Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Large piles of fly-tipped rubbish prompted several raids today in Stoke-on-Trent and the Staffordshire Moorlands,, external targeting people accused of illegally dumping waste, the Environment Agency says.

Fly-tipping has hit the headlines in recent months in this area and here are some of the worst cases we've reported on since the start of this year: 

• On 9 January, Hullock's Pool Road near Audley was shut after what looked like building waste was found dumped there. 
• In January, a mountain of rubbish was found on the Biddulph Valley Way near Knypersley which included hundreds of plastic bottles, bags, and cans. 
• On 2 February we reported on "an ocean" of 175 tonnes of rubbish fly-tipped in woodland between Madeley and Betley. It was finally cleared earlier this month., external
• On 13 March, Hollywall Lane, Tunstall had to be shut after waste including asbestos was dumped there. 
• On the same day, managers of the Enville Estate in Staffordshire said they were facing a £10,000 bill to clear a huge pile of rubbish dumped on their land.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

An underground washroom's been found at a pottery works in Stoke-on-Trent after being, external "buried" for more than 120 years. 

Managers at Middleport Pottery say they decided to explore below ground level after some of their older volunteers talked of their memories of it.

Image source, Middleport Pottery

They say they uncovered the a workers’ washroom containing ornate baths and sinks which are thought to date back to 1888. 

Their aim now is to restore and open them up to the public by the end of the summer.

Port Vale skipper Ben Purkiss says he and his players are fully aware of the effects if the League One club go down.

Express and Star

Staffordshire University has raked in a whopping £19,000 in library fines in just one year, new figures show., external

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

Identical teenage twins who started playing rugby in Cheshire, external have been called up by England. 

Head coach Eddie Jones has named 15 uncapped players in his 31-man squad to tour Argentina in June.

Image source, Getty Images

They include 18-year-old twins Ben and Tom Curry, who currently play for Sale., external

The pair started off playing rugby at Bishop Heber High School in Malpas having previously played for Crewe and Nantwich RUFC.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

The number of arson attacks in Staffordshire has risen over the March and Easter period, external, according to new statistics.  

The county's fire and rescue service say there were a total of 288 deliberates fire between 1 March and 18 April this year, compared with 255 for the same period in 2016. 

The service says that includes 216 arsons "out in the open", meaning they involved grass or rubbish.  

BBC News England

Seven men have been jailed for blowing up cash machines at banks and supermarkets. 

The gang stole hundreds of thousands of pounds in a crime spree across England and Scotland in 2015 and 2016. 

Among their attacks were the Barclays Bank on Crewe Road, Alsager in March 2015. 

Police say they stole £75,000 in the raid and caused damage put at £16,000. 

Some machines were blown up using "powerful explosives".

The men were convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of conspiracy to cause an explosion and burglary. They received sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

Officials from the Co-op Bank say they put large stones into the ground outside their Stafford branch because of anti-social behaviour. 

Image source, Google/John Lynch

The three large rocks reportedly appeared recently outside Greengate Street branch. 

A number of people criticised the move on social media, accusing the bank of making the move to stop homeless people sleeping there.

In response, Co-op Bank says it carried out the work following security concerns and customer complaints about anti-social behaviour.

Allen Cook
BBC Local Live

We keep getting amazing photos of Staffordshire and Chshire sent in - here are five I've picked for today.

You can send your pictures in via email or, if you use Instagram, put them there and add the tag, external #bbcstoke to show you agree to share them.

Burton Mail

A call has been made for speed cameras to be put along a "dangerous" road after a village school appealed for street lights., external

Image source, Burton Mail

Amy Cole
BBC Midlands Today

On Midlands Today this lunchtime, we'll have more on a series of raids targeting illegally dumped raids which have been carried out across Staffordshire this morning. 

They've been carried out after tonnes of rubbish were found across the region last year - more from 13:30 on BBC One.

A gang that blew up cash machines across the UK, including four in Scotland, stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds, is sentenced.

Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

Port Vale's captain Ben Purkiss says the players understand the impact that relegation could have on the whole club. 

Image source, Pete Norton/Getty Images

Vale are two points from safety at the bottom of League One with three games still to play.

Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

Five addresses have been raided by police this morning in connection with a spate of fly-tipping.

The Environment Agency and police say their investigation's come after 20 different piles of rubbish were found last summer across the Midlands and parts of Merseyside.  

Staffordshire Newsletter

A disabled grandmother who lost hundreds of pounds says a former carer has, external "ruined her life".

Nicola Beckford
Reporter, BBC Midlands Today

A Staffordshire cattle breeder says compensation for farmers whose livestock is affected by TB isn't nearly enough.   

Last month, Ernie Durose, who farms at Upper Leigh, had almost his entire herd slaughtered to stop the disease spreading. 

In the 12 months up to January there were nearly two million TB tests carried out in the West Midlands and just over 7,500 were slaughtered. 

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says the price it offers farmers is based on the breed, age and sex of the cattle.  

Lee Blakeman
BBC Radio Stoke

A widower from Newcastle-under-Lyme says he can't sleep because of a delay in paperwork which he fears could mean his dead wife is still classed as living. 

Reginald Farr's wife Zena died in February in his arms and she's been cremated - but he still hasn't had her death certificate. 

Image source, Google

Mr Farr says they were married for more than 60 years and he's very upset by the delay. 

The coroner's office for Stoke-on-Trent says it'll contact him to update him on what's happening with his wife's death certificate.

BBC Derby Sport

Adam Peaty says he believes he can break the 26-second mark for the 50m breaststroke at this summer's world championship - after winning the British title last night in the second-fastest time in history.

Peaty was just shy of breaking his own world record in the race at Sheffield, which you can watch below.

Having given his 100m gold medal away to Harry Brancham, Peaty said he was saving his 50m medal for his grandmother.  

Follow Final Score, text, images and social media as relegation-threatened Swansea City host Stoke City in the Premier League.

A big day at the bottom of the Premier League, with wins for Bournemouth, Hull and Swansea - reaction, images and analysis from a dramatic day.