Summary

  • New 24-hour emergency mental health team for Staffordshire

  • Colleges complete merger with 11,000 students

  • Football: Burton's Ben Turner banned for racial abuse

  • Saido Berahino: Former manager Tony Pulis says 'life is too short' to dwell on the past

  • Updates from Friday 31 March 2017

  1. Football: Drugs ban from a spiked drink, says Stoke strikerpublished at 09:01 British Summer Time 31 March 2017

    Football Focus

    The Stoke City striker Saido Berahino says  the eight-week drugs ban he served  earlier this season came after his drink was spiked in a nightclub.

    Berahino did not play for former club West Brom between September and January, when he  joined Stoke for £12m.

    Media caption,

    Saido Berahino

    He claims the level of drugs found was "really low", which he says proves there was no intent on his behalf.  

    Berahino brought an end to his turbulent time at The Hawthorns by signing a five-and-a-half-year deal at Stoke on 20 January.  

  2. Inquiry after M6 was shut for more than 12 hours due to 'unsafe' bridge published at 08:41 British Summer Time 31 March 2017

    Lee Blakeman
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    A Stoke-on-Trent MP says he's secured an inquiry into the closure of the M6 last week in Staffordshire which caused major tailbacks across two counties.

    The motorway was shut between junctions 14 and 15 due to emergency bridge repairs at the A51, north of Stafford services. 

    Work on the bridgeImage source, Highways England

    Some panels urgently needed to be removed from underneath the bridge. 

    At the time, Highways England said safety was their "top priority" and they worked as fast as they could to remove the panels. 

    However concerns have been raised at how long it was shut and the Stoke South Labour MP Rob Flello says he's raised the issue with the Transport Select Committee of MPs, of which he is a member., external

    Quote Message

    We will be getting a review by the committee into the way Highways England looks at these things. Unfortunately, with the amount of work that we've got on the committee, it's not going to be immediate, but I have got it on the list, we are going to be looking at it."

    Rob Flello, Stoke-on-Trent South Labour MP

  3. Video: Your 50-second weather forecastpublished at 08:20 British Summer Time 31 March 2017

    Charlie Slater
    BBC Weather presenter

    After a cloudy and damp start to the day, the clouds should clear, leaving a drier and brighter afternoon with highs of 16C (61F).

    Media caption,

    Latest weather for the West Midlands

  4. Welcome to Friday's live coverage for Staffordshire and Cheshire published at 08:00 British Summer Time 31 March 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    Morning everyone, it's looking grey but dry over Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent this morning - this was over the Potteries Museum at 07:30.

    Hanley today

    We'll have a full weather forecast for you shortly and then there'll be news, sport, travel and other updates through today.

    Keep sharing your pictures of Staffordshire and Cheshire by sending them in on email or put them on Instagram, adding the tag #bbcstoke to show you agree to share them , external .

  5. Pundits pick their Player of the Yearpublished at 00:05 British Summer Time 31 March 2017

    With voting for the PFA Player of the Year award about to close, 15 BBC pundits reveal who they think should land the prize.

    Read More
  6. Drink was spiked with drugs - Berahinopublished at 21:33 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Stoke striker Saido Berahino tells Football Focus the eight-week drugs ban he served this season came after his drink was spiked.

    Read More
  7. I was definitely spiked - Berahinopublished at 20:54 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Stoke City striker Saido Berahino says he "didn't know how" drugs got into his system, which led to him serving an eight-week suspension when he was at West Bromwich Albion.

    Read More
  8. Lawro's predictions v Chelsea fan Omid Djalilipublished at 19:55 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson takes on comedian and actor Omid Djalili in this week's Premier League predictions.

    Read More
  9. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 30 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. 

  10. On Midlands Today from 18:30: Inquest verdict on missing man and new water treatment plant published at 17:59 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Nick Owen
    Presenter, BBC Midlands Today

    On MIdlands Today, we'll have more from the inquest into the death of a man in Staffordshire whose disappearance sparked a huge search. 

    Reservoir

    We'll also hear how a water firm serving Staffordshire customers is hoping to avoid chemical treatments by using ultraviolet light to turn raw reservoir water into pure drinking water. 

    Both those stories and more, including your evening weather forecast, from 18:30 on BBC One.

  11. Football: Skipper praises whole Crewe side for defensive improvements published at 17:40 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Graham McGarry
    Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    The Crewe Alexandra captain George Ray says the whole team need to take credit for their improved defensive performances. 

    George RayImage source, crewealex.net

    The Alex have won three in a row without conceding a goal and Ray's been quick to praise his team mates. 

    Quote Message

    Clean sheets and blocks and all that are better than anything for me as a defender, but that comes from the whole team, not just me, when the lads are working as hard as they do all over the pitch."

    George Ray, Crewe Alexandra captain

  12. Watch: The West Midlands weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow published at 17:30 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Shefali Oza
    BBC Midlands Today

    After a cloudy day with some sunshine around, here's how the weather's looking for tonight and Friday morning.

    You can also get latest forecasts at any other time from the BBC Weather website .

    Media caption,

    Shefali Oza

  13. Shop raid nets thousands of fake cigarettespublished at 17:09 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Lee Blakeman
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    Thousands of fake cigarettes and tobacco, external have been seized from a shop in Stafford.

    The seized cigarettes and tobaccoImage source, Staffordshire County Council

    The shop as well as two homes were raided by Staffordshire County Council's trading standards officers yesterday. 

    The authority says around 9,880 fake or illegal cigarettes were found along with 12.85kg (28.33lbs) of illegal hand rolling tobacco.

  14. M6 cream spillage: Facebook users keep the puns flowingpublished at 16:58 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Allen Cook
    BBC Local Live

    The puns have kept on coming on the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, following the spillage of double cream on the M6 in Staffordshire this morning , external

    It twice forced the closure of the southbound side, once so Highways England could treat it and then for them to sweep the road. 

    The scene of the spillageImage source, Highways England

    Here are two more of our favourites: 

    Les King-Smith posted, external : "This is happening whey to often." 

    Kelvin Waltho wrote, external : "Throw some jelly, custard, wafers, fruit and sprinkles until it'll be a trifle accident!"

  15. Football: Huge travelling support expected for Port Vale v Sheffield United published at 16:46 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Lee Blakeman
    Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    Port Vale are expected to welcome their biggest away following for nearly four years when they host Sheffield United next month. 

    Port Vale groundImage source, Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

    Chris Wilder's team are on course to win promotion back to the Championship and could seal it with a win at Vale Park on Good Friday

    United have confirmed that their allocation of nearly 4,500 is on course for a sell out.

  16. Travel: Delays to London Midland services through Tamworthpublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    BBC News Travel

    A signalling fault's behind the delays, the train operator says.

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  17. BBC Weather Watcher pictures: Gnosall and Meerbrookpublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    BBC Weather Watchers

    The sunshine has reappeared a little across Staffordshire and Cheshire today and our BBC Weather Watchers have been busy out snapping pictures.

    Here are two we've picked out, from Staffordshire users JR in Gnosall and Snowyowl in Meerbrook.

    GnosallImage source, JR
    MeerbrookImage source, Snowyowl
  18. Man whose disappearance sparked huge search killed himself, coroner rules published at 16:14 British Summer Time 30 March 2017

    Chris King
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    The death of a man from Stone whose disappearance prompted a major search by the public and police was suicide, a coroner has ruled. 

    Joshua Smith

    Joshua Smith went missing last October and was found almost a month later in a field near Meaford. 

    The inquest today heard the 27-year-old had overdosed on a drug he'd bought on the internet from China.

    Quote Message

    I've spoken to Joshua's mum at length and I did know Joshua from his work at the Aston Marina in Stone and this is a young man who desperately wanted to live, he didn't want to die but obviously mental health is a huge concern, particularly for young males."

    Det Insp David Wain , Staffordshire Police officer