Express and Star

Staffordshire Police needs to improve, inspectors said today, as a national report revealed victims around the country were being let down and suspects left untracked , external as police failed to carry out basic functions.

Image source, Express and Star

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Emergency crews say it took them nearly three hours to rescue a man who fell 60ft (18m) down an embankment in Kidsgrove.  , external

West Midlands Ambulance Service say it happened at a disused railway line under Boathorse Road yesterday afternoon. 

Image source, West Midlands Ambulance Service

Paramedics say he fell onto boggy land in a ravine and the rescue was "extremely difficult" due to the conditions.

They say the air ambulance was called to the scene and the man, who's in his 30s, was treated for leg and hip injuries and taken to hospital. 

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Almost four weeks after a fire started at a recycling plant in Stoke-on-Trent , the fire service say it is now out.

They've released drone footage showing the extent of the damage caused to the Hanbury Plastics Recycling site in Milton.

Investigators said the fire was started deliberately, external .

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A teenager has been jailed for life for murdering a man in Crewe.

Oliver John Dabbs, 19, of Wood Street in the town, was found guilty at Chester Crown Court and was sentenced today to a minimum of 20 years in prison. 

Image source, Cheshire Police

Cheshire Police say his victim, Stephen O'Brien, who was 51, died on a service road off Edleston Road from a single stab wound to his heart. 

The force say he'd also suffered a fractured eye socket, voice box and cheekbone. 

A piece of timber which hit university worker Tahnie Martin showed 'signs of neglect', an inquest hears.

The smallest city in Britain, St Davids in Wales, is among those to register an interest.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

You've been having your say on the news that approval has been given to plans for a new shopping centre, external in the middle of Stoke-on-Trent.

Developers say they now expect Unity Walk to open as early as 2019. 

On the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, Andy Bowker posted, external : "I hope that Hanley is able to regenerate itself and become a city centre to be proud of again. This can only be good news."

But Susan Mobley said, external it wouldn't tempt her to shop in Stoke-on-Trent: "Never, I shop in Manchester and Birmingham weekly." 

So far, the developers say M&S and Next are "lined up" as anchor tenants for the site, external but Paula Scotland wrote, external that they need more: "We need big names - Selfridges, Apple, John Lewis - if we are going to bring shoppers back to Hanley."

Tamworth Herald

Two "unsung heroes" in Tamworth have received awards for their lengthy dedication to the Royal British Legion. , external

Image source, Tamworth Herald

Sarah Robertson
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

On World Book Day, a university claims it has, external "one of the oldest children’s book" still in existence.  

Keele University has been digging through its archives and has found the book in its library.

"A Guide to the Childe and Youth" was donated to them in the 1950s but dates back to 1667.

Among its contents are a rhyming alphabet, woodcut illustrations and maths lessons.  

Alex Homer
BBC Local Live

"Signs of decay and neglect" have been found on the wooden water tank cover which struck and killed a pedestrian during Storm Doris in Wolverhampton, an inquest has heard.

Image source, Facebook

An investigation is looking into what maintenance had been undertaken on the cover before it hit and killed Tahnie Martin, a 29-year-old University of Wolverhampton worker, near Starbucks on Dudley Street, the coroner was told.

Ms Martin, from Stafford, was pronounced dead near Wolverhampton's Mander Centre on Thursday last week after being hit by a two-metre-long piece of timber amid high winds.

Det Sgt John Garbett, of West Midlands Police, told the court officers had recovered CCTV footage showing the moment the object fell from a roof and hit Ms Martin.

"The debris that struck Miss Martin shows signs of decay and neglect," he said. "There are certain inquiries being made by the environmental heath department [of the council] in relation to the maintenance schedule."

The officer confirmed formal contact had not yet been made with the owner of the building. The inquest will not resume until April.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Staffordshire Police "requires improvement" according to the police watchdog. 

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary's report on the force says senior officers aren't consistently supervising investigations , external and there are delays in officers routinely visiting sex offenders.  

But the force was praised for tackling anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe, with the report saying it had "improved significantly" in protecting vulnerable people. 

In response, Staffordshire Police said, external it had "plans in place" to make improvements.

Stoke winger Ibrahim Afellay signs a new contract committing him to the club until the end of the 2018-19 season.

BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today from 13:30 we'll hear how drivers in parts of the region have received more bus lane fines than almost anywhere else in the country. 

Image source, Chalabala

We'll also have news on Staffordshire Police being told to improve by the police watchdog. 

Plus your lunchtime weather, all on BBC One from 13:30 .

Louise Brierley
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

A Stoke-on-Trent woman who's set up her own taxi service for pets says she got the idea after hearing how people were struggling to find cabbies who'd agree to take their animals.

The former Potteries workers has even got a special licence to drive pets around without their owner. 

So far, the service has attracted a dozen regular clients since it was set up in January.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Ranging from views of Stone to wildlife in Newcastle-under-Lyme, here are some more of your pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire that you've sent in.

Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WM

More than 50 motorists were stopped by the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) for using their hand-held mobiles at the wheel yesterday.

Image source, PA

Penalties doubled from Wednesday in England, Wales and Scotland, with  offenders receiving a £200 fine and six penalty points  and new drivers could also lose their licence for a single offence. 

The CMPG is made up of officers and staff from West Midlands, West Mercia and Staffordshire police forces.

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Part of a major junction with the A500 in north Staffordshire has reopened this morning, four weeks earlier than expected. 

Image source, Google

In January, Highways England started safety work on the southbound bridge on the A34 roundabout near Talke and said it planned to finish at the end of March. 

But, with nearly a month still to go, its announced it's finished early and the roundabout is now completely open to traffic.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Two people have been rescued from a vehicle stuck in floodwater in Stoke-on-Trent , external this morning, external . 

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service say the water on Chemical Lane, Longport was 2-3ft (0.6-0.9m) deep. 

Three fire crews were called at 08:20 and found three vehicles in the water, but the service say only two people needed rescuing from one of the vehicles and an ambulance wasn't called out.

The Sentinel

Deceitful Pamela Jackson duped her new partner out of more than £38,000 after telling him a pack of lies , external - including that she had cancer and needed cash to pay for treatment.

Image source, The Sentinel

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Following the earlier weather warning for snow, external , it looks like we did have a dusting of the white stuff in Staffordshire, but only really over higher ground.

These two pictures show a light sprinkling over the village of Flash and, from BBC Weather Watcher Videoman, in the Leek area:

Image source, Flash Bar Stores

Image source, Videoman