Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Our top stories to start off with this Friday morning include:

- A Stoke-on-Trent mum is warning families to be aware of the dangers facing children on the internet, after her teen daughter was asked to share intimate photographs 

- 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

- The former Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council leader Brian Silvester has conceded defeat, external after ending in third place for UKIP in a by-election in Crewe, won by Labour

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

A Tamworth police officer who was injured during a confrontation with a lorry driver on the A5 near Lichfield is to undergo further surgery. 

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

The officer was hit by a man armed with a fallen branch and struck by a car.

A 30-year-old man has been arrested.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather

You can see now how this morning's going to look on the weather front.

The BBC Weather website also has latest forecasts if you want up-to-date information at another time.

BBC Travel

A lane's shut on the A38 southbound in Fradley, near Lichfield, at the Fradley Arms junction because of an accident.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Hello everyone, it's a little damp in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent but currently not raining and not frosty.

We'll see how the rest of the morning's weather looks like shortly with our video forecast and then there'll be plenty more updates on news, sport, travel and more through the day.

They'll include plenty more of your fantastic pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire - send yours in on email or put on Instagram (with the tag #bbcstoke if you agree to share), external.

We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning. 

James Bovill
Staffordshire Political Reporter, BBC News

Councillors in Stoke-on-Trent have followed those at Staffordshire County Council by referring plans to close community hospital beds, external to the health secretary.

Local NHS bosses say they want to focus health and social care in people's homes in the future, external rather than expensive hospital beds. 

It means closing some community hospital wards, but a city council scrutiny committee yesterday referred the plans to Jeremy Hunt.

They said the consultation's been inadequate and bed closures aren't in anyone's best interests while bed-blocking remains a problem. 

The North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group Accountable Office Marcus Warnes told councillors they're at the edge of a cliff face and it's council delays in finding care packages that is causing bed-blocking. 

Some custody processes were not followed by police when they dealt with a man who subsequently collapsed in a cell and died.

Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Crewe Alexandra's manager Steve Davis says he already has ideas about where he wants to strengthen his team in the January transfer window.  

Image source, Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The Alex have just slipped outside the play-off places.

A man is arrested after a police officer was struck by a car while trying to evade a man wielding a branch at him.

Amy Cole
BBC Midlands Today

Homelessness is featuring on BBC Midlands Today this evening as figures released today shed new light on the scale of the issue in the West Midlands. 

With thousands reportedly with no permanent home, we'll be seeing what, if anything, is being done to tackle the issue. 

Tune in for the full story from 18:30 on BBC One.

Crewe Chronicle

Crewe tops the chart for being the worst town in Britain for drink and drug-driving for the second year in a row, external, a survey has revealed.  

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

You can also get the latest BBC Weather forecasts at any other time for Staffordshire or Cheshire from our website here.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

The Port Vale manager Bruno Ribeiro says his team can cope with suspensions and injuries to win in the FA Cup this weekend.

Image source, Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

Hartlepool stand in their way of a place in the potentially lucrative third-round draw. 

At that stage, the 44 clubs from the Premier League and Championship enter the competition.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Our last headlines looking at today's top stories and they include:

- A police force has been criticised at the inquest of a Kidsgrove man who died after collapsing in a police cell two years ago, according to a police watchdog

- A man's been arrested in connection with a police chase in Staffordshire on Tuesday evening, external which left an officer seriously injured 

- A pair of dogs have been found dumped in a "despicable" condition in a public park in Burton, the RSPCA, external says 

Caroline Gall
BBC News Online

A pair of abandoned dogs found dumped in "despicable" condition in a public park were ravaged with skin disease and fur loss to such an extent, the RSPCA, external says it was difficult to tell what colour they were. 

The organisations says the French bulldogs, who have since been named Keith and Albert, also had claws so over-grown they had curled around into the pads of their paws.

Image source, RSPCA

Neither of the male dogs had collars or microchips and were discovered by a member of the public in Stapenhill Gardens, Burton on 25 November. 

The RSPCA says it's thought the pair, believed to be about three years old, may have been used for breeding purposes and then dumped when no longer needed. 

Express and Star

A merger between Walsall College and South Staffordshire College has been formally recommended by the government.  , external

Image source, Express and Star

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Stoke City defender Erik Pieters says Mark Hughes knows how to get the best out of record-signing Giannelli Imbula (pictured, right).

Image source, Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

The £18m signing from Porto started his first game since September last weekend - after being dropped for under-performing.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The great pictures you send in of Staffordshire and Cheshire keep on coming.

Kat Stevenson took this on the Shugborough Estate.

Image source, Kat Stevenson

While autumn is reflected in this next one, from Jon Kelso, of leaves on the ground in Barlaston, Staffordshire.

Do keep sending in your pictures - you can get them to me on email or put on Instagram (just add the tag #bbcstoke if you agree to share them), external.

Image source, Jon Kelso

Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

The complaint made against Cheshire's Chief Constable Simon Byrne, who is being investigated by the county's police and crime commissioner over an allegation about his conduct, came from a serving police officer, the BBC understands.

Mr Byrne, the chief constable since 2014, said he could not comment as he did not know the detail of the claim.

Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane said he referred the allegation to IPCC in the "interest of openness and transparency".

The IPCC returned the investigation for a "local investigation".