Man dies in house fire
Getaway car photo released after security guard robbery
Lab tests carried out to solve cracked paving problem
Self-mutilating dog costs charity £10k in vet bills
Updates from Friday 7 April 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
A man's died in a house fire in Stoke-on-Trent this afternoon., external
Staffordshire Police say the blaze happened on Grange Road, Meir Heath at 14:20.
They say the man, who's in his 90s, died at the scene - they're not treating the death as suspicious.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Police have released a photo of a getaway car believed to have used after a security guard was robbed of cash in Stoke-on-Trent. , external
It happened on Monday while the G4S guard was outside the Aldi on Whittle Road, Meir Park , external , Staffordshire Police say.
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceOfficers say one of the men was armed with a wheel brace and the guard needed medical treatment afterwards.
The force has released a photo of the car they say was used by the suspects and which has now been found after a tip-off from the public.
Officers say they're trying to find any witnesses who saw the Alfa Romeo Mito while it was on Whittle Road on Monday.
Rebecca Wood
BBC Weather
It's going to be sunny and warm this weekend, with temperatures reaching 19C (66F).
Dare we say it could be time for the first barbeque of the year?
Rebecca Wood has your forecast
Stuart George
Presenter, BBC Radio Stoke
A dog has cost a charity £10,000 in vet bills because of a rare condition which means he can't stop chewing his paws.
George the spaniel
Owner Laura Herbert from Hanley says George has Acral mutilation, external which means he self-mutilates, often biting his legs and feet to the bone because he can't feel any sensation in them.
She says a Staffordshire-based charity has covered the vet bills over the past two years which included needing to have a toe removed.
Nick Clitheroe
BBC Midlands Today
On Midlands Today this evening, I'll be live at Port Vale's ground as it prepares to host the England women team as they take on Italy in a friendly tonight.
Image source, Paul Thomas/Getty ImagesBut, as well as looking ahead to that game, I'll be looking at the crunch end to the season in League One and what the future could be for the Vale.
Tune in to BBC One from 18:30 for more .
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Drivers are being warned there could be delays around a major roundabout in Crewe as the council looks to improve long-term congestion in the area.
Crewe Green roundabout takes traffic from junction 17 of the M6 into Crewe , external as well as routes through Haslington and to and from Leighton Hospital.
Image source, GoogleCheshire East Council is looking to cut queues at peak times and has drawn up plans to reshape it.
The authority says to finalise the design ahead of putting in a planning application, they need to carry out site investigations which they'll start from Monday.
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
You've been having your say on the news that the latest stage of a £10m revamp of Stoke-on-Trent's city centre. , external
The city council's putting in new paving, benches, bins and trees from Stafford Street up to Albion Square and around the bus station.
On the BBC Radio Stoke Facebook page, Chris Fox posted, external : "I don't like the new pavements. It's not clear what's road or pavement."
Brandon Birks wanted the money used for other things, external : "Some more money to help the homeless would be nice. I've never seen Hanley with so many homeless people."
While Simon Copestick wanted work near him, external : "How about some of that coming to Newcastle-under-Lyme? Need some areas revamping to mix old and new."
Major changes are being made to the majority of bus services across Burton and South Derbyshire, while four routes are being scrapped altogether. , external
Image source, Burton Mail
Graham McGarry
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
Stoke City fans are being told they'll see a "marked difference" in new striker Saido Berahino from next season.
Image source, Dave Thompson/Getty ImagesThe player, who joined the Potters in January, has yet to score for the club in eight appearances.
But manager Mark Hughes says he expects improvements to come.
Quote MessageWe'll see a marked difference in terms of Saido Berahino next season. We still want to get him scoring between now and the season's end."
Mark Hughes, Stoke City manager
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Mobile phones worth more than £32,000, external have been stolen in a burglary in Stoke-on-Trent.
Image source, GoogleFonez 4U on City Road, Fenton, was broken into, Staffordshire Police say, on Tuesday morning and around 100 new and used mobiles, including the latest iPhone and Samsung models, taken.
Officers say they think a crowbar was used to get in.
Have you got new ways of using social media to tell a good story?
If so, you might be interested in this.
An opportunity to become a digital apprentice for the BBC in the West Midlands has opened.
Meet one of the BBC apprentices who is working in Berkshire about his experience...
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Applications to apply for this year's digital journalism apprenticeship close on 18 April.
The sun's been out today in Staffordshire and our BBC Weather Watchers have been busy uploading their pictures of the area.
These two are from users Happy Spaniels in Barton under Needwood and JR in Gnosall.
Image source, Happy Spaniels
Image source, JR
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
A pair of painters have been officially praised for their courage , external in rescuing a woman from a flat fire in Stafford.
Image source, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue ServiceStaffordshire Fire and Rescue Service says Tim McGann and Jason Maguire went to the woman's aid in December after hearing her cry for help at Jubilee Court.
After helping her from her flat, they found a boiler was alight, so closed all the doors to contain the fire.
If it wasn't for their actions in December, the situation could've been far more serious, the fire service said.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Northern Rail is warning people to plan ahead as strike action tomorrow will mean only 32% of its services will run.
The RMT union is disputing plans to bring in more driver-only-operated trains.
The operator runs some services from Stoke-on-Trent and says passengers need to check before travelling as it won't be covering all routes and stations. , external
Firefighters will not be axed as part of multimillion-pound cuts to Staffordshire Fire and Rescue service while bosses have also vowed compulsory redundancies to other workers will be avoided. , external
Image source, Express and Star
BBC News Travel
A vehicle has hit a rail bridge, disrupting trains between Stafford and Wolverhampton, external , London Midland says
The train operator says it's happened on Showell Road, north of Wolverhampton.
Image source, GoogleLee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Cracked pavements and roads in Stoke-on-Trent city centre won't be fixed until lab tests show what's causing them to crumble.
The city council's in the middle of a £10m programme of improvements to Hanley, external which includes putting down new paving.
But, last month, the authority said it was temporarily relaying broken slabs which were only laid two years ago and was looking for a long-term solution.
Quote MessageWe've taken some samples and are testing those in the lab but until we've understood what actually is the cause and understood what's causing the cracking in that location, we can't treat that and bring it back into a good state of repair."
Councillor Jack Brereton , Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Parts of Staffordshire will get to see some of the world's best women cyclists for the first time this summer, the county council says. , external
Earlier this year, the route of the five-stage 2017 Women's Tour was announced with Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire hosting stage two.
Image source, Staffordshire County CouncilNow the county council says it has worked with race organisers to plan a route which will include Cannock Chase, Blithfield reservoir and one of the steepest climbs in the county, Gun Hill near Leek.
Overall the authority says the route will pass through Stone, Stafford, Uttoxeter, Cheadle and Leek.
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Staffordshire's Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) says the force is taking on its first "digital Police Community Support Officer" to improve how it deals with cyber crime.
Image source, ThinkstockLast month, the force said a survey showed 62,000 internet users in Staffordshire had been victims of at least one cyber crime. , external
Deputy PCC Sue Arnold says they're in the early stages of recruiting for the new role but says the successful applicant will have to think "differently" to other PCSOs in how to tackle cyber crime.
Quote MessageDigital PCSO is different to a PCSO that will walk the streets in their community. They will communicate via text, via Twitter, via Instagram, via Whatsapp to as many people as they possibly can on a daily basis."
Sue Arnold , Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire
Jack Dowling
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
A fire in an empty house in Stoke-on-Trent this morning, external is being treated as arson.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service say they were called to the blaze in the building on Barrett Drive, Cobridge, at around 04:40.
The service say an investigation's found was started deliberately and they've handed the inquiry over to police.
