BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire on Friday 14 October 2016

Summary

Missing Kidsgrove cat put down after poisoning
New charges for taking DIY waste to recycling centres
Shut school air quality 'still not safe'
Chief Constable announces retirement
Updates from Friday 14 October

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

Police push broken-down mobility scooter for a milepublished at 16:40 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A man and his broken-down mobility scooter were pushed home for a mile by two determined police officers.
Image source, Cheshire Police
Cheshire Police say the pair of officers, PCs Mark Harley and Matt Stonier, were about to start a Speedwatch training course when two people told them the man had broken down.
The force says they tried to get the scooter working but, when they couldn't, pushed him a mile back to his home, getting him back there safely - tweeting that their "fitness was tested, external".
Clown speaks out against 'creepy clowns' crazepublished at 16:30 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Police say they've received a surge of emergency calls reporting "creepy clowns" across the country, including across the West Midlands.
Pat the Clown, based in Birmingham, has spoken out against the craze which he believes is inspired by American films and could badly affect the clown industry.
Image source, Thinkstock
Quote Message
It's quite disgusting. It's potentially going to have an adverse effect on us if it persists. I have been trying to play down the more negative aspects of clowns as somebody to be frightened of, for the last 25 years. Clowns are something that should be enjoyed by people, not feared
Pat, Professional clown
Injured biker's friends use hay bales to mark helicopter landing sitepublished at 16:27 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Lichfield Mercury
Quick-thinking friends of a teenager who needed medical help after crashing his motorbike near Lichfield used bales of hay to mark out a landing site for an air ambulance. , external
Image source, Midlands Air Ambulance Tatenhill
Lowe happy to pay out on Cooper bonuspublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Crewe striker Ryan Lowe reveals young team-mate George Cooper is on an "assist bonus" to supply him with chances.
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News: Man bailed over toddler's death; serious injuries in Crewe attack; father 'disgusted' at clown scarepublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
This afternoon, our top stories include:
- A man who was arrested over the death of a two-year-old girl in Stoke-on-Trent has been released on bail
- A man has suffered serious injuries to his face after he was attacked by a group of people, external on a Crewe street
- The father of a five-year-old boy from Stoke-on-Trent has told BBC Radio Stoke he's disgusted with a person who dressed up as a clown and scared his son
Football: Former Crewe skipper 'once considered taking his own life'published at 16:00 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The former Crewe Alexandra captain Matt Tootle has spoken out about mental health issues which he says started to affect him in 2014 when he was still at the Alex.
Image source, Getty Images
Tootle is now at Notts County and is set to face his old club on Saturday at Meadow Lane.
The full-back openly admitted in a live video, posted on his Facebook page, that he once considered taking his own life at his lowest point.
His former manager, the current Crewe boss Steve Davis, told me for BBC Radio Stoke that he thinks mental health issues in football are more common than people think.
Quote Message
It's just that players, for whatever reason, are frightened of coming out because of the effect that will have on their career, because managers will look at players and think 'he has these problems'. But it is rife, right through football. He certainly shouldn't think he's the only one."
Steve Davis, Crewe Alexandra manager
Nominate your sporting unsung heropublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
BBC Sport
The search is on to find the 2016 Midlands Sporting Unsung Hero.
We're looking for those inspirational characters who get others into sport just for the love of it.
Media caption,
Nominate your Get Inspired Unsung Hero
Nominate your Unsung Hero on BBC Sport. The closing date is 23 October.
Watch: Tonight and tomorrow's weather for Stoke and Staffordshirepublished at 15:35 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenter
To get the latest forecasts at any other time, head to the BBC Weather website.
Media caption,
Charlie Slater
Man suffers fractured eye socket in street attackpublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A man has suffered serious injuries to his face after he was attacked by a group of people, external on a Crewe street.
Image source, Google
Cheshire Police say it happened late on Saturday night on Nantwich Road as he and two friends walked between the railway station and Gresty Road.
They add that the 44-year-old from Chester is going to need ongoing hospital treatment for his injuries which include a fractured eye socket.
'Killer clowns' slammed by Tamworth's Bibbledy Bobpublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Tamworth Herald
Tamworth's own 'town clown' Bibbledy Bob, has slammed scaremongerers who are terrifying youngsters with tales, external of so-called 'killer clowns.'
Image source, Tamworth Herald
Football: Skipper offers bonus to Crewe's George Cooper for goal assistspublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Crewe Alexandra's captain Ryan Lowe has revealed to BBC Radio Stoke that he's offering youngster George Cooper a bonus every time he sets up a goal.
Image source, crewealex.net
The 19-year-old produced the assist for Lowe's goal in their 1-1 draw at Luton on Saturday.
Quote Message
With the quality he's got, you want him to put balls in the box like he has done and long may that continue for me, Chris Dagnall and whoever else. If he keeps putting the ball on the money then hopefully there's only one thing that's coming and that's goals."
Ryan Lowe, Crewe Alexandra's captain
BBC Weather Watcher pictures: Leek and Crewepublished at 14:09 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
BBC Weather Watchers
Our BBC Weather Watchers in Staffordshire and Cheshire are keeping up their great form with their pictures from their part of the area.
In this case, these two are from users Videoman in Leek and SunnyCrewe in Crewe.
Image source, Videoman
Image source, Sunnycrewe
Future of Staffordshire countryside sites under discussionpublished at 13:54 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
BBC Radio Stoke
An event is being held at Apedale Visitor Centre, Newcastle-under-Lyme today for groups and organisations interested in taking over the running of some of Staffordshire's parks, external and open spaces.
The county council is behind it and says it wants to find the most effective way of running its countryside estate.
Image source, Google
The estate is made up of six country parks, nine picnic areas and three disused rail lines.
The authority has drawn up four options for how councillors think they should be run in the future and include transferring management "on a site-by-site basis" to local community or voluntary sector groups.
Have your say on protecting Cannock Chase’s natural habitatpublished at 13:37 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Staffordshire Newsletter
People are being invited to have their say on the best ways to look after Cannock Chase's , externalnatural habitat.
Dad 'disgusted' at clown scaring son in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 13:22 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Matt Lee
Breakfast Producer, BBC Radio Stoke
The father of a five-year-old boy from Stoke-on-Trent has told BBC Radio Stoke he's disgusted with a person who dressed up as a clown and scared his son.
Staffordshire Police is warning that people dressing up in such costumes and frightening people is completely unacceptable, external and could constitute an offence.
Media caption,
Clown sightings in the UK
Officers so far say they have had four clown sightings over the weekend, all in Stoke-on-Trent.
Danny Hattersley says the incident with his son happened over the weekend in Stoke when a person dressed as a clown jumped out and screamed at them.
Quote Message
My son screamed, he was hysterical. Normally he sees clowns juggling and riding a unicycle, not jumping out in the street when it's dark."
Danny Hattersley, Father
On Midlands Today from 13:30: Murder inquiry latest and hospital closure campaignpublished at 13:10 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Elizabeth Glinka
BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this lunchtime we'll have the latest on the murder investigation in Stoke-on-Trent after a two-year-old girl was found dead.
We'll also feature a campaign against plans to shut a psychiatric ward at a Midlands hospital plus an unusual musical experience for a composer from the region.
Those and other stories along with your lunchtime weather update on BBC One from 13:30.
Parents claim axing lollipop patrol 'puts lives at risk'published at 12:55 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
John Acres
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
A number of parents have told BBC Radio Stoke that a decision to get rid of a school crossing patrol in part of Staffordshire could put children's lives at risk.
The county council has withdrawn funding for 29 lollipop men and women , externalto save £150,000 a year.
Image source, Google
Parents of children going to Hassall Community Primary School in Newcastle-under-Lyme, external say they feel the loss of the patrol there could lead to youngsters being run over and seriously hurt.
The council says it will no longer supply a warden at a school if there are other crossing systems, like pelican crossings, in place.
Latest: Man bailed over toddler's death; police concern at under-reported hate crime; dog in 'appalling condition' loses eyepublished at 12:37 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Our headlines this lunchtime include these top stories:
- One of two people arrested on suspicion of murder after a two-year-old girl was found dead in Stoke-on-Trent has been released on bail, external
- Cheshire Police, external says it is concerned many victims of hate crime are failing to report incidents to the force
- A Staffordshire bull terrier will have to have an eye removed after being found in an "appalling condition" after being dumped in a Cannock field, the RSPCA says
Investigation after school fire in Leekpublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
An investigation is under way into the cause of a blaze at a school in Leek this morning.
Crews from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to St Edward's Church of England Academy after reports of smoke coming from the school playing fields.
They were on site for an hour dealing with the fire which started behind a wall, near a public park.
Travel: Crash on A5 near Lichfieldpublished at 11:52 British Summer Time 11 October 2016
BBC Travel
There's been an accident on the A5 in Wall at Lichfield.