Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Two lorries and a car were involved in the crash this afternoon on the southbound M6 in Cheshire between junctions 18 and 17. 

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service say they were called at 14:36 and put out a fire in one of the vehicles., external

They add that they have left the scene after clearing up engine oil spilt on to the carriageway.

Cheshire Police says there are now severe delays in the area, external as the whole southbound side is shut from junctions 18 to 17.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The whole of the M6 southbound between junctions 18 and 17 in Cheshire's been shut, external after a crash involving three vehicles. 

Cheshire Police say one of the drivers is thought to have suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital. 

North West Motorway Police say the road surface has been damaged by the collision, external and there's a full closure of the carriageway in place.

Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

Around 20,000 walking frames, sticks and hoists, loaned out in Staffordshire last year, haven't been returned, , external according to the county council. 

The authority wants people to give back equipment they no longer need so they can be recycled or reused.

The council says more than 97,000 items were loaned to people for free last year to help them live independently or to help after hospital treatment. 

It adds that returning a walking stick can save £15 while giving back a specialist bed can save up to £400.

Emma Thomas
Political reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Plans to link up two parts of Stoke-on-Trent with a £51m link road have been given £8.5m by the government today. 

It's part of the chancellor's fund for the so-called Midlands Engine, with Philip Hammond revealing this morning where an investment of £392m will be spent. , external

Stoke-on-Trent City Council first proposed the Hanley-Bentilee Link Road in February 2016, external with an idea of starting work in 2018-19 and finishing by 2022-23. 

Now the chancellor says they're getting £8.5m for a "first phase of improvements" with an aim of the scheme creating jobs and opening up housing land in the future.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Former football coach Barry Bennell has been charged with four more counts of historical child sexual abuse.

The 63-year-old ex-youth coach at Crewe Alexandra faces allegations relating to a boy aged 11 to 12 between 1981 and 1982. 

The Crown Prosecution Service said he is accused of four counts of indecent assault. 

Mr Bennell, who also had links to Manchester City and Stoke City, will appear at South Cheshire Magistrates' Court on 13 March.

Express and Star

The Black Country and Staffordshire will receive nearly £80m to drive forward the government's Midlands Engine strategy , external , the Chancellor has announced.

Image source, Express and Star

The chancellor was in the West Midlands this morning as the government set out its plans for the so-called Midlands Engine. 

Philip Hammond was revealing where an investment of £392m will be spent.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

A tile company says it's going to create 70 jobs in Stoke-on-Trent after building a new warehouse and showroom.

Image source, Google

Tile Mountain says it will need the staff over the next three years. 

The warehouse complex has been built on the former Johnson Tiles Highgate Works, external with the firm saying it'll move there from mid-April.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The latest figures for waits in A&E in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire , external show a slight improvement over winter for the local NHS.

A total of more than 18,000 people went to the Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital's accident and emergency units in January.

Nearly a quarter of patients waited longer than four hours - 75.3% were seen in the target time, up slightly from 73.4% the month before.

The government target is for 95% of patients to be seen in four hours. 

Also in January, 80 patients faced a wait of more than 12 hours compared to 178 in December.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A man's been charged after a police officer was attacked at a Stoke-on-Trent pub. , external

Staffordshire Police say the 32-year-old's been charged with being drunk and disorderly in a public place and assaulting a constable in the execution of duty. 

The force says it's after the "disturbance" at the Robin Hood pub in Norton on Tuesday evening.

BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this lunchtime - the chancellor Philip Hammond's been in the region today to unveil the government's strategy for the Midlands Engine.

Image source, PA

On the day after he delivered the Budget, he's promising nearly £400m towards skills, transport and economic growth. 

From 13:30 on BBC One we'll be looking at where all the money's gone and whether it will deliver what ministers claim it will.

Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

The supermarket retailer Waitrose says it is still in talks with staff about the future of its store in Leek. 

In January the branch on Bxuton Road announced it could close this autumn, saying it's found trading on the site "extremely challenging".

Image source, Google

More than 120 jobs are at risk and Leek's main post office is housed within the store - Waitrose says it'll remain open until the post office finds a new site. 

A petition against the store closure was signed by 1,506 people , external and the man behind it, Rob Collins, says it will now be presented to the retailer's management.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

I love picking out a selection of the great pictures you've shared with us of Staffordshire and Cheshire.

If you've taken one recently that you want to send in, do it via email or, if you use Instagram, put it there and add the tag #bbcstoke, external to show you agree to share it.

Image source, Thinkstock

A woman from Bath has been charged with human trafficking offences.

Thu Huong Nguyen, 48, of Southdown Road, will appear before magistrates in Staffordshire later.

Avon and Somerset Police, who have been involved in a slavery investigation involving nail bars in Bath, Cheltenham, Staffordshire and London, say she is facing the following accusations:

• Between 1 January 2016 and 8 March 2017 at Staffordshire and elsewhere, conspiring with persons unknown to control other persons for the purposes of labour exploitation
• Jointly with others between 1 January 2016 and 8 March 2017, conspiring intentionally to arrange or facilitate the movement in the UK of females to control them in labour exploitation
• Between 1 January 2016 and 7 March 2017 at a property in Southdown Road, became concerned in an arrangement which facilitated the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property (cash in excess of £60,000)

Mike Taylor
BBC WM

Chancellor Philip Hammond has increased National Insurance bills for self-employed people in the spring budget.

The number of self-employed workers has increased notably in the West Midlands in recent years.

Most recent figures, released only last month, show the figure has risen by 14% in five years and working men in the West Midlands are about twice as likely to be self-employed as women. 

So these changes will affect hundreds of thousands of people in our area, and more men than women.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

A man has been banned from keeping sheep for life and given a suspended prison sentence after admitting animal neglect in Staffordshire.

The county council says it had to seize 90 sheep from a field in Knighton, external , near Adbaston, last summer because they were in such a poor state.

Image source, Staffordshire County Council

Kevin Allman, 43, from Hadnall, Shropshire was charged with 20 offences of animal neglect and by-product offences and pleaded guilty to 16 of them. 

The other four were withdrawn at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre and Allman was given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for two years and the ban.

Sarah Bishop
BBC Midlands Today

More babies die before their first birthday here in the West Midlands than in any other part of the country, according to latest figures from the Office of National Statistics. 

Image source, MILLA KONTKANEN

Health professionals are trying to reduce the number of deaths by 20% by 2021.

Often no-one knows for sure why this is happening. Maternity services are being overhauled and  Finnish-style baby boxes  are being handed out to expectant mothers - Finland has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world.

The Lily Mae Foundation, based in Balsall Common, offers supports parents who have lost a baby to stillbirth or to neonatal death.

Khia Lewis-Todd
BBC Local Live

A man is due at Cannock Magistrates' Court this morning after being stopped by police while driving late last night and charged with a number of motoring offences, Staffordshire Police said.

Thomas Crump, 38, of Worcester Road, Stapenhill, was arrested and charged with driving whilst disqualified, using a vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance; possessing cannabis and obstructing a constable in the execution of duty.

Image source, Google

Lee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

More than 5,000 people have been to see the oldest Iron Age gold ever found in Britain since it went on display in Stoke-on-Trent just over a week ago. 

The three necklaces and bracelet are believed to be about 2,500 years old and were discovered on the edge of Leek last December. 

The find was declared treasure at an inquest and is currently being shown at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.

Staff say visitors have travelled from all over the country to come and see the gold, which is being exhibited until 22 March., external

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

About 250 bales of hay have been destroyed in a barn fire, external in Staffordshire this morning. 

Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

The county's fire and rescue service say they were called at 04:06 to a field off the B5405 near Great Bridgeford and found the bales "well alight". 

They sent two fire engines and say one stayed at the scene, external while the hay burnt out so they can dampen down the hay - they say the cause isn't yet known.

Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service