Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Leek has been named as one of the best places to live in the West Midlands in a list published by the Sunday Times. 

The survey looks at things like quality of life, community spirit, good local shops and attractive outdoor spaces. 

Crime rates, house prices and school performance are also taken into account in the rankings.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A celebration of international beer's taking place in Burton this weekend., external

The National Brewery Centre on Horninglow Street is holding The International Festival of Beer 2017. 

Image source, Google

Organisers say they have some of the 1,000 beers and ciders entered for international brewing awards from the UK and over 50 countries. 

They also say there'll be live music from 17:00 this evening with the event carrying on until Sunday.

Phil McCann
Cheshire Political Reporter, BBC News

Cheshire East Council has apologised "unreservedly" for a series of mistakes in the way it assessed who should care for a vulnerable 11-month-old girl.

A High Court judge said there'd been a failure to comply with professional obligations.

The council's most senior social worker has been ordered to give an explanation for what a High Court judge has labelled "lackadaisical" efforts by the authority's social workers.

They were assessing relatives as potential carers of a toddler whose parents were unable to care for her.   

None of those involved can be named for legal reasons. 

Mr Justice MacDonald said the assessments were "inadequate and fundamentally flawed". 

The council says lessons will be learned and training will be reviewed.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A man's been jailed for life for the murder of his housemate,, external who died four years after the alleyway attack. 

Gareth Rowton, 35, (pictured) was already serving an 11-year sentence after admitting grievous bodily harm with intent over the attack in Cannock in 2012, police said.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

David Stanton remained in care after the incident outside their home in Old Fallow Road and died aged 61 on 29 June, 2015. 

A post-mortem examination found he died from "delayed complications of a severe brain injury", police said. 

Last year detectives charged Rowton with murder and he pleaded guilty.

Today he was given a life sentence at Stafford Crown Court and told he would serve a minimum term of 14 years and 58 days, minus the time he'd already served in custody.

Tamworth Herald

An illegal Tamworth angler who used "threatening behaviour" after being challenged about his rod licence has been fined in his absence. , external

Image source, Tamworth Herald

Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

An old bus which carried a cup-winning football side on its victory tour is to ride again this weekend.

The vehicle took Stoke City's 1972 League Cup winners around the city and has been found and restored. 

The bus, along with players from the team, will be joined by around 40 classic cars on a special trip around the city this Sunday. 

Listen to BBC Radio Stoke commentary as Manchester City take on Stoke City in the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

Mike Perkins
BBC Radio Stoke Sport

The Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell's signed former Accrington goalkeeper Andy Dawber on a short-term deal as injury cover. 

Image source, crewealex.net

It's after second-choice stopper Dave Richards broke a finger in a game on Tuesday night. 

The club say Dawber's been training at the Alex over the past few weeks and has been signed until the end of the season.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Here are five more of the pictures that you've sent in recently which were taken in Staffordshire and Cheshire.

To share yours, send it on email or, if you use Instagram, put it there and add the tag #bbcstoke, external if you agree to share it.

Nicola Beckford
BBC Midlands Today

This lunchtime on Midlands Today we'll look at the cost to councils in the region of cleaning up fly-tipping.

The BBC's found it reached £3m last year with cases on the West Midlands' streets increasing by 13% over the past five years. 

We'll be asking what can be done and whether the figures will fall in the future on BBC One from 13:30.

BBC News Travel

Repair work to the barrier on the A38 is now complete and all lanes northbound between Alrewas and A50 are now open.

The Highways Agency has thanked drivers for their patience.

Express and Star

An astonishing 38 reports of potholes on just one roundabout in Cannock Chase were made to Staffordshire County Council. , external

Image source, Express and Star

BBC Two

If you missed The Great Pottery Throw Down last night, you missed the quarter-final with two of the potters sent home, all filmed at the Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent. 

Their challenges included blindfolded pottery, carving a Greek urn and coiling and decorating four Russian nesting dolls. 

You can see the programme on the iPlayer now and the show returns next week on BBC Two at 20:00.

League Two side Crewe Alexandra sign goalkeeper Andrew Dawber on a deal until the end of the season.

BBC News England

A woman has found a letter by popular children's author Enid Blyton in a book that cost £1.  

Jacqueline Ralph found the note in a copy of Silas Marner, by George Eliot, which she purchased in the Cinema Bookshop in Hay-on-Wye.  

Ms Ralph, from Lichfield said she was "amazed" by the find.

Experts said the letter was probably a generic copy that was sent to the writer's fans.

Emma Thomas
Political reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

The number of cases of fly-tipping in Staffordshire has risen by more than a fifth in the past five years. 

A BBC investigation found there were a total of 12,868 incidents in 2015-16 compared with 10,590 in 2011-12. 

In one recent case last month, "an ocean" of rubbish, including surgical waste, was dumped on woodland between Madeley and Betley (featured in video). 

The only councils to show a fall in incidents were Newcastle-under-Lyme and Tamworth.

 Across the West Midlands, the BBC has found fly-tipping incidents have risen by 13%.  

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

There's been severe congestion this morning on the northbound side of the A38 between Alrewas in Staffordshire and the A50 near Derby.

Highways England says staff had to take down and "make safe" a lamp column after a car hit it., external

They say one lane remains shut this morning due to a barrier also needing repairing, external .

BBC News Travel

The A38 northound is now open between Alrewas and the A50.

One lane remains closed to enable repair work caused by last night's collision.

BBC Sport

Adrian Lewis (pictured) won the battle of the two Stoke-on-Trent darts players in the Premier League last night. 

He beat Phil Taylor 7-4 in Glasgow.

Image source, Harry Trump/Getty Images

Elsewhere Michael van Gerwen marked his return from injury by beating Kim Huybrechts while Peter Wright went top of the table with a 7-5 win over James Wade. 

Raymond van Barneveld beat fellow Dutchman Jelle Klaasen and Gary Anderson eased past Dave Chisnall.

Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live

Police have been negotiating with a man with a crossbow in Cheshire for almost a day.   

Cheshire Police say they were first called to Kingsdown Close, Wychwood Park near Crewe just after midday yesterday. 

The force say they believe the man is alone inside the house.