Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A last look at our top stories this evening:

- The school summer holidays could be cut by one week which could be moved to October for pupils in Stoke-on-Trent

- Plans to increase council tax in Staffordshire by 4.95% from April, external have been approved today by the county council's cabinet

- Charges for getting rid of DIY and landscaping waste in Staffordshire, external at the county council's recycling centres have so far not led to a rise in fly-tipping, according to a report

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Charges for getting rid of DIY and landscaping waste in Staffordshire, external at the county council's recycling centres have so far not led to a rise in fly-tipping, according to an official report. 

The authority brought in the costs from 1 November, saying they would cover the cost of processing waste such as plasterboard and tyres.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

Critics at the time told BBC Radio Stoke they feared it would lead to an increase in fly-tipping.

But a report, written by Staffordshire's Joint Waste Management Board,, external says that's not the case in the two months since the introduction of the charges. 

It says that there have been "fluctuations" when compared to the year before but adds that they're consistent with fluctuations from before the charging scheme.

Staffordshire Newsletter

A review of children's A&E services at Stafford's County Hospital which shut down amid safety concerns is set to be published soon., external

Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Image source, Claire Yates

The owner of a horse, which had to be rescued after getting stuck in a bog in the Staffordshire Moorlands this morning, external, says the animal is cold and shaken but "doing OK". 

Three crews were sent by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service to a field off Wickenlow Lane near Flash to help lift the 20-year-old horse, Angel, out.

Image source, Claire Yates

Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands Today

There are also the latest forecasts for your part of Staffordshire or Cheshire on the BBC Weather website.

Hundreds of plastic bottles, bags, and cans are among a huge pile of waste dumped by fly-tippers.

Relive Wednesday's EFL action, as QPR earn a last-gasp draw at Newcastle and high-flying Leeds beat Blackburn

BBC Weather Watchers

Image source, Bucko

Here are a couple of the many photos we've had in the last day from our BBC Weather Watchers in Staffordshire and Cheshire.

These two are from users Bucko in Uttoxeter and Welsh Wizard in Brereton cum Smethwick.

Image source, Welsh Wizard

BBC Travel

The A34 Newcastle Road in Newcastle-under-Lyme is partially blocked in both directions near the Leaside Road junction, due to an accident.

John Acres
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

An appeal's been launched to raise almost £500,000 to try and keep a historic Wedgwood vase in Stoke-on-Trent.  , external

The city council say it was created by Josiah Wedgwood to mark the opening of his factory in Etruria in 1769. 

It was loaned to the Potteries Museum until it was sold at auction to an overseas buyer last year. , external

The authority says the government has withheld the export licence to give them a chance to raise the money to purchase it - they have until March to show they can buy it back. 

Miranda Goodby (featured in video) from Stoke-on-Trent City Council says the vase is key piece of the pottery industry's history and is an important part of showing Stoke-on-Trent's place in the world.  

The proposal to move one week from the summer break to October is being mulled over by schools.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Our headlines this afternoon include:

- A huge pile of waste has been fly-tipped on a cycle path in the Staffordshire Moorlands  

- A woman's been left "extremely shaken" after police say a man tried to carjack her vehicle in a Staffordshire village, external

- An appeal's been launched to raise almost £500,000 to try and keep a historic Wedgwood vase in Stoke-on-Trent, external

Matt Jackson
Producer, BBC Radio Stoke

We've heard now from Staffordshire Moorlands District Council over the waste fly-tipped on the Biddulph Valley Way at the weekend. 

They say the investigation into the incident's being led by the Environment Agency with help from the authority.

The district council adds that they are also working with the owner of the land to get the material removed "as quickly as possible".

BBC Radio Stoke

A horse has been rescued after getting stuck in a ditch in the Staffordshire Moorlands, external this morning. 

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service say they sent three crews to a field on Wickenlow Lane near Flash and arrived at 09:45.

The service say the horse, which weighs a tonne and is 17 hands high, was lifted from the ditch and was checked over by a vet.

BBC Newsbeat

Stoke-on-Trent entrepreneur Sarah Willingham is leaving Dragons' Den.

She and fellow "Dragon" Nick Jenkins say they will both step down at the end of the current series on BBC Two, with their last episode on 26 February.

Sarah Willingham, 43, who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent , externaland made her money investing in restaurant chain The Bombay Bicycle Club, joined the show in 2015 with Nick Jenkins and Touker Suleyman.  

Touker, Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones are understood to be staying.  

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The National Memorial Arboretum says it is "incredibly grateful" that Graham Taylor's family has selected the site to receive donations in memory of the former England manager.

The funeral of the former Watford, Aston Villa and Wolves boss is taking place in Watford today. 

Image source, Getty Images

Graham Taylor's family say the Staffordshire-based National Memorial Arboretum "meant so much to Graham" and has dominated the charity to benefit from donations, external. 

The arboretum tweeted to say he was "a regular visitor and will be sorely missed, external".

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A woman's been left "extremely shaken" after police say a man tried to carjack her vehicle in a Staffordshire village. , external

Staffordshire Police say she was driving her white Kia Sportage on the A462 towards Burnsnips Road in Essington when she got to traffic lights at the junction of Warstone Road and Broad Lane. 

Image source, Google

They say she saw a man on the grass verge who then ran to the driver's side of the vehicle and tried to open her locked door.

Officers say he then tried to reach through the half-open window to get to the door lever when a person in the vehicle behind shouted at him, making him run off.

Express and Star

Fly-tipping has increased across Cannock and Stafford after charges at tips were introduced, new figures show., external

Image source, Express and Star

Ian Winter
BBC Midlands Today Sport

Hundreds of people are attending the funeral of Graham Taylor in Watford today.

Taylor managed Aston Villa, Wolves and England during his managerial career and was also a passionate supporter of the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which will benefit from donations at the family's request. 

We'll have more on BBC One from 13:30.

Patrick Burns
Political editor, Midlands

So now we know. Ten candidates will contest the most eagerly awaited Midlands by-election for many years.

It will test whether or not Labour's official support for the Remain campaign has driven a wedge between the party and its core support.

Stoke Central, long considered the safest of safe Labour seats, will prove or disprove the theory that there is no longer any such thing, with all that entails for Jeremy Corbyn, overwhelmingly re-elected less than six months ago as party leader.

Twenty years ago, Labour had a 20,000 majority here. In 2015, it was down to just over 5,000. And that was pre-Corbyn and pre-Brexit.

But UKIP and the Conservatives have plenty to fight for as well, to reinforce their credentials as the Brexit parties.  

You can see more analysis from me and a full list of the candidates here on the BBC website.