Sarah Robertson
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

BBC Radio Stoke is holding election debates in Staffordshire and Cheshire in the run up to polling day - Thursday 8 June.

The first is a youth-focused debate from Newcastle-Under-Lyme College on Thursday 18 May, which will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Stoke and Facebook Live between 19:00 and 20:00. 

All three candidates for the marginal seat will be there - Paul Farrelly (Labour), Nigel Jones (Liberal Democrat) and Owen Meredith (Conservative) talking about issues affecting the under 30s.

The second is in another marginal seat, Crewe and Nantwich in south Cheshire. 

The debate will come from a pub in Crewe on 1 June, which will be broadcast on radio and BBC Radio Stoke's Facebook Live page , external(7-8pm).

In addition, BBC Radio Stoke is holding a political roadshow from the Staffordshire County Show on Wednesday 31 May. 

Stuart George will be talking to candidates and people at the show about the big issues on their minds ahead of the general election.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

Yesterday I was out filming students at Staffordshire University about registering to vote in the up-coming general election.

Former students Darren Clarke and Emily Horsfall discovered many students in the city were not aware of the different voting options available to them - and even managed to persuade one student to register his vote for the first time.

In the 2015 general election Stoke Central had the worst turn out in England (51.26% voted).  

People have until the 22 May to register vote., external

Last night the deadline closed for candidates hoping to win your vote at the general election on 8 June. Here's the full list of who's standing in Stafford, Stone, Staffordshire Moorlands, Tamworth and Cannock:

Stafford , external

• Jeremy Lefroy (Conservatives)
• Tony Pearce (Greens)
• Christine Tinker (Liberal Democrats)
• David Williams (Labour)

Stone, external

• Bill Cash (Conservatives)
• Sam Hale (Labour)
• Martin Lewis (Liberal Democrats)
• Samantha Pancheri (Greens)
• Edward Whitfield (UKIP)

Staffordshire Moorlands, external

• Karen Bradley (Conservatives)
• Henry Jebb (Liberal Democrats)
• Dave Jones (Labour)
• Nicholas Sheldon
• Mike Shone (Greens)

Tamworth, external:

• Andrew Hammond (Labour)
• Christopher Pincher (Conservatives)
• Jenny Pinkett (Liberal Democrats)

Cannock, external

• Paul Gregory (UKIP)
• Paul Dadge (Labour)
• Nat Green (Liberal Democrats)
• Amanda Milling (Conservatives)
• Paul Woodhead (Greens)

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

Here's a full list of the people vying to be a local MP in Congleton, Crewe and Nantwich, Eddisbury Burton, Lichfield and Newcastle;

Congleton:, external

• Fiona Bruce - Conservative
• Sam Corcoran - Labour
• Mark Davies - UKIP
• Alexander Heath - Greens
• Peter Hirst - Liberal Democrat

Crewe and Nantwich, external

• David Crowther - Liberal Democrat
• Laura Smith - Labour
• Michael Stanley - UKIP
• Edward Timpson - Conservative

Eddisbury, external

• John Bickley - UKIP
• Mark Green - Green
• Morgan Hill - Pirate Party
• Ian Priestner - Liberal Democrat
• Cathy Reynolds - Labour
• Antoinette Sandbach - Conservative

Burton, external:

• Andrew Griffiths - Conservative
• Simon Hales - Green
• Dominic Hardwick - Liberal Democrat
• John McKiernan - Labour

Lichfield, external:

• Michael Fabricant - Conservative
• Robert Pass - Greens
• Paul Ray - Liberal Democrats
• Chris Worsey - Labour

Newcastle-under-Lyme, external:

• Paul Farrelly - Labour
• Nigel Jones - Liberal Democrat
• Owen Meredith - Conservative

Matt Sandoz
Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

It’s one of the most anticipated home games of the Premier League season for Stoke City fans. A rivalry as fierce as perhaps even a local derby. 

Stoke and Arsenal love to hate each other and historical incidents that have fuelled the animosity date back to the early 1970s following Arsenal’s two controversial FA Cup semi-final wins.

The fixture at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday isn’t likely to be incident free as Stoke City are trying to finish in the top 10, while Arsenal are looking to muscle their way into the top four.

Image source, Getty Images

The problem for Mark Hughes is that his side have failed to beat any of the teams above them in the table this season, but a win over Arsenal would be some consolation for the fans and a fitting finale on home soil.  

Join me on Praise and Grumble tonight on BBC Radio Stoke for a look ahead to the weekends game and your views on what went wrong with Stoke City’s £18m record signing Giannelli Imbula.

Rebecca Wood
BBC Weather

We're due a dry, but cloudy weekend, with a little bit of sun breaking through and temperatures up to 18C (64F) in places.

But it's not looking so good for Monday, with heavy rain forecast for most of us.

We earlier reported that hospitals in Stoke and Staffordshire have been among those affected by a cyber-attack on the NHS this afternoon.

An anonymous hospital worker told the BBC: "The cyber-attacks have really left our team in a bit of a rut, can't access our internet or use our emails. 

"Have had to put work on hold as I can't do anything. Not really what the NHS needs right now!"

Leek Post and Times

People have been urged to come forward and buy shares to help save a village pub, external before the June deadline date.

The two men are accused of being involved with sex abuse at a special school more than 30 years ago.

Brookfield House in Nantwich had been in special measures for much of last year.

However, an unannounced inspection by Care Quality Commisision inspectors in September found improvements had been made.

While it was taken out of special measures, it was given a "requires improvement" rating after the watchdog discovered a further breach of regulations.

During that inspection on 12 September, external, the CQC found improvements had been made to the way medicines were managed and "significant improvements" had been made to the security of the premises.

Naomi Cornwell
Reporter, BBC North West Tonight

The body of Roy Tomlinson was found on 2 February - six days after he went missing.

The coroner asked the inquest jury not to criticise the police before they went out to consider what happened.

Mr Tomlinson, who had dementia, was classed as a high risk missing person and Cheshire Police deployed a helicopter with thermal imaging cameras and dogs to search an area of 2km.

When Mr Tomlinson was found six days after his disappearance he was in a building less than half a mile from the care home he lived in. He was discovered in an annex behind a property on Wellington Road. 

The police had been to that address and had searched for him the day after he went missing. 

Officers tried one door, but found it locked. They failed to try two others as someone came out and spoke to the officers and had given them the impression it was occupied, the inquest heard. 

Officers followed national guidelines.

A major refurbishment at a Staffordshire park could start this summer if funding by the Heritage Lottery Fund is given.

Staffordshire Borough Council says it has put a bid in to restore Victoria Park in Stafford to its former glory and "take the park back to the Victorian era".

Councillor Mike Smith says as well as plans to update the bandstand, create a new cafe and aviary, there will be more seating along the river.

Staffordshire Borough Council says it will contribute £800,000 towards the £2.5m needed for the improvement works for the town centre park. A bid has been put in through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The council says it expects to hear about whether it has been successful this summer.

NHS services across England have been hit by IT failure, believed to be caused by a large-scale cyber-attack.

A spokesman for the University Hospital of North Midlands trust, which runs Royal Stoke and County Hospital in Stafford, said: "Certain services within UHMN are currently unavailable. This is having minimal impact on clinical services. Staff and partners will be kept fully informed throughout the disruption."

The spokesman added that the IT issue was affecting the NHS nationally.

Follow the latest development on BBC News and BBC Radio Stoke.

Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local Live

A full and comprehensive list has been released by Stoke-on-Trent City Council about who is standing in the general election on 8 June.

The candidates are all bidding to become the local MP in the following areas:

Stoke-on-Trent , externalNorth

• Ben Adams (Conservative)
• Douglas Rouxel (Greens)
• Ruth Smeeth (Labour)
• Richard Whelan (Liberal Democrats)

Stoke-on-Trent , externalCentral

• Peter Andras (Liberal Democrats)
• Adam Colclough (Greens)
• Barbara Fielding (Independent)
• Mick Harold (UKIP)
• Daniel Jellyman (Conservatives)
• Gareth Snell (Labour)

Stoke-on-Trent , externalSouth

• Jack Brereton (Conservatives)
• Rob Flello (Labour)
• Jan Zablocki (Greens)
• Ian Wilkes (Liberal Democrats)

You can follow the 2017 General Election on BBC News.

Two former Staffordshire students are encouraging their peers to vote, after Stoke-on-Trent had one of the lowest turnouts in 2015.

The inquest heard that Roy Tomlinson's dementia affected his behaviour and led to him becoming agitated and aggressive at times. He would wander around the privately run care Brookfield House (pictured) where he lived.

On 26 January 2016 Mr Tomlinson was given the diazepam for the first time and staff didn't know how it would affect him. The care assistant who gave him it accepted that he should have been monitored.

It was that afternoon he walked out of the home and a police search was launched to find him. 

There was no adequate supervision of the fire door and side gate at a care home from which an elderly dementia patient left and was later found dead, a jury at an inquest has concluded.

Roy Tomlinson was living at Brookfield House, a privately run care home in Nantwich, last year when he left the home.

His body was found six days later.

In reaching their narrative conclusion, the jury heard that the retired teacher was not monitored by staff after being given medication. 

All reasonable efforts were made to find him and it is likely he died the day after he walked out of Brookfield House, the inquest heard.

Police and safety officers remain on site as similar rapids rides reopen at other theme parks.

Tamworth Herald

Drayton Manor has confirmed it will remain closed, external to allow the health and safety executive to complete their work.

BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Phil Taylor has qualified for the Premier League of Darts play-offs after beating Adrian Lewis 7-5 last night.

Image source, Getty Images

Taylor will play Peter Wright next Thursday, while the other match will see Michael Van Gerwen face Gary Anderson.