Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 8 May 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.
Summary
Updates from Friday 12 May 2017
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Horse rider suffers injury after fall at Badminton horse trialspublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeA rider from south Cheshire has suffered what's been described as a "traumatic brain injury" after falling during the Badminton Horse Trials.
Emily Gilruth, 40, who lives near Malpas is said to have had a stable night but is still under sedation in hospital in Bristol after the fall on Saturday.
Image source, Getty ImagesSixty-six drivers fined for using Hanley bus lane as they tried to avoid crashpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
More than 60 motorists have been fined for driving down a bus lane - as they tried to avoid a city centre road blocked by a crash., external
Image source, The SentinelWeather: A cloudier day forecast tomorrowpublished at 17:30 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Charlie Slater
BBC Weather presenterWe've had some blue skies and sunshine around the region today, but we are forecast a cloudier day tomorrow.
Media caption, Charlie Slater with the weather forecast for the West Midlands
Protester remains on roof of house for more than 50 hourspublished at 17:22 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio StokePolice are concerned about a man who's been on the roof of a house in Cheshire for more than 50 hours.
He's been holding what police are calling "a peaceful protest" since Saturday morning. A small number of protesters have gathered at the property near Tarporley - and a second man has since climbed down.
Officers remain on the scene and say they're working to bring him down safely.
Boro's Cooke may consider Crewe returnpublished at 17:04 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Middlesbrough midfielder Callum Cooke would consider returning to League Two club Crewe following a successful loan spell.
Read MoreFormer Brewers player dies on charity bike ridepublished at 16:48 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Khia Lewis-Todd
BBC Local LiveFormer Brewers player Karl Payne has died whilst taking part in a charity bike ride.
Karl had been riding from Stoke to Llangollen in Wales and back when he collapsed by the roadside.
Image source, Rocester Football ClubThe 44-year-old made 133 team appearances for Burton Albion after joining the club as a teenager and was currently a coach at his former club Rocester FC.
Burton Albion have sent their deepest sympathies to Karl's family and friends. , external
Major refurb backed for Victoria Parkpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Chris King
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeBorough councillors have approved plans for a renovation of Stafford's Victoria Park.
A planning committee met this morning to consider the application for a large-scale development to the south side of the park.
The planned renovations will include a new greenhouse, two aviaries, catering facilities and improvements on the bowling pavillion and toilet block.
Money to pay for the renovation work has been secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund under their Parks and People grant although the full amount isn't expected to be published until June. Stafford Borough Council is putting in £800,000 for the revamp.
A new amphitheatre and stage area would also be created and the main footpath will be widened.
However there have been some complaints from local residents as the new design would mean the demolition of some of the existing features such as the park's kiosk.
Football: Bids turned down for Port Valepublished at 16:01 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Breaking
BBC Radio Stoke SportBBC Radio Stoke understands that both bids to buy Port Vale football club have been rejected by owner Norman Smurthwaite.
The club was put up for sale last week after they were relegated to League Two.
Burslem-based IT company Synectics Solutions and Kidsgrove businessman Kevin Jones both bid £1.25m. However, sources tell us that the bids have been turned down - we'll have more on this breaking story as we get it.
Food store fire 'deliberate'published at 15:20 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio StokeAn arson investigation is now under way after a fire at a food wholesalers in Stoke-on-Trent early this morning.
Police say it's fortunate the Freshways building on Portland Street had been emptied yesterday, and there was nothing valuable inside.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses.
Officer suffers serious injuries after hit by car in Leekpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local LiveA police officer has serious leg injuries after being hit by a car during what's been called a "domestic disturbance" in Leek.
It happened in the early hours of Saturday morning, external when officers were called to Kiln Lane, and Staffordshire Police say a force vehicle and another car were damaged.
A 31-year-old local man has been arrested in connection with the incident, and a car seized.
Railway crossing closure delays half marathon runnerspublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local LiveRunners taking part in a half marathon were delayed when a diverted train caused a level crossing to be closed.
Hundreds of runners took part in Sunday's Lichfield Half Marathon but between the seven and eight mile mark a level crossing closed after the race started.
Race organisers KP Events released a statement, external saying it "was extremely unfortunate" after cows got on to another railway line causing trains to divert.
Image source, GoogleQuote MessageThis year Network Rail assured us that there would only be 2 trains that morning (the final one at 10am), and as such a decision was made to marshal the crossing instead. Unfortunately a cattle farmers fence not far from Lichfield was damaged and several cows wandered on to the main line, one of these cows was struck by a train on the main line and as such subsequent trains were diverted on to this branch line.
KP Events, Company organising the Lichfield Half Marathon
Organisers are asking any runners who got caught up on the railway line closure to contact them directly.
Richard Spencer wrote on the event Facebook page:, external "I was there just before the crossing was closed and waited 5 mins 50 secs. One person was trying to take down everyone's numbers which was an impossible task. You need to get timing mats there for next year, one either side of the crossing, so that everyone can be treated fairly. That apart it was a fantastic event."
The organisers have apologised to runners.
Former Port Vale player urges sale fearing worst for 'sinking' clubpublished at 13:53 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio StokeThe owner of Port Vale Football club, Norman Smurthwaite, has yet to reveal if he's accepted either of the bids put forward to buy the club.
Two offers are now on the table from local businesses, following the team's relegation to League Two.
Quote MessageWhat is tantamount is that Norman has to sell. With him in charge it's an absolute shipwreck and we're sinking fast. He's got to accept one of the two offers."
Ray Williams, Former Port Vale striker
BBC Radio Stoke has approached Norman Smurthwaite, but, as yet, we've not had a response.
Fine of £641k for JCB and DHL after worker suffered 'multiple injuries' in accidentpublished at 13:23 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Digger giant JCB and logistics firm DHL have been fined a total of £641,000 after a worker was hit from behind by a truck and falling machinery, external and suffered "multiple injuries".
Hospice thanks people who came to the assistance of cyclist who died in racepublished at 12:35 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Staff at a Stoke-on-Trent hospice say their thoughts and hearts go out to the family of a cyclist who died while taking part in a charity bike ride, external at the weekend.
The 44-year-old man was riding on the A5 near Chirk yesterday morning as part of the Dougie Mac Bike Ride, when he collapsed.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Dougie Mac's Chief Executive David Webster has thanked the emergency services and other cyclists who tried to help and sends deepest condolences to the man's family.
Man charged with firearms offencespublished at 11:57 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Tim Wedgwood
BBC Local LiveA Stoke-on-Trent man's been charged with a number of firearms offences following an incident in Longton last week., external
The 41-year-old is charged with two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
He's also charged with one count of being in possession of a firearm in connection with aggravated burglary. He's due to appear at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on 2 June.
'Zero tolerance' when it comes to holding people with mental health in police cellspublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Liz Ellis
Presenter, BBC Radio StokeStaffordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner's told me he doesn't want anybody suffering a mental health crisis to be held in a police cell. , external
A BBC Radio Stoke investigation earlier this year found people had been kept in cells for up to 58 hours.
A new law means they shouldn't be held for more than 24 hours.
Quote MessageI'm saying zero tolerance now so by the end of this year I don't want any use of custody at all for individuals with mental health, whether they're young or old, they should be in a healthcare environment and not police custody."
Matthew Ellis, Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner
The North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust says it's reduced the number of people detained, external in police custody by 80% saying they're now taken to Harplands Hospital.
County leads the way in the West Midlands for places to charge electric carspublished at 10:51 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Peter Plisner
BBC Midlands TodayStaffordshire has the highest number of charging points for electric cars in the West Midlands region. That's according to the website Zap Map, which shows plug-in points across the country. , external
There are 68 points in use in the county at the moment.
That said, the West Midlands has among the smallest number of electric car charging points in the country. There are 757 across the region compared to almost 3,000 in London.
Image source, Getty ImagesFirefighters still working to make building safe following firepublished at 10:23 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Ros Chimes
Reporter, BBC Radio StokeAn investigation into the cause of a fire at a food wholesalers in Cobridge this morning is under way. People in the area are being advised to keep their doors and windows closed as firefighters bring it under control.
It started shortly after 02:00 at Freshways wholesale food store on Portland Street.
Quote MessageIt's got an asbestos roof which creates issues for us, we don't cut into asbestos, and it's spread internally. We've knocked down the majority of the fire but there are lots of smouldering sections inside and it's difficult to get in because the building inspector's said we can't enter because of the structural stability."
Pete Jones, Station manager, Hanley Fire Station
It's thought the shop was empty at the time and firefighters say they expect to be at the scene for the rest of the day.
Your pictures: Staffordshire and Cheshire in the sunshinepublished at 09:55 British Summer Time 8 May 2017
Some lovely snaps to start the day across Staffordshire and Cheshire.
Thanks to Videoman from Leek for this one of Rudyard (top) and to Mustnt from Alsager for the one below.
Image source, Videoman
Image source, Mustnt
