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

Peak Wildlife Park planning expansionpublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
James Watt
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
I've been broadcasting from the Peak Wildlife Park in the Staffordshire Moorlands this afternoon.
It's just over a year since it opened, having previously been the Blackbrook Zoological Bird Park, near Leek, which went into administration after a series of financial problems.
It reopened under the current name and while there today I spoke to James Butler, part of the site's management, who says they are planning to keep expanding the site.
He says they want more walk-through enclosures and interactive exhibits to build on their current number of about 100 individual animals - one of who became my new friend!
Watch: Giant chess match could lead to more chess in Crewepublished at 16:39 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
We told you there was a chess match taking place today in Crewe to try and help regenerate the town - well, it ended in a draw.
Media caption,
Giant chess match
Here's a look at what happened. Cheshire East Council says the supersized chess set can be used by the community in the future.
They add that there are "plans in the pipeline for chess events next year".
The council do say this is just a "small part" of several ideas to promote and improve the centre of Crewe.
Poppy Appeal: Staffordshire veteran on how it helped his family in 1930spublished at 16:30 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Perry Spiller
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
As this year's Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal gets under way, a 94-year-old military veteran from Staffordshire's spoken of how the charity helped his family before World War Two.
The appeal for 2016 is calling on members of the public to recognise younger veterans and serving soldiers.
Roy Marren from Leek (pictured, centre) served during WW2 but has told BBC Radio Stoke that, before the war, his family were helped by the appeal in the the 1930s.
You can hear his story on the BBC Radio Stoke page for Perry Spiller and Liz Ellis.
Quote Message
It must have been at least perhaps four or five months after my father died that my father's brother suggested we get in touch with the legion and fortunately they granted my mother five shillings a week. It doesn't sound a lot today but it was a lot in those days."
Roy Marren, Military veteran from Leek
Group to examine future of devolution in Cheshire despite setbackspublished at 16:19 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News
A group of Cheshire East councillors are to look at the future for devolution in the borough, after a deal with the government was put on hold over the summer.
Officials had reached an agreement for millions of pounds of funding and powers to be transferred to Cheshire from Whitehall, along with an elected mayor.
Image source, Google
But councillors in Warrington voted against the plan.
Cheshire East Council's leader says she wants to develop "the best possible case" for devolution.
Fan in prostate cancer plea as he begins his own fightpublished at 16:03 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Burton Mail
An avid Burton Albion fan in the midst of treatment for prostate cancer has appealed for other men to get themselves , externaltested.
Image source, Burton Mail
News: Rings stolen from dementia sufferer's fingers; derelict factory 'won't be demolished'; crime 'solved by Twitter user'published at 15:47 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Our top stories this afternoon:
- A 98-year-old woman, who is bed-bound, has been robbed during a burglary at her Stoke-on-Trent home, external
- Officials have denied the former Tams factory in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent is dangerous and say it shouldn't be demolished
- A stolen car's been reunited with its owner because of a post on Twitter, external, police say
Arson-hit factory 'shouldn't be demolished'published at 15:34 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Officials have denied the former Tams factory in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent is dangerous and say it shouldn't be demolished.
The city council made the statement after Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the site had suffered two deliberately started fires in the space of a few weeks.
The service say the latest one happened yesterday afternoon., external
Image source, Google
The authority says it recently turned down an application by the owner to demolish, external the building and wants them instead to make improvements to the site because it's in a conservation area.
BBC Radio Stoke has made efforts to reach the owner of the site and, if we hear from them, we'll bring you their response.
Giant chess game aims to promote townpublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
A "giant game of chess" is taking place today in Crewe, which Cheshire East Council says it hopes will help towards encouraging more people to come to the town.
It's the brainchild of Chris Andrew, a Conservative councillor for Macclesfield who is also the borough council's Deputy Portfolio Holder Finance and Assets., external
He's facing a Crewe Town councillor in the game and told BBC Radio Stoke that this is just the first step in a big campaign to regenerate the area and show there is "life in the town".
Shops broken into in Staffordpublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
BBC Radio Stoke
Two shops have been broken into overnight, external in the centre of Stafford.
According to Staffordshire Police, a criminal wearing a balaclava smashed glass in the door of a phone shop on Gaolgate Street.
Separately the force says offenders forced the back door of a shoe shop in Mill Street.
In both cases officers say it's unclear what's been stolen.
'Signifcant increase' in complaints over state of city's roadspublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
The number of people complaining about the state of Stoke-on-Trent's roads to the city council has more than doubled, external in the last 12 months.
According to a report by the authority, there were 69 complaints in 2015-16 about highways maintenance, compared with 33 the year before.
The city council's report says it is a "significant increase" but adds that "there is no singular issue" for the rise.
School students help National Memorial Arboretum record bidpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Nantwich News
Malbank School and Sixth Form in Nantwich is helping the National Memorial Arboretum in its bid to break a world record. , external
Image source, Nantwich News
Hospital wig salon for cancer patientspublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
A new hair and wig salon for people with cancer has opened at Stafford's County Hospital.
Read More
'Despicable' burglar steals wedding rings from fingers bed bound womanpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A 98-year-old woman, who is bed-bound, has been robbed during a burglary at her Stoke-on-Trent home. , external
Staffordshire Police say two gold wedding rings were taken from the woman's fingers along with cash and other sentimental jewellery at the house in Trentham.
Image source, Staffordshire Police
Detectives are calling it a "truly atrocious and despicable act" saying the victim has badly bruised fingers and was left shaken by what happened.
The force says it happened last Friday morning and they are investigating whether it's linked to other recent burglaries in Trentham.
Football: Port Vale coach says new signing already helping younger playerspublished at 13:50 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale's latest signing Ryan Taylor is already having a great impact at the club, on and off the pitch, according to first team coach Andy Smith.
Image source, Port Vale FC
Taylor joined Vale on a short-term deal until January and scored on his debut against Oxford on Saturday.
Quote Message
Great player, great professional, bundles of experience and he's good for the young ones to learn. He just needs match time to get stronger and fitter, because he's a top quality player."
Andy Smith, Port Vale first team coach
Tweet leads to recovery of stolen car say policepublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Sarah Robertson
Producer, BBC Radio Stoke
A stolen car's been reunited with its owner because of a post on Twitter, police say.
Staffordshire Police say a blue Audi was spotted by a woman on Tuesday parked near the cricket ground off Riverway, Stafford.
Image source, Staffordshire Police
The force say the lady tweeted a photograph to them as it "seemed suspicious" with its boot propped open.
Officers say they checked and found it had false number plates, stolen from a vehicle in Gnosall, and the Audi was reported stolen from Rugeley last month.
They say they've reunited the car with its owner and are investigating to find out who took it.
Paramedic part of South Pole tribute to explorerpublished at 13:15 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Kevin Reide
Midlands Today
A paramedic originally from Crewe is part of a group of army reservists leaving for Antarctica today. , external
They plan to ski more than a 3,000 miles (4,800km) unsupported to the South Pole.
Chris Brooke, who now works for West Midlands Ambulance Service, served with the Cheshire Regiment, external.
The team will be paying tribute to the Herefordshire explorer Henry Worsley (pictured) who lost his life while attempting the same route in January and raising funds for ABF - a soldiers' charity.
Image source, Henry Worsley
On Midlands Today: Woman pays for new wig salon for cancer patientspublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Sian Grzeszczyk
BBC Midlands Today
This lunchtime on Midlands Today, we'll have more on a new hairdressing salon that has opened for cancer patients who've lost their hair during treatment.
It provides wigs and was paid for by a woman who had cancer herself.
I'll have more from 13:30 on BBC One.
Latest: Urgent plea over missing man; 'significant increase' in road complaints; new scheme sought for Cheshire devolutionpublished at 12:32 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Our lunchtime round up of the main stories:
- People are being asked by police to call for emergency medical help immediately if they find a missing man, external from Stone
- The number of people complaining about the state of Stoke-on-Trent's roads to the city council has more than doubled, external in the last 12 months
- A group of Cheshire East councillors are to look at the future for devolution in the borough, after a deal with the government was put on hold over the summer
BBC Weather Watcher pictures: Crewe and Burtonpublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
BBC Weather Watchers
Image source, Mylowe
Our BBC Weather Watchers have been capturing the impact of autumn in their part of Staffordshire or Cheshire.
This first one's from user Mylowe in the Burton area, of "woods around Foremark reservoir" and this next one's from Aeolo in Crewe.
Image source, Aeolo
'Subdued atmosphere' after electrical fire sparks boat blazepublished at 12:02 British Summer Time 27 October 2016
Lichfield Mercury
The "close community" of a marina near Lichfield is in a state of shock following a floating inferno which sunk three boats, external and destroyed a fourth.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service