BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire on Friday 20 January 2017

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

Latest: Woman hit in hammer robbery; rape campaigner's funeral held; charity can run ex-library sitepublished at 17:03 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Today's headlines include:
- A gang with hammers have hit a woman on the back of the head during a robbery in Stoke-on-Trent
- The funeral of victims' rights campaigner Jill Saward has taken place at Lichfield Cathedral
- A charity can take over the running of the former Fenton Library building, councillors have agreed
In the hunt: Stoke Central by-election for all partiespublished at 16:50 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Patrick Burns
Political editor, Midlands
Farewell to the only Tristram in Stoke. "He's not from round here," was how many Potteries people greeted the news that Tristram Hunt had landed in Stoke-on-Trent Central with the aid of the proverbial parachute, during the run-up to the 2010 general election.
Image source, AFP
And by way of an epitaph, that was also the word on the streets on Friday the Thirteenth when he announced his decision to resign his seat in favour of his "dream job" as director of London's Victoria and Albert Museum.
You can read my latest blog here and there will be more in this weekend’s Sunday Politics in its usual slot at 11:00 on BBC One.
Meir Heath baby Connor McCue set to leave intensive care after life-saving liver transplantpublished at 16:41 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
The Sentinel
Brave Connor McCue is expected to leave intensive care later this week, external after a successful life-saving liver transplant.
Lyrics 'helped Saward' with rape traumapublished at 16:39 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
The husband of rape campaigner Jill Saward reveals in her final hours he sung to her lyrics that helped her recover from her 1986 attack.
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New industrial estate plans agreedpublished at 16:32 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
BBC Midlands Today
A developer has been given outline planning permission to build an industrial estate on land near Tamworth, which it is claimed could create hundreds of new jobs.
St Mowden, external is looking to built units on a 35-acre site east of junction 10 of the M42.
Image source, Google
Nearby areas are already used by warehouse and distribution firms and the developer says it's going to have to create an access route off Trinity Road for the site.
They add that a "substantial area" of existing open space will be kept for natural wildlife habitats.
Football: Chairman wants Stoke to get highest ever Premier League finishpublished at 16:20 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The Stoke City chairman, Peter Coates, says he thinks the club can go on to record their highest ever Premier League finish this season.
Image source, Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
Stoke are currently ninth after Saturday's win at Sunderland, a position in which they've finished in each of the last three seasons.
Quote Message
What we should be aiming for - and I'm sure what Mark (Hughes) is aiming for - is to try and finish as high as we can in the league. It could be done and there are a bunch of us who are in that mid-table together so it is do-able."
Peter Coates, Stoke City chairman
Charity can run former Fenton Library sitepublished at 16:10 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A charity can take over the running of the former Fenton Library building, councillors in Stoke-on-Trent have agreed.
Urban Vision North Staffordshire, external wants to use it as a base for a project that will feature a library, five units to let out and meeting and workshop rooms available for hire.
Funeral of Jill Saward: 'She was very humble'published at 16:02 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
A vicar says it was "a privilege to serve" the family of victims' rights campaigner Jill Saward on the day of her funeral at Lichfield Cathedral.
Ms Saward, who was 51, was the first rape victim to waive her anonymity after she was attacked by intruders at her father's vicarage in Ealing, west London, in 1986.
Rev Peter Hart is the vicar of her family's local church in Cannock.
Quote Message
It was a privilege to serve them on this very special, this very important day and I'm pleased that all things seem to have come together and I hope and pray that we gave Jill a fitting service in recognition of all that she's done... She was very courageous. She was very humble and she did a great deal and stuck at things with a great deal of determination."
Rev Peter Hart, Vicar of Cannock and Huntington
Forest loan striker Walker to Port Valepublished at 15:34 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Port Vale sign young striker Tyler Walker on loan for the rest of the season from Nottingham Forest.
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Eagles joins Vale in double signingpublished at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Port Vale sign ex-Manchester United winger Chris Eagles and bring in midfielder Callum Guy on loan from Derby County.
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William Moorcroft top hat auctionedpublished at 15:21 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
A top hat that used to belong to legendary potter William Moorcroft, of Stoke-on-Trent, will be auctioned next month.
The top hat, which was worn by the potter in the 1920s and 1930s, was found during a recent house clearance, Hansons Auctioneers, external said.
Auctioneer Charles Hanson said the techniques of William Moorcroft, who was born in Burslem in 1872 and died in 1945, were "closely guarded secrets".
The top hat will be sold on 21 February at 10:30 with a guide price of £100 to £200.
Quote Message
One can only imagine how his mind operated under this top hat to leave the legacy he did."
Charles Hanson, Hansons Auctioneers
Latest: Woman hit in hammer robbery; rape campaigner's funeral held; charity can run ex-library sitepublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Today's headlines include:
- A gang with hammers have hit a woman on the back of the head during a robbery in Stoke-on-Trent
- The funeral of victims' rights campaigner Jill Saward has taken place at Lichfield Cathedral
- A charity can take over the running of the former Fenton Library building, councillors have agreed
Potential candidates throw hats in the ring for crucial Stoke-on-Trent Central by-electionpublished at 14:43 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
The Sentinel
Potential candidates are starting to emerge for the crucial Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election, external.
Funeral of campaigner Jill Saward takes placepublished at 14:17 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
The funeral has taken place of Jill Saward, who became an ardent campaigner for victims of sexual assaults after she was raped during a burglary at her father's vicarage in 1986.
Twin sister Sue Lancaster (pictured above) said: "I have thought about whether I should step up and try and take her place, but I just don’t think I can.
"She was such a unique person and she had something to offer that I don't have."
The family of Ms Saward, 51, had invited "all those who knew and loved Jill" to pay their respects at the service at Lichfield Cathedral.
Nantwich residents urged to get flu jab as cases risepublished at 14:05 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Nantwich News
Nantwich residents are being urged to get their flu jab amid a rise in cases in South Cheshire. , external
Image source, Nantwich News
Investigation after 'carbon monoxide' alert at logistics firmpublished at 13:42 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A logistics firm says it has started a "thorough investigation" after six people at its office in Staffordshire were taken to hospital suffering from possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
A total of 33 people at the Kuehne and Nagel depot in Draycott-in-the-Clay were assessed by paramedics yesterday afternoon.
Image source, Derbyshire Air Ambulance
Two men and two women were taken to hospital in Burton-upon-Trent, and a man and a woman taken to Royal Derby Hospital.
This morning, a spokeswoman for Kuehne and Nagel said the six taken to hospital "are not in immediate danger".
On air: BBC Midlands Todaypublished at 13:21 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Elizabeth Glinka
BBC Midlands Today
The funeral has been taking place at Lichfield Cathedral of the sexual violence campaigner Jill Saward.
Mrs Saward, from Hednesford, was the first person to waive her anonymity after she was raped at her father's vicarage in Ealing in the 1980s.
Join me for BBC Midlands Today at 13:30 on BBC One.
Plans for £500k revamp of a Stoke-on-Trent town centrepublished at 13:04 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Plans to spend £500,000 improving part of Burslem town centre in Stoke-on-Trent, external could be approved this afternoon.
The city council's cabinet will be asked to agree the works, which include a new car park on Market Place as well as public toilets.
The authority says it is hoping to make the area ideal for public events throughout the year.
Former library building may be brought back into usepublished at 12:48 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The former Fenton Library building could be brought back into use if a plan to transfer it to a charity is approved today.
Image source, Google Maps
Fenton Library was closed by the city council in 2012 and the authority attempted to auction it off for about £120,000 two years later.
The council, external's cabinet will now be asked to transfer ownership of the building to the charity Urban Vision North Staffordshire, external.
It's proposing to create a "Centre for Sustainable Regeneration and Design", which would also include a library, five units to let out and meeting and workshop rooms available for hire.
Latest: Rape campaigner's funeral today; ex-library building may be used again; man is 102 todaypublished at 12:32 Greenwich Mean Time 17 January 2017
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Today's headlines include:
- The funeral of sexual violence campaigner Jill Saward is taking place at Lichfield Cathedral
- The former Fenton Library building could be brought back into use if a plan to transfer it to a charity is approved today
- A Stoke-on-Trent man is celebrating his 102nd birthday today