Highways England apologise after motorists' fury at A50 roadworks
published at 09:09 British Summer Time 30 March 2017
Motorists are furious after facing weeks of delays due to a major road closure., external
Image source, The SentinelSummary
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
Highways England apologise after motorists' fury at A50 roadworks published at 09:09 British Summer Time 30 March 2017
Image source, The SentinelMade in England, adopted by Romaniapublished at 08:49 British Summer Time 30 March 2017
How ex-England junior international Jack Cobden made his Romania debut on the day former team-mates won the Six Nations.
Read MorePlans for 140-room hotel in city centrepublished at 08:49 British Summer Time 30 March 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeA new 140-room hotel is going to be built in the centre of Stoke-on-Trent. , external
The city council says the Hilton Garden Inn will be built outside the Smithfield buildings in Hanley and should open in 2019.
Image source, Stoke-on-Trent City CouncilThe authority has put £4.55m towards it and hopes it will create 50 jobs.
It will be built and owned by developer Genr8 which says it expects to start work on the site later this year.
Double cream spillage shuts M6 after tanker crashpublished at 08:26 British Summer Time 30 March 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LivePart of the M6 in Staffordshire had to be completely shut after a spillage of double cream in a tanker crash.
Image source, Highways EnglandHighways England says it was called just after 07:00 to the southbound side between junctions 10A and 10, near Featherstone. , external
Staff say a tanker and a lorry collided and double cream was spilt over the carriageway, leading to them shutting it to treat the spillage.
Three lanes of the M6 were reopened at 07:30, external and Highways England say no-one was hurt in the crash.
Watch: Your 50-second weather forecastpublished at 08:20 British Summer Time 30 March 2017
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenterAfter a cloudy start to the day, any early rain should clear leaving a dry, bright and warm afternoon with highs of 18C (64F).
You can find a detailed forecast for your area on the BBC Weather site.
Media caption, Latest weather for the West Midlands
Good morning and welcome to Thursday's live coveragepublished at 08:00 British Summer Time 30 March 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveHello everyone, the day's starting off dry in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent at the BBC Stoke HQ.
This picture's from Ranton and was taken by BBC Weather Watcher Z70.
Image source, Z70Of course we'll have a look shortly at your weather for Staffordshire and Cheshire and there'll be updates on today's news, sport, travel and more through the day.
I'll also have another pick of the pictures that you send in of this area so keep those coming on email or put them on Instagram, with the tag #bbcstoke, external to show you agree to share them.
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 29 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.
Man 'extremely shocked' after Crewe assaultpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveA man's been hit in the face several times in an attack in Crewe.
Image source, GoogleCheshire Police say the 21-year-old victim, from Sheffield, was walking over Earle Street on Tuesday morning when an unknown man came up behind him.
After he grabbed and assaulted him, officers say the attacker fled towards Grand Junction Retail Park, leaving the victim without serious injuries but "extremely shocked".
Football: Crewe youngster told 'to work your socks off' to get back in team published at 17:47 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Graham McGarry
Crewe Alexandra commentator, BBC Radio StokeCrewe Alexandra's Charlie Kirk has been told he needs to work harder if he wants his place back in the first team.
Image source, crewealex.netThe teenager is highly rated by the manager David Artell, but he's told the player he has to raise his standards.
Quote MessageHe's got work to do to get in the team. I'm not saying this is Charlie by a long stretch but sometimes there's the perception that there's a given right to progress at this football club. It's an automatic assumption that you'll end up in the first team. You have to work your socks off to get there."
David Artell, Crewe Alexandra manager
On Midlands Today from 18:30: Wreath tribute to London attack officer published at 17:40 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Liz Copper
Reporter, BBC Midlands TodayOn Midlands Today this evening - another tribute was paid to the victims of the Westminster terror attack today, at the National Memorial Aboretum in Staffordshire.
Image source, AFP/Getty ImagesPrince William laid a wreath in memory of PC Keith Palmer and, at the same visit, opened a new Remembrance Centre.
I'll have more from 18:30 on BBC One.
Watch: Tonight and tomorrow's weather for the West Midlandspublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Shefali Oza
BBC Midlands TodayAfter a cloudy, grey day for much of the region, here's how it's looking tonight and for you for tomorrow.
You can also get the latest forecast at any time by heading to the BBC Weather website.
Media caption, Shefali Oza
'Vital' work starts on project to fill in 'horsehoes' to strengthen bank published at 17:24 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Work has started on a project to strengthen the bank alongside a historic Lichfield beauty spot. , external
Image source, Lichfield MercuryDrugs gang jailed after 'flooding the streets of Crewe with cocaine' published at 17:16 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveA Staffordshire man who police say ran an organised drugs gang and had been "flooding the streets of Crewe with cocaine" has been jailed today.
Cheshire Police say Martin Day from Draycott Drive, Newcastle-under-Lyme was the ringleader and used the money from drugs to fund a "luxurious lifestyle" of holidays and expensive cars. , external
Image source, Cheshire PoliceThe force says the gang involved a total of 13 men supplying cocaine across Crewe, using a pub in the town as their base.
Today 34-year-old Day was given the biggest sentence of the group with a prison term of 10 years and six months after being convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Chimney fire 'caused by bird's nest'published at 17:08 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio StokeA birds nest caused a chimney fire in Crewe. , external
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service say they were called last night to Bradfield Road.
They say when they got there the blaze was out but they found it had been caused by a bird's nest stuck behind a gas fire.
Football: Port Vale 'need another away win' to stay uppublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio StokeThe former Port Vale captain Phil Sproson says he thinks the team need to win away from home between now and the end of the season, if they're to avoid relegation.
Image source, Nathan Stirk/Getty ImagesVale have won just once away from home this season , with a total of eight games still to play.
Quote MessageIf we want to stay in the division then we've got to win a game somewhere [away from home] it's as simple as that. If we're good enough, we'll survive and if we're not good enough, we'll go down."
Phil Sproson, Former Port Vale captain
'Suspected loan shark' arrested in Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 16:42 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeA woman has been arrested in Stoke-on-Trent on suspicion of being a loan shark.
The England Illegal Money Lending Team says the 42-year-old was arrested at a house in Longton this morning.
They say they worked with local tradings standards and police to raid the home and say the woman is being questioned on suspicion of illegal money lending and money laundering.
Firm pulls out of HS2 railway line dealpublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
CH2M's £170m contract was to develop Phase 2b from Crewe to Manchester and Birmingham to Leeds.
Read MoreBBC Weather Watcher pictures: Lichfield and Barlastonpublished at 16:20 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
There have been grey skies today after the brighter ones earlier in the week and our BBC Weather Watchers have, at times, been reflecting the change.
Here are two photos from Staffordshire users Digitalalan in Barlaston and Mpstonnall in Lichfield.
Image source, Digitalalan
Image source, MpstonnallMan dragged from car in city robberypublished at 16:03 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeA man's been pulled from his car in a carjacking in Stoke-on-Trent., external
Officers with Staffordshire Police say two men then stole the Saab on Wellington Road, Hanley and drove off, pursued by police.
Image source, GoogleThe force says the duo made off from the vehicle after stopping it in the Keelings Road area of Birches Head.
A 25-year-old from Stoke-on-Trent has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and theft.
Firm pulls out of HS2 dealpublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 29 March 2017
Allen Cook
BBC Local LiveAn engineering firm which was given a £170m contract to develop the high speed rail HS2 route that will go through Staffordshire and Cheshire has withdrawn from the agreement.
CH2M was picked by HS2 Ltd last month to build two parts of the line, from Crewe to Manchester and from Birmingham to Leeds.
Image source, PAHowever concerns have been raised over possible conflicts of interest, delaying the contract signing as the concerns are investigated.
HS2 Ltd's new chief executive is a former CH2M worker, as was his temporary predecessor.
The firm said it had "demonstrated all appropriate measures taken throughout to ensure the integrity of the procurement process".
