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
A headteacher is taking action to improve road safety after a five-year-old pupil was injured on the way to school. , external
Image source, The Sentinel
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.
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.
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.
Image source, Highways EnglandSome 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 MessageWe 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
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).
Latest weather for the West Midlands
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.
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 .
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 MoreStoke striker Saido Berahino tells Football Focus the eight-week drugs ban he served this season came after his drink was spiked.
Read MoreStoke 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 MoreBBC football expert Mark Lawrenson takes on comedian and actor Omid Djalili in this week's Premier League predictions.
Read MoreWe'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.
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.
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.
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.
Image source, crewealex.netThe Alex have won three in a row without conceding a goal and Ray's been quick to praise his team mates.
Quote MessageClean 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
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 .
Shefali Oza
Staffs Live
A homeless man broke into his parents’ home in Trentham and stole more than £1,000 worth of goods while they were on holiday , external , a court heard.
Image source, Staffs LiveLee Blakeman
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Thousands of fake cigarettes and tobacco, external have been seized from a shop in Stafford.
Image source, Staffordshire County CouncilThe 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.
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.
Image source, Highways EnglandHere 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!"
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.
Image source, Nathan Stirk/Getty ImagesChris 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.
BBC News Travel
A signalling fault's behind the delays, the train operator says.
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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.
Image source, JR
Image source, Snowyowl
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 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 MessageI'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
