Summary

  • Saido Berahino could be on the way to Stoke City

  • Stoke Central by-election expected on 23 February

  • Some Cheshire schools say they may drop to a four-day week due to funding cuts

  • Man knocked unconscious as two men steal his car in Cheshire

  • Updates from Friday 20 January 2017

Live Reporting

Andrew Dawkins

  1. Latest: Dozens of possible victims in football abuse inquiry; 'concerns' about £1 night parking; appeal after serious assault

    Lee Blakeman
    BBC Radio Stoke newsreader

    Today's headlines include:

    - Cheshire police say they've identified three potential suspects and 83 possible victims at this stage of their investigation into allegations of historical sex abuse in football 

    - A business owner in Newcastle has raised concerns about the decision to charge people £1 to park in the borough at night

    - Police are appealing for information following a serious assault in a nightclub, Pink in Hanley, last month

  2. Watch: Weather for the West Midlands

    Lucy Martin
    BBC Weather

    It will stay cloudy and rather grey this afternoon with the odd spot of light rain and drizzle possible over higher ground such as the Peak District. 

    Highs of 8C (46F). 

  3. Bomb teams sent to schools 22 times in chemical alert

    Lisa Wright
    Journalist, BBC News Online

    Bomb disposal teams were called out to 22 schools in Staffordshire and Cheshire in the wake of government advice about a potentially hazardous chemical. 

    The warning about stocks of 2,4 dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) sparked a flurry of calls to the Army, which carried out hundreds of explosions.

    ChemicalsThinkstock

    The Department for Education said it worked with the Army to support schools with "necessary disposals". 

    The Ministry of Defence figures were released to the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act. 

    The call-outs in this area include to Keele University and South Cheshire College in Crewe.

  4. Brexit MPs to meet Stoke-on-Trent ceramic industry leaders

    Emma Thomas
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    MPs on the government's committee for Exiting the European Union will visit Stoke-on-Trent today to meet leaders of the ceramics industry in the city.

    Ceramics going into kiln

    The event at Johnson Tiles, Tunstall comes two days after the prime minister confirmed the UK will leave the single market, meaning an end to tariff-free movement of goods between Britain and the EU. 

    An estimated £500m worth of the ceramic industry's trade each year is in export sales. 

  6. Clean sheets 'give caretaker manager confidence'

    Port Vale's Nathan Smith believes confidence is starting to grow amongst the team again. 

    Nathan SmithEFL

    The defender (pictured above) says two consecutive clean sheets in the league have instilled belief back into the side.

    Smith told BBC Radio Stoke that caretaker manager Michael Brown has helped the players rediscover their confidence. 

    To get two clean sheets as a defender [they're] definitely big positives and confidence boosters for the next game. It shows him that what he's doing is working and it gives him confidence and belief in what he's trying to do and definitely makes the players believe in his methods of playing and hopefully it works again on Friday."

    Nathan Smith, Port Vale defender

  7. North West Ambulance Service 'requires improvement'

    Bronwyn Jones
    BBC News

    The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) NHS Trust, which covers Cheshire, has been told it "requires improvement".

    The Care Quality Commission report was compiled after a five-day announced visit and a surprise inspection.  

    Paramedic in ambulance

    Concerns included a high level of vacancies among front-line paramedics, the trust's complaints policy and mental capacity assessments.

    But the inspection also praised three areas of "outstanding practice" and the trust's "exceptionally caring" staff.

    NWAS chief executive Derek Cartwright said: "The last 12 months have been extremely challenging for the organisation, with unprecedented demand for our services, and it is unfortunate that by not reviewing policies and guidelines as often as we should, we are in the position we are now.

    "We are determined to right this as soon as possible."

  8. Latest: Dozens of possible victims in football abuse inquiry; businesses 'have come close to shutting'; ambulance service 'requires improvement'

    Lee Blakeman
    BBC Radio Stoke newsreader

    Today's headlines include:

    - Cheshire police say they've identified three potential suspects and 83 possible victims at this stage of their investigation into allegations of historical sex abuse in football 

    - Businesses on a street in Wolstanton say they've come close to shutting down because of overrunning roadworks there.

    - The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which covers Cheshire, has been told it "requires improvement" by a health regulator

  10. BBC Weather Watcher pictures: Madeley and Leek

    BBC Weather Watchers

    MadeleyYoung ted

    If you want to see some great pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire, head to the BBC Weather Watchers website.

    These two from the past 24 hours are from users Young Ted in Madeley, Staffordshire, and Videoman in Leek.

    LeekVideoman

  11. Dozens of possible victims found in Cheshire football child abuse inquiry

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    Cheshire police say they've identified three potential suspects and 83 possible victims at this stage of their investigation into allegations of historical sex abuse in football.

    The force began its inquiry in November and has now received more than 200 reports from potential victims and witnesses.

    Children playing footballThinkstock

    It says the actual number of suspects and affected Cheshire-based clubs will become clearer as it continues to arrange to meet those who've come forward with allegations.

    But officers are warning it is an "extremely complex" investigation and, although its specialist officers are working "tirelessly", it's still likely to take some time.

  12. News: Dozens of possible victims in football child abuse inquiry; ambulance service 'requires improvement'; bomb teams at schools 24 times

    Lee Blakeman
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    Our headlines this morning include:

    - Cheshire police say they've identified three potential suspects and 83 possible victims at this stage of their investigation into allegations of historical sex abuse in football 

    - The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which covers Cheshire, has been told it "requires improvement" by a health regulator

    - Bomb disposal teams were called out to 24 schools Staffordshire and Cheshire in the wake of government advice about a potentially hazardous chemical

  14. Watch: Stoke and Staffordshire's weather this morning

    Lucy Martin
    BBC Weather

    A relatively dry start compared with other mornings and here's how the rest of the day is looking.

    You can also visit the BBC Weather website for forecasts.

    Lucy Martin

  15. Good morning - join us for today's live coverage for Staffordshire and Cheshire

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    Hello everyone, it is a slightly drier start to the day in Stoke-on-Trent - no drizzle about in Hanley so far.

    Hanley today

    We'll have a look at the morning's weather forecast shortly and, through today, there'll be news, sport, travel and other updates for Staffordshire and Cheshire.

    You can also throw in your comments to the mix and send in your pictures of the area - on email, tweet @BBCRadioStoke or put photos on Instagram with the tag #bbcstoke.

  16. Our live coverage across the day

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

  17. Watch: Overnight weather forecast

    Shefali Oza
    BBC Midlands Today

    Remaining cloudy and chilly overnight. The winds will be light and most places should stay dry, although the cloud may be thick enough for a little drizzle over the hills, with some patchy hill fog too - highs of 2C (36F).

    Shefali Oza with the weather forecast for the West Midlands

  18. Closing A&Es is 'no way to deal with increased need'

    Stafford's MP has asked the prime pinister to step in over plans to close one of the county's three A&E departments.

    An overhaul of the health service in Staffordshire means it has to save £542m over the next five years. One of the units at either Stoke, Stafford or Burton could be downgraded in a bid to save money.

    MP Jeremy Lefroy said closing A&S was "no way to deal with increased, real - not imagined need".

    Stafford A&E

    The people of Staffordshire and Stoke-On-Trent are again being confronted with a possible loss of emergency services in Stafford or Burton when our acute hospitals are constantly under intense pressure."

    Jeremy Lefroy, Stafford MP

  19. Hunt addresses Brexit in final Commons speech

    BBC Politics

    Labour's Tristram Hunt has been making his farewell speech to the Commons after his announcement he is standing down to become director of the V&A museum.

    The Stoke Central MP spoke about the EU referendum and the fact, although he backed Remain, there were days when he toured his constituency and did not find a single person who shared his views.

    Tristram HuntHouse of Commons

    Stoke Central, he argued, voted for Brexit in large numbers for three reasons - to restore sovereignty, to address globalisation and to curb immigration. 

    As to the future of Labour, he says the interests of its supporters have diverged and any leader would now face a struggle holding together a "metropolitan and post-industrial coalition".

    But he wishes his fellow colleagues well from his new vantage point and says it has been a privilege to represent the city for the past six and half a years.

  20. Latest headlines: Stafford MP asks PM to consider A&E closures; £1 parking plans could be approved later

    The top stories in the BBC Radio Stoke newsroom include:

    • Stafford's MP has asked the prime minister to step in over plans to close one of the county's three A&E departments
    • A man's appeared in court charged with the murders of his two young children - two and a half months after he was found in a burnt-out car on the A53 near Newcastle
    • Plans to make people pay £1 to park overnight on more car parks in Newcastle-under-Lyme look set to be approved by councillors later