Crewe's university campus to close
No arrests yet over giant bunny sculpture arson
Driver 'stopped by police 17 times in 12 months'
Repeat of Stafford Hospital scandal across the NHS 'inevitable'
Snow warning for Staffordshire and Cheshire
Updates from Friday 10 February 2017
Jack Dowling
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A man in his 40s has suffered a back injury after falling from a ladder in Stone.
It happened just after 12:00 on a road off Whitemill Lane.
The air ambulance was called but not needed as the patient had already been taken to hospital by paramedics.
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
An entrepreneurial South Cheshire man thinks he's hit on a unique idea.
Fruit-flavoured beef burgers. He says he's not bananas, but he has created raspberry, blueberry and cranberry ones too.
Chris Brown from Nantwich spent the last 18 months learning all about the food industry so that he can run a business selling burgers.
He's put his job as a property developer on hold and transformed a shed in his garden where he can make up to 200 burgers a day.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The mother of a backpacker from Derbyshire who died after being stabbed in a hostel in Australia has criticised the White House for labelling her death a 'terror attack'.
30-year-old Tom Jackson from Congleton, Cheshire was fatally injured as he tried to save Mia Ayliffe-Chung in Queensland last August.
Police confirmed they did not die as a result of terrorism.
Despite this, their deaths were included on a list of 78 alleged "terror" attacks released by President Trump's administration.
Image source, FacebookTom Jackson from Congleton died trying to save Mia Ayliffe-Chung
Quote MessageThe possibility of Mia and Tom's deaths being consequent to an Islamic terror attack was discounted in the early stages of the police investigation."
Rosie Ayliffe, Mia Ayliffe-Chung's mother
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
A man has been cut free after his lorry crashed on the northbound M6 in Cheshire.
Two lanes between Middlewich and Knutsford were closed just after 10:00 while fire crews worked at the scene, external.
The lorry driver has been taken to Leighton Hospital with what are believed to be minor injuries.
Image source, Cheshire Fire & RescueIf you love taking pictures why not become one of our Weather Watchers?
We show lots of them here and some of the best end up being shown on BBC Midlands Today or the national weather forecast.
Thanks to Flying Ant and Soph for these ones of Stafford and Madeley.
Image source, Flying Ant
Image source, Soph
Ros Chimes
Staffordshire Moorlands reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Talk about a Hollywood leak (or is that Leek?) – A-lister and Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne has been in Staffordshire… buying crisps.
We can’t confirm the flavour, but, having a theory about everything, we reckon it was Redmayne Salted. Here’s the lowdown on the magical star and where we found him.
The star of The Danish Girl was in Leek at the Market Kitchen Café where owner Alison said he came across as a “nice and unassuming chap”.
There, she says, he leant on a bannister and ate crisps that he bought, it seems, to pass the time.
Image source, Getty ImagesQuote Message“He ordered two paninis and two lattes to go and when Kelly [employee] said to him ‘it'll be a few minutes if that's okay’, he said 'oh, can I take a bag of crisps?' and then he very casually walked and stood at the bottom of our stairs, leaned on the bannister and ate his crisps. He was here about ten minutes while he waited for his takeaway."
Alison, Cafe owner
Wesley Mallin
Reporter, BBC Radio Derby
Here's a closer look at that new JCB engine - touted by the firm as being greener and more efficient.
Phil Bowers
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent City Council says a 3% proposed increase in council tax will go towards funding what it calls "growing numbers of children in care."
The council's announcement comes as it prepares to debate proposals to save £61m, external over the next three years.
The authority says 2% will go towards care for older people and those with disabilities, while the remaining 1% will go towards helping children in care.
Image source, PAThe cabinet will discuss the proposals at their meeting next Tuesday and a final decision will be made by the full council on the 23 February.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The headlines this lunchtime:
- Stoke-on-Trent City Council says a 3% proposed increase in council tax will go towards funding what it calls a 'growing numbers of children in care'
- Tests are still taking place to assess the environmental impact of a fire at an illegal recycling plant in Stoke-on-Trent
- Hollywood actor, Eddie Redmayne, has been spotted out and about in the Staffordshire Moorlands town of Leek
Liz Ellis
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
A leading Staffordshire doctor has told me some patients are waiting up to a month to get an appointment and the situation's only going to get worse.
But Dr Paul Scott, who's the chair of North Staffordshire's Local Medical Council, says charging people who miss an appointment isn't the answer.
He told me how difficult the situation is.
Image source, Science Photo LibraryQuote MessageThis is actually a kind of sticking plaster on the fundamental problem that there aren't enough GPs in England and the pressures on us for moving care from hospitals out into general practice is no longer sustainable."
Dr Paul Scott, GP and chair of North Staffordshire's Local Medical Council
Wesley Mallin
Reporter, BBC Radio Derby
A brand new engine has been unveiled at JCB's plant in Foston.
The three-litre unit is more efficient and greener than the standard 4.4 litre engine the company puts in most of its diggers.
It's the culmination of a £41m investment which began in 2011 and has brought 50 new jobs to the Derbyshire plant.
One of the most controversial political figures of the 1980s has made the startling allegation, external that an attempt was made on his life by intelligence services following the infamous miners' strike of 1984-85.
Image source, Burton Mail
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke
A cat was rescued by firefighters and the RSPCA in a four-hour operation after becoming stuck between two walls.
Mickey got into trouble after going exploring outside his home in Stoke-on-Trent.
He was found squeezed into an eight-inch gap, about 10ft down, at the side of his house and his neighbour's garage.
Image source, RSPCAFire crews and an RSPCA officer had to cut through a cabinet and chisel through two brick walls to reach him.
They finally got him out at 02:00 on Friday morning. Cara Gibbon from the RSPCA said it was the worst case of a wedged animal she'd ever seen.
John Acres
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Robbie Williams's dad has paid a visit to the pub he ran in Burslem where Robbie grew up.
Pete Conway took over running over The Red Lion when Rob was only two-years-old and has fond memories of bringing up his family there.
The pub's future is uncertain after several months on the market - without a suitable buyer.
Pete Conway revisits old home
Quote MessageI earned my living away from Stoke-on-Trent and I was married with a young family and Jan, my wife at the time, wanted us to do something together. So suddenly, from being an entertainer, I became a licensee, although I carried on entertaining when we divorced."
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
A man has been charged with causing the death of a seven-year-old boy who was hit by a car in Stoke-on-Trent last year.
Kayden Dunn from Sneyd Green was walking along Repington Road in April when he was involved in a collision with a car.
Twenty-year-old Shakeeb Zamir, from Sneyd Green, is due to appear before magistrates in Newcastle today charged with causing death by careless driving and causing death whilst driving with no insurance.
Image source, Family picture
Andy Giddings
BBC Shropshire
Arsonists may be to blame after three cars caught fire in two separate incidents, investigators say.
Just after 20:00 last night firefighters were called to put out a car which was ablaze in Dawley, partly damaging a nearby garage.
And then at midnight they had to extinguish two cars parked in roadside parking bays in Cherrington.
The two incidents are not being linked.
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Here are some of the stories we're looking at this morning:
- A man has been charged with causing the death of a seven-year-old boy in a road accident in Stoke-on-Trent last year
- Patients who miss their GP appointments are being "disrespectful" to the health service, according to a leading Staffordshire doctor
- A farmer from the Staffordshire Moorlands says the recent bird flu outbreak has meant his free range birds have had to be housed for the last few months
BBC Midlands Today
Walkers have been enjoying the sight of a rare black swan on Chasewater in Staffordshire.
It was first spotted at the end of last month. Black swans are native to Australia but were brought to this country as ornamental birds.
If you've seen them on Chasewater we'd love to see your pictures.
Image source, Getty Images
BBC Radio Stoke
The Environment Agency's told BBC Radio Stoke there's been no harmful pollution from a major fire in Stoke-on-Trent on Sunday.
Smoke from the fire at Hanbury Plastics in Milton could be seen 20 miles away.
The agency's been testing air and water quality, external to make sure no damage has been done.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire & Rescue ServiceQuote MessageWorking with the fire and rescue service we'll make sure those messages are relayed out to the public to make sure they've got the latest information on what they should be doing."
Mark Lidderth, Environment Agency
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
Bosses at the Royal Stoke and County Hospital in Stafford are paying £500,000 to keep community beds open during the winter.
It comes after the University Hospital of North Midlands Trust raised concerns about plans to close three wards at Bradwell Hospital, external.
They're now due to shut at the end of March.
