Crewe Chronicle

Labour won a resounding victory in yesterday’s Crewe Town Council by-election, external taking 62% of the vote.  

James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's share of council tax could rise by nearly 2% a year for the next four years, external.

Most of the amount paid by people living in the area goes to Staffordshire County Council, but it also raises about £5m a year for the district council.  

Council tax has been frozen since 2010 but a report to the authority says a 1.9% increase from April will raise around £100k a year until 2021.

It's part of the district council's four-year financial plan which includes more than £2m of savings and is due to be discussed by councillors next week. 

BBC Travel

Train delays due to emergency services dealing with an "incident" in the Stafford area's set to last until at least 19:00 National Rail Enquiries says.

Cross County, London Midland and Virgin Train services are affected.

Keep up-to-date with the BBC Travel website.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

The headlines this evening include:

- Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's share of council tax could rise by nearly 2% a year for the next four years, external

- Children will finally return to a Stafford primary school in January, external, more than a year after a toxic chemical was found

- A traffic scheme in a north Staffordshire village is going to be removed after complaints from local people

BBC Travel

Replacement road transport's being laid on between Crewe and Stafford as the lines remain blocked north of Stafford, London Midland say.

Keep up-to-date with our BBC Travel website.

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

A traffic scheme in a north Staffordshire village is going to be removed after complaints from local people.   

Staffordshire County Council says it plans to swap chicanes for speed bumps on High Street, Crown Bank and Swan Bank in Talke. 

Local Labour councillor Mike Stubbs says the existing scheme has meant the roads grind to a halt in heavy traffic.  

BBC Travel

A lane is blocked on the A5 eastbound in Weeford near Lichfield, between Weeford Island and the B5404 Hints Road junction, because of an accident.

BBC Travel

Travel advice has been issued by Network Rail as emergency services deal with an incident at Stafford which has blocked all the lines.

BBC Travel has the latest.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Jonathan White sent in this picture of thistles, silhouetted against the sunset from the Crewe-Nantwich Greenway.

Image source, Jonathan White

While, from a few weeks back, Villager Jim captured this Peak District rainbow in a photo which he emailed to me.

If you've got a picture to share of Staffordshire or Cheshire and want to get it to me, put it on an email or put on Instagram (with the tag #bbcstoke if you agree to share it), external.

Image source, Villager Jim

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

The train operator London Midland is warning passengers travelling between Birmingham and Liverpool to expect a disrupted service due to an "incident" in Stafford.

All lines are blocked, affecting Euston to Crewe and Birmingham to Liverpool routes.

BBC Sport

As Burton prepare to host Rotherham, Jamie Ward remains doubtful for the Brewers with a fractured wrist, although he may be able to play with a protective cast.

Brewers defender Kyle McFadzean serves the third game of his four-match suspension.  

Image source, Clint Hughes/Getty Images

Speaking ahead of the game, Burton's manager Nigel Clough says it's probably the only game where people are expecting his side to win this season.

Paul Warne takes caretaker charge of bottom club Rotherham following Kenny Jackett's resignation.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

In answering one of Your Questions yesterday, we revealed only one firm sent Staffordshire oatcakes overseas.

But we also wanted to know where you had taken or eaten them across the world and you replied to the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, external. 

Judy Meir said, external: "I make my own and I live in Canada" while Deb O'Grady said, external she had a friend in Tasmania who "loves these". 

Patricia Cartlidge remembered that, external: "High lane Oatcakes used to vacuum pack them and send them to Germany when we lived there". 

While Larraine Eastwood said, external she had taken them to Canada "for my former Staffordshire family. The look of bliss on their faces was incredible"

BBC Travel

Train services are facing delays this afternoon in the Stafford area as London Midland say all lines are blocked due to an incident north of the town.

Get the latest from our BBC Travel website.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Parents at a Stafford primary school that has been shut since October 2015 have been thanked for their loyalty by one of its headteachers. 

Flash Ley Community Primary School and Nursery shut after high levels of formaldehyde were discovered - it will now reopen on 6 January. 

Image source, Facebook

Co-acting headteacher Kerri Fenton has written on the school's Facebook page, external to thank the school's staff and praise children and parents for their loyalty "through thick and thin". 

Commenting on her post, Damian Armstrong wrote, external: "wow - it's going to be great being home" and Kate Walters put, external: "Well done to all the staff, you're all doing such a fab job".

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Our top stories include:

- Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's share of council tax could rise by nearly 2% a year for the next four years, external

- A boy,13, has been taken to hospital after being scalded by boiling water in an accident at Lichfield Rugby Club, the fire service says

- A traffic scheme in a north Staffordshire village is going to be removed after complaints from local people

Graham McGarry
BBC Radio Stoke Sport

The Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has been defending the style of football his side play.

It's after comments from the Switzerland manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, who said he hoped playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri would not stay stuck in "no man's land" with the Potters.  

Image source, AFP

BBC Weather Watchers

Image source, Videoman

We're getting a variety of winter pictures from our BBC Weather Watchers at the moment - these two are from users Videoman in Leek and Ukjay in Longton.

If you want to be one of our volunteers, head to the website and sign up.

Image source, Ukjay

John Acres
BBC Radio Stoke

A farm in Staffordshire is hosting what it calls the UK Christmas tree throwing competition for the third year in a row, in aid of charity.   

Participants are given a 6ft (1.8m) tree, weighing about 10kg (22lb), for the contest at Keele Christmas Tree Farm. 

They must then throw it as far as possible and get the tree as high over a bar as they can. 

Organisers say last year more than 100 people took part and raised £600, external - this year's event is in aid of The Donna Louise Trust and Help for Heroes.  

BBC Travel

A lane is shut on the A50 eastbound in Stoke-on-Trent after the Sideaway roundabout because of a crash involving one vehicle.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

A fresh appeal's been made for witnesses after a police officer was seriously injured after being hit by a car while on-duty, external in Staffordshire this week. 

Staffordshire Police said the officer was attacked after stopping a "suspicious" lorry on the A5 near Lichfield on Tuesday.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Police said the lorry driver attacked the officer with a branch then escaped by carjacking a Ford Fiesta. 

A man, 30, from Leicester, was arrested on suspicion of assault and robbery and remains in custody. 

Detectives say they are also hunting a second man who left the passenger side of the skip lorry and ran off across fields at the side of the A5.