Joanne Writtle
BBC Midlands Today

A mother has spoken of her horror after a dog attacked her four-year-old son as they were walking on a public footpath. 

Gemma Bloor says her child will be scarred for life after the incident. Police want to trace the owner who fled the scene.  

Staffordshire Newsletter

Plans for new homes in Stone have been passed – despite the current access being labelled a "death trap"., external

Reports say a skeleton was found near the spot where Steven Cook was last seen.

BBC Business News

US food giant Kraft Heinz has said Unilever, which produces goods including Staffordshire-made Marmite, has rejected its takeover offer.

Image source, PA

Kraft, whose brands include Heinz ketchup, indicated it would continue working towards striking a deal.

Shares in Unilever have surged more than 11%, despite it saying it could "not see the basis for any further discussions" with Kraft.

The deal would be one of the biggest in corporate history, with Unilever currently valued at more than £100bn.

Police investigating the disappearance of a man say they're aware what appear to be human remains have been found on a Greek island.

Steven Cook, from Sandbach, was 20 when he was last seen outside a pub in Malia in Crete in 2005.

Image source, Cheshire Police

Cheshire Police say Steven's family have been informed about the discovery - which was made recently in Malia.

The force says the remains have been moved to Greece to ascertain whether they are male or female.

Stuart George
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke

A demolition team have started to take down part of a recycling plant in Stoke-on-Trent so firefighters can put out parts that are still burning. 

Image source, Gregory Beresford & Peter Andrews

A building containing recycled plastics was severely damaged in the fire which started almost two weeks ago. 

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service says three crews are now at the site trying to get to bales of plastic inside the building.

You have been using Your Questions to ask about the West Midlands. Here are some of our answers.

One of the contenders to lead Britain's biggest trade union is in Birmingham today.

Len McCluskey, the current leader of Unite, is being challenged by the union's West Midlands representative, Gerard Coyne., external

On his visit Mr McCluskey is due to visit Cadburys to meet with union members and shop stewards.

Nominations close today for the post of the union's general secretary.  

Express and Star

Cuts totalling £47.4m over the next year have been approved by Staffordshire County Council., external

Image source, Express and Star

Organs donated by the sexual assault campaigner Jill Saward have allowed two men to have kidney transplant, her husband has revealed.

Ms Saward, who lived in Hednesford, Staffordshire, died last month at the age of 51 after suffering a stroke. 

She devoted much of her life to campaigning for victims' rights after she was brutally raped in the notorious Ealing vicarage attack of 1986.  

Husband Gavin Drake said one of the men to benefit from her kidneys, who are both in their 40s, had been waiting two years for a transplant.

Joanne Writtle
BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this lunchtime, a mother has spoken of her horror after a dog attacked her four-year-old son as they were walking on a public footpath in Stoke-on-Trent. 

Image source, Family handout

She says her child will be scarred for life after the incident.

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

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A woman in Crewe's told the BBC she got a tattoo of Noel Edmonds on her thigh because she thought she would "never see him again".

Super-fun of the TV presenter Angie Morris had it done on the TV show Tattoo Fixers and says Mr Edmonds is the "love of her life", aside from her husband Bryn. 

Mrs Morris was then surprised on BBC Radio Stoke this morning when the man himself spoke to her over the phone and told her he was "hugely grateful" for her support.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

For this Friday, here is a collection of more of your pictures you've shared with us of Staffordshire and Cheshire.

Sarah Robertson
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

Police patrols are being carried out in the area of Stoke-on-Trent where a four-year-old boy was bitten by a dog.

Image source, Family Handout

The owner of the Staffordshire bull terrier walked off after it attacked the child in Blurton, leaving him needing plastic surgery. 

Staffordshire Police say they are continuing to search for the owner and say they'll keep patrolling the area until they find the animal.

Emma Thomas
Political reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

UKIP leader Paul Nuttall claims he has been the victim of a "smear campaign" by critics claiming he was not at the Hillsborough disaster.  

Image source, PA

Speaking on BBC Radio Stoke last night - while taking part in an election hustings - he described the last few days as "the most difficult circumstances I have ever been in in my life".

He was referring to the doubts being cast over whether he was at the match in 1989 and the fact his website falsely claimed he lost close personal friends in the disaster. 

His press officer has since taken responsibility for the post.

Mr Nuttall is standing in the Stoke Central by-election and a full list of candidates is available here on the BBC website.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

You've been having your say on the news that the huge straw Peter Rabbit sculpture near Nantwich is going to be rebuilt after burning to the ground.

The landmark at Snugbury's site in Hurleston on the A51 burnt down at the start of this month in a suspected arson attack, external but the firm say they will now rebuild it.

On the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, Alexis Breeze wrote, external: "Brilliant news. Everyone will be glad to see Peter back."

While Annie Macrae Edwards added, external: "Glad they are rebuilding, it looked fantastic."

On the North West Tonight Facebook page, Jean Roberts posted, external: "So glad, it was lovely to see when driving passed as well as going to see it."

And Sharon Flahavan wrote, external: "It's a beautiful place. So happy it's being rebuilt. It's another definite visit soon." 

Laurence Cawley
BBC News

Stoke-on-Trent City Council spent £75,000 trying to rid streets of pigeons and gulls in the past three years, it has emerged. 

It's the biggest spend outside of London since 2013, according to responses to a BBC information request on bird control.

Image source, Thinkstock

About two-thirds of England's councils responded and revealed the total amount spent rose from £452,000 in 2013-2014 to £830,000 in 2015-2016. 

The British Pest Control Association said the increase in spending might reflect a growing awareness of public health risks posed by some birds.

Emma Thomas
Political reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

There's now less than a week to go until the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election, triggered by the resignation of Labour's Tristram Hunt. 

Last night, ahead of the 23 February vote, BBC Radio Stoke held a debate among the candidates and you can hear it here or see it on the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, external.

Among the comments made by the five candidates were: 

• Jack Brereton for the Conservatives said his party will build new homes in Stoke-on-Trent. 
• Adam Colcough for the Green Party said he'd like a universal basic income to be introduced to the UK. 
• The Labour candidate Gareth Snell said he'd like to see the minimum wage reach £10 an hour. 
• Zulfiqar Ali for the Liberal Democrats said they have a plan to built 300,000 new homes in the UK. 
• UKIP's Paul Nuttall said he'd want to see the so-called "bedroom tax" scrapped if he's elected as MP.

A full list of the candidates standing in the by-election can be found here on the website.

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby Sport

Burton Albion face Norwich City tomorrow at the Pirelli Stadium.

Brewers manager Nigel Clough claims his side haven't had "the rub of the green" when it comes to refereeing decisions so far this season. 

Image source, Getty Images

Clough's side were denied a penalty at Brighton last weekend before the home side won a spot kick of their own.   

Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live

TV presenter Noel Edmonds has thanked a super-fan on BBC Radio Stoke for "going that little extra mile" in supporting him, after she got an image of his face tattooed on her thigh. 

Angie Morris from Crewe appeared on the TV show Tattoo Fixers to get the artwork permanently added to her body.

She says she's been a fan of Noel since she was eight and he presented The Multi-Coloured Swap Shop. 

Her partner of seven years says she's mad but he's got used to her love of the presenter.