Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
We'll be back with our usual mix of news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 tomorrow, but keep an eye out here for more updates this evening and into the morning.
Summary
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
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
On Midlands Today from 18:30: Buying back a rare vase and marking 60 with a legend published at 17:55 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Nick Owen
Presenter, BBC Midlands TodayOn Midlands Today this evening - how fundraisers are facing a big target to stop a piece of rare Stoke-on-Trent pottery leaving the country.
Image source, ChristiesPlus, what a Midlands musical legend is doing this weekend to celebrate his 60th birthday.
We'll have those stories plus more, including your weather for tomorrow, from 18:30 on BBC One.
Theatre gets £500k to help vulnerable youngsterspublished at 17:50 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveThe New Vic theatre has been given £500,000 to work with disadvantaged and vulnerable young people in the area. , external
Image source, GoogleThe money, from the Denise Coates Foundation, is going to be spent over five years on the New Vic' Borderlines community programme.
The Newcastle-under-Lyme-based organisation says the project uses theatre to inspire and educate children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Football: Arnautovic taking team-mate Sobhi 'under his wing'published at 17:40 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio StokeThe Stoke City striker, Marko Arnautovic, has taken team-mate Ramadan Sobhi under his wing according to manager Mark Hughes.
Image source, Getty ImagesArnautovic scored twice in the Potters 2-0 win over Middlesbrough while Sobhi put in another impressive performance.
Stoke are next in action on Wednesday when they visit Manchester City.
Quote MessageRamadan is making an impact and is in the team on merit. He is very level-headed, but we are excited by him. We can't get too ahead of ourselves - he is a young guy. We have progressed him at the right rate and will continue to do so."
Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager
Fundraising to keep Josiah Wedgwood vasepublished at 17:33 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Fundraisers are in a race against time to save a rare piece of Wedgwood pottery for the UK.
Read MoreWatch: Tonight and tomorrow's weather for the West Midlandspublished at 17:30 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Alex Hamilton
BBC WeatherHere's a look at what's in store for us on the weather front tonight and tomorrow.
You can also keep up-to-date with your local forecast by visiting the BBC Weather website at any other time.
Media caption, Alex Hamilton
Rugby: Lichfield Ladies 'deserve' RFU rethink over failed bid published at 17:20 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Andrew Aloia
BBC Sport OnlineLichfield Ladies rugby union club say they "deserve" a rethink over their failed bid to be part of the inaugural Women's Super Rugby competition.
The Staffordshire club are second in the Premiership, the top-flight of English rugby as it stands, and have been part of the league for 15 seasons.
Image source, Getty ImagesCentre Emily Scarratt (pictured), a World Cup winner and Team GB captain at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is among five Lichfield players involved in England's Six Nations campaign this season.
Lichfield director of rugby, Becky Williams, said it was "devastating" to miss out on the new 10-team league.
Quote MessageWhat we, as a club, have worked so hard to do for 25 years is to get to the required standard - which we meet."
Becky Williams, Lichfield director of rugby
Gasworks to be restored with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund published at 17:13 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
A group dedicated to restoring a former Victorian gasworks building has received a £100,00 boost after securing vital cash to fund their work. , external
Image source, Burton MailNumber of 12-hour trolley waits drop at hospitalspublished at 17:03 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeFebruary was the first month in more than a year that no-one waited more than 12 hours on a trolley at Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford's main hospitals , external .
Health bosses at the University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust have revealed their latest A&E figures this afternoon.
In January, 79 people spent more than 12 hours waiting on trolleys at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and Stafford's County Hospital - in December the figure was 170.
Football: Manager wants more goals from Crewe skipperpublished at 16:51 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio StokeThe Crewe Alexandra manager, David Artell, is challenging his captain George Ray to score more goals.
Image source, crewealex.netThe 23-year-old scored his first goal in over two seasons as the Alex beat Portsmouth on Saturday.
Quote MessageHe had one header down which was blocked, it came back out to him and went in. It was a great header - he's good in the air, very good and he needs to score more, because he's good at it."
David Artell, Crewe Alexandra manager
Fire crews cut roof from car after crashpublished at 16:38 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Fire crews and an air ambulance were called out to a serious road accident near Joey the Swan in Wistaston. , external
BBC Weather Watcher pictures: Tamworth and Burtonpublished at 16:26 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Spring looks to have arrived in parts of Staffordshire and Cheshire by the look of the photos our local BBC Weather Watchers are uploading.
These two I've picked out are from Staffordshire users Graham's vista, in Tamworth, and GrannieP, in Burton.
Image source, Graham's vista
Image source, GranniePMan burns feet after setting wheelie bin on firepublished at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeA man in the Staffordshire Moorlands has suffered burns to his feet by trying to move a wheelie bin fire, which he'd accidentally started.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service say he'd put burnt paper in his bin on Coniston Drive, Cheadle and then later on, after midnight on 1 March, found it "well alight".
They say the victim, who's in his 60s, suffered minor burns to his feet as he tried to stop the flames spreading up the wall of his home.
Football: Butland's ankle injury 'completely healed'published at 16:02 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
BBC SportSome good news now for Stoke City fans.
Jack Butland has been out for eleven months with an ankle injury but has just tweeted he is on the mend.
It's looking like the goalkeeper, who turns 24 on Friday, will be back in training very soon.
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End of twitter post 2Police name victim of fatal car and lorry collisionpublished at 15:52 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveA man who died in a collision between a car and a lorry in Staffordshire at the weekend has been named by police today. , external
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceStaffordshire Police say Ryan Dunn, who was 21 and from Burton, was driving a Volkswagon Bora on Saturday when it collided with a blue HGV.
Officers say he died shortly after the crash.
No decision on future of Stafford County Hospital children's services published at 15:19 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeNo decision has been made on the future of the children's emergency centre at Stafford's County Hospital, despite NHS bosses indicating one would be made today. , external
Low numbers of staff with the right specialist training at Stafford's County Hospital forced the closure of A&E to patients under 18, on 25 August.
The hospital trust said it decided in September to ask the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) to carry out an independent review.
The trust then said last month, external it would be presenting a final version of the RCPCH review this afternoon at its board meeting.
But at the meeting, bosses said they are actually still waiting for that report, which the trust says could be complete "in the next few weeks".
Lichfield want Women's Super Rugby spotpublished at 15:02 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Lichfield want the RFU to reconsider their failed bid to be part of the Women's Super Rugby competition.
Read MorePeople urged to 'dig deep' to stop rare Wedgwood vase going abroad published at 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Jodie Looker
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeCampaigners trying to keep a very rare piece of Wedgwood pottery in Stoke-on-Trent are urging people to "dig deep and donate".
The First Day's Vase was created by master potter Josiah Wedgwood himself on the opening day of his factory at Etruria in 1769.
It sold at auction last year for £482,500, but the government put a temporary export ban in place until 14 March.
This could be extended to July if campaigners, led by the Friends of the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery group, show "serious intention" to buy it.
Last week they revealed their total had passed more than £70,000 after getting £60,000 from the Arts Council England's purchase grant fund , external .
Man City 0-0 Stoke - Man City miss chance to go secondpublished at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
Follow 5 live radio, text, images and social media as Man City look to go second in the table when they face Stoke in the Premier League.
Read MoreNew cinema, civic centre and food quarter planned in Cannock masterplan published at 14:39 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017
A new cinema at the heart of a food and drinks quarter is part of an ambitious masterplan for Cannock town centre., external
Image source, Express and Star
