Man jailed for life for housemate murder
Council apologises for 'lackadaisical' mistakes over vulnerable girl's care
Heroin and cocaine found in Stoke-on-Trent raid
Harry Potter wannabes contest British Quidditch Cup
Updates on Friday 10 March 2017
Burglar Joseph Hurst broke into a house while two teenage boys were asleep in bed., external
Image source, The Sentinel
Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
One person was left seriously injured, external after a crash on the M6 in Cheshire.
Highways England said there were long delays following yesterday's collision which involved two lorries and a car, between Middlewich and Sandbach.
Image source, Jay78Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service says one of the lorries caught fire , external and the southbound carriageway was completely closed to allow the clean-up operation to take place.
Highways England says it took until 21:35 last night before the carriageway was fully reopened , external after repairs had been carried out.
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
A home on a gated estate near Crewe remains sealed off this morning after police were in a stand-off last night with a man with a crossbow who was refusing to leave a house.
Cheshire Police has confirmed they've been on Kingsdown Close, Wychwood Park overnigh , external t although it's still unclear if negotiations are ongoing.
Armed officers and the police helicopter were called yesterday at 12:14 after reports of concern for the welfare of a man.
This morning I've seen police cars go on to the estate while a security guard at the entrance told me he was under instruction not to say anything to the media.
Alex Hamilton
BBC Weather
A cloudy day in store with occasional light drizzle, but also some patches of brightness - highs of 13C (55F).
You can find a detailed forecast for your area on the BBC Weather site.
Latest weather for the West Midlands
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Morning everyone, a grey start to the day in Stoke-on-Trent and we'll have a full look at the weather forecast shortly.
This early photo was uploaded by BBC Weather Watcher Z70 in Ranton.
Image source, Z70Through today we'll also have your latest news, sport, travel and other updates, including more of your pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire.
Keep sending those in on email or, if you use Instagram, put them there , external and add the tag #bbcstoke if you agree to share them.
The note that contains the popular author's signature was discovered in a Hay-on-Wye bookshop.
Read MoreWe'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow.
Keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell says his team have to take advantage of managerless Newport County this weekend.
Image source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyThe bottom club in the league sacked their manager Graham Westley this morning after five months in charge.
Artell says they need to make the most of their opponents' situation, telling BBC Radio Stoke it's "dog eat dog in football".
Celebrating the sunshine today in the couple of pictures we've picked out from our local BBC Weather Watchers.
These two are from users Deborah in Alrewas and Chasewater Ann in Burntwood.
Image source, Deborah
Image source, Chasewater Ann
Mary Rhodes
Presenter, BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this evening, we'll have more on shocking statistics that more babies die before their first birthday in the West Midlands than anywhere else in the country.
Health professionals are trying to reduce the numbers of deaths by 20% by 2021.
And with the chancellor Philip Hammond looking to kick-start the so-called Midlands Engine with £392m, we'll look at how it's going to be spent.
Those stories plus more, including your weather forecast for the West Midlands, from 18:30 on BBC One.
A clear-up is now taking place on the M6 southbound in Cheshire, between junctions 18 and 17 after the earlier crash.
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Liz Ellis
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
A Stoke-on-Trent church that supports asylum seekers says it urgently needs free or cheap storage space after part of its ceiling collapsed.
Officials with St Mark's in Shelton say it fell during refurbishment work and it now needs to find somewhere clean and dry.
The Sanctus drop in centre at the church, external , officially started in 2014, offers support to asylum seekers and refugees in the city.
Quote MessageWe're looking for some storage space, mainly for pushchairs, nappies, baby equipment, baby clothing. Things that we use to help refugee families re-establish their lives once they've escaped from where they've come from."
Reverend Sally Smith , Works with refugees in Stoke-on-Trent
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local Live
I've been to the gated housing estate near Crewe where police are in a stand-off with a man with a crossbow who is refusing to leave a house.
It's on Kingsdown Close, Wychwood Park and is a gated community.
The road and surrounding area is sealed off as police have put a cordon in place and you can hear the police helicopter overhead.
Police say they have finished their investigation at the scene of a crash between two lorries and a car on the southbound side of the M6 between junctions 18 and 17, external .
The whole southbound carriageway was shut after the collision.
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This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Rebecca Wood
BBC Midlands Today
Here's a look at tonight and tomorrow's weather for the West Midlands.
Keep up-to-date with the BBC Weather website at any other time.
Rebecca Wood
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
"Key projects" are set to be delivered in Staffordshire after the chancellor pledged £23.3m to the county as part of the the so-called Midlands Engine , external .
The county council says it'll mean derelict land at Doxey Road, Stafford being redeveloped for homes and businesses along with developing the former Royal Ordnance Factory site at Featherstone , external (pictured).
Image source, GoogleThe authority adds that it also means finalisation of the Stafford Western Access Route will happen.
In a statement, the council's leader Philip Atkins says they will also be looking to make more improvements to the A50.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Armed officers are at a gated housing estate near Crewe and a police helicopter is over the scene.
Image source, GoogleCheshire Police say they are negotiating with a man with a crossbow who is refusing to leave a house on Kingsdown Close, Wychwood Park.
Officers say there is a cordon in place and they were first called after midday over concerns for the welfare of an individual.
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
The former Port Vale captain Phil Sproson has told BBC Radio Stoke he thinks winger Enoch Andoh would be a great addition to the squad, if he can stay fit.
Image source, Clint Hughes/Getty ImagesAndoh played for Vale's reserves yesterday., external
He's not played for the first team since picking up a knee ligament injury in October 2015.
Quote MessageIf he was fit and if he could regain some sort of form, which he's probably a million miles away from at the moment, certainly if you think back to when Enoch was a force, he would be an advantage to us."
Phil Sproson, Former Port Vale captain
Litter pickers and Cub Scouts teamed up to give Nantwich a spring clean as part of a national Keep Britain Tidy campaign , external .
Image source, Nantwich NewsAllen Cook
BBC Local Live
A man's been charged with attacking a prison officer at HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire. , external
Image source, PAStaffordshire Police say the 27-year-old has been charged with Section 18 wounding with intent.
The force say a date's yet to be set for his court appearance.
