her bed, shouting at her - that's the first thing that comes out of her mouth. It's really taken over her brain."
Michael Bird, Son of victim
Developer loses appeal over 104 houses planpublished at 13:18 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Nantwich News
Housing developer Wainhomes has lost an appeal to build 104 homes on green land off Audlem Road, external in Nantwich.
Image source, Nantwich News
On Midlands Today from 13:30: Missing man search into fourth daypublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Laura Mcmullan
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this lunchtime, I'll have the latest on the search in Stone, Staffordshire, for Joshua Smith, 27, who hasn't been seen since Tuesday.
Dozens of volunteers have joined his family to keep searching the town as police search the marina area where he worked as well as woodland and fields.
I've been speaking to all involved and you'll get more on BBC One from 13:30.
Pick-your-own pumpkin boost for farmerpublished at 12:39 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Ben Sidwell
BBC Midlands Today
A Staffordshire farmer says pumpkins could soon overtake strawberries as his top pick-your-own crop.
Media caption,
Richard Simkin, owner of Essington Farm
Richard Simkin has grown the autumnal favourite across five acres at Essington Farm in the south of the county - double the amount he produced last year.
So many people have come to pick their own that all his pumpkins are expected to sell out by Halloween.
Latest: Volunteers join search for missing man; court date set for backpacker murder charge; first workers leave closure-hit factorypublished at 12:22 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Our top stories this lunchtime include:
- Dozens of volunteers have joined a search in Stone for a 27-year-old man, external who has not been seen since Tuesday
- A man will appear in court next year, after being charged with the murder of the Congleton backpacker Tom Jackson
- The first of more than 230 workers to lose their jobs at the General Electric factory in Kidsgrove are leaving the firm's site today
Your photos: Garden mushrooms and autumn on the canalpublished at 12:05 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
These "autumn mushrooms" were spied growing in a friend's garden in Newcastle-under-Lyme by Jude Poole-Gribbin, who shared them on Facebook.
Image source, Jude Poole-Gribbin
And continuing the seasonal theme, Kath Dawson emailed this "autumnal photo on the Trent and Mersey canal in Stone".
If you want to get a photo featured on a future live page, send it in on email or, if you use Instagram, put it there with the tag #bbcstoke if you agree to share it, external.
Image source, Kath Dawson
Football: Defender given compassionate leave after family bereavementpublished at 11:52 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Image source, Nigel Roddis/Getty Images
The Stoke City manager Mark Hughes says defender Phil Bardsley is being given "as much time as he needs" before returning to the club after his grandfather died earlier this week., external
In a statement, the club say they were "saddened" by the news and the player is on compassionate leave.
Quote Message
Our thoughts are with Phil and his family, we will leave the decision with him and when he feels comfortable to come back into the group."
Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager
Watch: This afternoon's weather forecastpublished at 11:36 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
It's a mainly cloudy start to the afternoon but you can see here how the rest of the day looks.
You can also keep up-to-date with the latest weather forecasts here on the BBC website.
Media caption,
Charlie Slater
Delays for an hour as train lines re-openpublished at 11:17 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BBC Travel
The train lines have re-opened following the earlier problems with trespassers on the lines.
National Rail, external say delays will continue for an hour.
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Marina searched as dozens join hunt for missing manpublished at 11:17 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
I've been talking to volunteers who joined the search this morning for Joshua Smith, who's been reported missing in Stone since Tuesday morning., external
About 30 people, some with dogs, arrived today to help his family look for the 27-year-old.
They also brought dozens and dozens of posters and put them on lamp posts and walls around Stone and they say they are determined to find him.
I understand Staffordshire Police are searching around Aston Marina where Joshua worked and others are searching around the Sandon area.
Quote Message
The more people who can be searching for him the better really. We need as many people as possible. There are large areas to cover, fields, gardens, outhouses."
Sara, Joshua Smith's mother
Housing plan 'most complex and challenging' for inspectorpublished at 11:00 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News
A government inspector, external says Cheshire East Council's plan earmarking where homes should be built is the "most complex and challenging" he's ever encountered.
Developers have reportedly found it easier to get approval for controversial planning applications because of the lack of a Local Plan for the authority's area over the last four years.
The new strategy will earmark land for 36,000 new homes if it's approved by the inspector, who has not yet revealed when he will make a decision.
Travel: Accident on A5127 in middle of Lichfieldpublished at 10:43 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BBC Travel
There's been a crash on the A5127 Birmingham Road in the middle of Lichfield at the A51 St John Street junction.
Arsonist targets Crewe house with family insidepublished at 10:34 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Crewe Chronicle
Police are hunting an arsonist who set fire to the front door of a house in Crewe in the early hours of this morning while the famil, externaly was still inside.
Man to appear in court next year charged with murdering Cheshire backpackerpublished at 10:18 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Ben Truslove
BBC News Online
A man will appear in court next year, after being charged with the murder of the Congleton backpacker Tom Jackson.
Smail Ayad is accused of fatally injuring Mia Ayliffe-Chung (pictured, right), 21, and Mr Jackson (pictured, left), 30, during an attack in Queensland.
Image source, PA/Facebook
The 29-year-old Frenchman's charge of attempted murder was upgraded to murder, following the death of Mr Jackson a week after the incident.
The case was moved to a mental health court following a hearing earlier.
Mr Ayad was remanded in custody and is due to appear at the court in Townsville on 15 February.
Second UK backpacker murder chargepublished at 10:01 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
The man accused of stabbing to death two British backpackers at an Australian hostel is charged with a second count of murder.
Read More
News: New murder charge in backpacker case; volunteers join missing man search; funerals go online in Cheshirepublished at 10:01 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Chris King
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
This morning's headlines include:
- A man's been charged with the murder of the Congleton backpacker Tom Jackson in Australia
- The sister of a man who's been reported missing from Stone since Tuesday, external morning is asking volunteers to help search for him today, external
- Funerals at two crematoria in Cheshire are going to be webcast for people who can't make it to the service
Travel: Trains disrupted between Tamworth and Nuneatonpublished at 09:48 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BBC Travel
Trains between Tamworth and Nuneaton are being disrupted this morning, external say National Rail Enquiries due to reports of a trespasser on the line at Atherstone.
Get the latest from the BBC Travel website.
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Football: Ex teammate 'surprised' Liverpool let Joe Allen join Stokepublished at 09:43 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BBC Sport
Leon Britton says he was surprised Liverpool let midfielder Joe Allen leave and join Stoke City.
Image source, Stu Forster/Getty Images
Allen has scored for the Potters in his last four league games after making the move in the summer.
He was a teammate of Britton when they were both at Swansea and the pair will meet again when the Swans face Stoke in the Premier League on Monday.
Quote Message
I'm surprised a little bit in terms of that towards the end of his time at Liverpool he seemed to be playing very well. But the manager there could not offer him regular first-team football and maybe Joe had had enough of that and wanted to play regularly in the Premier League."
Leon Britton, Former teammate of Joe Allen