BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire on Friday 13 January 2017

Summary

Tristram Hunt: 'Jeremy Corbyn not the reason I'm quitting'
Stafford's County Hospital: Consultant-led maternity 'not possible'
Baby born in back of police car after breakdown
Raccoon dog rescued from trap 'will make a full recovery'
Updates from Friday 13 January 2017

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

Extent of trolley waits at our hospitalspublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
Pressure on A&E at Royal Stoke is going to continue for the foreseeable future, according to the chief executive of the trust that runs the hospital.
Last month, 170 patients at Royal Stoke and County Hospitals spent more than 12 hours waiting on trolleys in A&E at the sites.
Paula Clark of University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust says part of the problem is a lack of beds caused by the number of people who no longer need to be in hospital but are waiting on alternative care.
Quote Message
UHNM was exceptionally busy in December 2016, this pressure has carried on into January 2017 and we anticipate that this will continue for the foreseeable future. We are continuing to manage this demand and working hard to maintain the quality of care that patients expect and deserve.”
Paula Clark, Chief Executive, UHNM NHS Trust
It comes as data, leaked to the BBC, shows in the first week of the new year more than 1,800 people had "trolley waits" of four hours or longer at NHS hospitals in England.
New 'Keele Deal' promises at least 700 new jobspublished at 15:40 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Stuart George
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
The Keele Deal has been launched, external. It's a series of plans, priorities and ways of working together for local councils, Keele University and businesses.
Part of it will be a new Innovation Centre on the Keele Campus.
The investment of £70m is to support a thousand local businesses amid claims it will also improve the health of people locally.
Image source, Keele University
Force narrows down names for police dogpublished at 15:04 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
Cheshire Police says it's narrowed down a public vote to name its latest dog recruit, external.
The force says there's been a "huge response" to its plea to help name him.
The choice is now from three names - Axel, Rebel or Saxon.
The vote closes on 11 January.
Image source, Cheshire Police
Fraudster jailed after stealing £27k from cleaning companypublished at 14:39 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
The Sentinel
Fraudster Dawn Steiner has been jailed after she ripped off her employer by transferring more than £27,000 into two personal bank accounts., external
Biker injured in collision in Newcastlepublished at 14:22 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
BBC Radio Stoke
A motorcyclist's been taken to hospital following a crash with a car that failed to stop after the collision, police say.
It happened on Dimsdale Parade West, external at about 19:25 last night.
The injured man is 52 and from Newcastle.
Police are appealing for witnesses.
Image source, Google
Baseball bat attack in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 14:04 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A man's been beaten with a baseball bat during a burglary in Stoke-on-Trent, police say.
Three people in balaclavas broke into his home on Louvain Avenue in Sneyd Green in the early hours of yesterday morning, external.
The 35-year-old suffered injuries to his face. The attackers stole cash and a neck chain.
Artell names Lunt as Crewe number twopublished at 13:49 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
New Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell names fellow ex-player Kenny Lunt as assistant manager in a backroom shake-up.
Read More
There's a tardis in my gardenpublished at 13:24 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
John Acres
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A Dr Who fan from Stoke-on-Trent has transformed his garden into a scene of which any Timelord would be proud.
With a dalek on his drive and now a full-size tardis - which, of course, is bigger on the inside - Paul Foden's efforts are clearly out of this world.
Media caption,
Paul Foden's garden is a real treat for Dr Who fans
Quote Message
I started building this in February 2016 and it's come along quite fast really, considering I've only had weekends and evenings to fix it up in."
Paul Foden, Dr Who fan
See other amazing gardens here.
England was 'colder than south pole'published at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
It is 35 years since temperatures plummeted in England, bringing chaos to the roads as records were set.
Read More
Deer deterrents damaged in Staffordshirepublished at 12:51 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Special equipment designed to deter deer from roads has been damaged.
The devices sound an alarm when traffic is approaching which is meant to startle the deer into finding a safe place, external away from the oncoming vehicles.
The damaged ones are around Cannock Chase and Burntwood.
Image source, Staffordshire Police
Police say the cost of the damage amounts to approximately £1,800.
Vale terminate keeper Santos's contractpublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Port Vale goalkeeper Miguel Santos has his contract with the League One club terminated by mutual consent.
Read More
Tolkien tour comes to county townpublished at 12:12 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
BBC Midlands Today
A touring exhibition commemorating J.R.R Tolkien's posting in Staffordshire during World War One arrives in the county.
Visitors to Stafford will be able to explore the writing and artwork that The Lord of the Rings author, external produced during this period of his life.
As a lieutenant with the Lancashire Fusiliers he was stationed at Brocton Camp on Cannock Chase, at Whittington Heath near Lichfield and also Rugeley.
Watch: Your 50-second weather forecastpublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather
Bad news - we've got quite a showery day ahead across the Midlands.
Media caption,
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Boom time for cattle marketpublished at 11:25 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Business is booming at Staffordshire's only cattle market - so much so that expansion plans have been put on hold.
Last autumn, Leek Cattle Market took £5m, that's up nine percent on last year. Auctioneer Bruce Daniel explains why here:
Media caption,
Success at Leek Cattle Market
Bosses say business has been so good that they've simply not been able to set aside room, or the time, to expand. They've told BBC Radio Stoke work will start in the next few months.
Funeral to be held for boy who died in road accidentpublished at 11:02 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
The funeral of a nine-year-old boy who died after a road accident in Staffordshire will take place this morning.
Zachary Barker died at Birmingham Children's Hospital following the collision in Spring Gardens, Leek, last month.
The service is being held at St Edward's Church. His parents have asked that any donations are made to Midlands Air Ambulance.
Latest: Funeral for Leek boy; public to examine A&E proposals; man builds Dr Who set in gardenpublished at 10:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Some of the stories we're following this morning:
- The funeral of a nine-year-old boy who died after a road accident in Staffordshire will take place this morning
- The public will get a chance to examine proposals to downgrade one of Staffordshire's Accident and Emergency Departments, says hospital boss
- A Stoke-on-Trent man's transformed his back garden into a Dr Who set complete with tardis
Your pictures: Weather Watchers getting snap happy this morningpublished at 10:12 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
BBC Weather Watchers
We always love to get your pictures. Thanks to Thornill Watch for this one of Hednesford and MelW for a dash of red sky in the morning in Abbots Bromley.
Image source, Thornhill Watch/MelW
Motorway network at a standstill due to M6 lorry firepublished at 09:49 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Chester Chronicle
Motorway traffic is at a standstill this morning due to a lorry fire on the M6 northbound in Cheshire. , external
Sport headlines: Stoke boss 'not under threat' after Wolves defeat; Vale's next two matches 'huge'published at 09:35 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
The top sport stories this morning:
- Former Stoke boss Lou Macari doesn't believe current manager Mark Hughes's job is under threat, despite Stoke's FA Cup defeat to Wolves on Saturday
- Former Crewe striker Dean Ashton says it's crucial that the club use the experience of their head of recruitment Neil Baker, following Steve Davis's departure
- Port Vale midfielder Anthony De Freitas says the next two matches are huge for the club
The future of A&E: 'Full consultation' to be heldpublished at 09:14 Greenwich Mean Time 10 January 2017
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The public will get a chance to thoroughly examine proposals to downgrade one of Staffordshire's Accident and Emergency departments, according to the chief executive of the trust running some of the county's hospitals.
Last month we reported that one of three A&E departments in Staffordshire could be downgraded as part of plans to save £542m.
Image source, Getty Images
Quote Message
We are making sure that we have a full consultation with the public about what they need in a particular area. What we've got the make sure is that we've got the right services for our population and so that's part of the consultation process."
Paula Clarke, Chief executive, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust